Durham University
PhD Studentship
Department of Geography
Deadline: 4pm April 30th 2009.
Incapacitated? The health and employment experiences of long-term Incapacity
Benefit claimants.
Clare Bambra, Tim Blackman and Senior Research Associate (tba)
Department of Geography, Durham University
3 year studentship of £18,000 per annum
October 2009 - September 2012
The level of ill health in the working age population in the North East of
England exceeds that any other English region. Across County Durham there
are over 40,000 people dependent on claiming Incapacity Benefit (IB) because
their health problems prevent them from seeking work, representing 12% of
the working age population. The two principal health conditions preventing
people from working are mental health problems, particularly anxiety and
depression, and musculoskeletal disorders. Other health issues are also
common, including very high levels of smoking and other risk factors for
cardiovascular disease and cancers. Ill health in circumstances of economic
exclusion is a major contributor to health inequality. However, whilst
return-to-work interventions for this population have a high policy
priority, much less attention has been given to proactive engagement to
improve health across the long-term IB population.
County Durham Primary Care Trust is therefore implementing a major
intervention to improve the mental and physical health of people in County
Durham who are in receipt of IB. The intervention will provide claimants
with individually-tailored packages of support with their health problems
and other barriers they face with accessing training and employment.
A multi-disciplinary research team led by Dr Clare Bambra has been
commissioned to independently evaluate the intervention. Based in the
Department of Geography and the Wolfson Research Institute, this generously
funded 3 year PhD scholarship will help assess the impacts of the programme
by undertaking in-depth qualitative interviews with samples of programme
participants. These interviews will obtain more detailed case histories of
IB claimants, their experiences of worklessness, their motivations and
personal circumstances, how they relate to their health conditions, and
their experiences of seeking to move into work.
This PhD project will link into the main evaluation team as well as
complementing the work of several other PhDs and research projects in the
Department of Geography, Durham University which are examining the
relationships between unemployment, worklessness and health. Research
methods training will be provided in the first year if required. It will be
supervised by Dr Clare Bambra, Professor Tim Blackman and the evaluation by
a Senior Research Associate.
Applications
The closing date for applications for this studentship is 4pm on Thursday,
April 30th 2009. Applications are welcome from candidates with a minimum 2.1
undergraduate degree (or equivalent) as well as a relevant Masters Degree or
relevant experience. To apply, please complete the on-line application form
available at :
https://bannerss.dur.ac.uk/blive_ssb/bwskalog.P_DispLoginNon). A CV and a
letter outlining any relevant experience and your interests in the topic
should also be sent separately to Veronica Crooks
([log in to unmask]) Postgraduate Administrator, Department of
Geography
For further details about this studentship please contact:
[log in to unmask]
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