More than 7 million participants have been required to participate in clinical trials registered thus far in 2022 alone. In the UK, the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme spent more than £100 million on trials during 2020-2021. In addition to being expensive, clinical trials often fail to deliver due to problems with trial conduct, process which involves behaviours. Trial conduct is not currently conceptualised through this behavioural lens, yet, behaviours are at the heart of clinical trial delivery and the social science discipline of behavioural science can provide critical insights for the clinical trials community- improving health by improving research.
Recruitment and/or retention continue to be the biggest challenge for successful trial delivery. For example, only 56% of UK NIHR HTA funded trials recruited their sample size, and some suffered loss to follow up of up to 77%. In efforts to improve recruitment and retention trials share data on these activities with staff at recruiting sites. This typically involves comparisons with other sites, such as the best recruiting and retaining sites, with the aim of changing the behaviour of clinical staff. This information is often fed back as newsletters or reports. This assessment of recruitment and retention activity compared to a ‘standard’ reported back to sites can be considered as audit and feedback (A&F) a widely used, evidence based, component of healthcare quality improvement.
The existing target driven strategies to improve trial recruitment and retention are not currently conceptualised as A&F behaviour change strategies and as such the potential for effectiveness of this evidence based behavioural approach has not been maximised. In addition several studies have highlighted that the process of staff recruitment to trials is influenced by complex social phenomena requiring in depth understanding in order to unpack. This studentship aims to address this gap.
The existing target driven strategies to improve trial recruitment and retention are not currently conceptualised as A&F behaviour change strategies and as such the potential for effectiveness of this evidence based behavioural approach has not been maximised. In addition several studies have highlighted that the process of staff recruitment to trials is influenced by complex social phenomena requiring in depth understanding in order to unpack. This studentship aims to address this gap.
What the studentship will encompass;
This studentship aims to explore the effectiveness of audit and feedback that targets healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) recruitment and retention behaviour in RCTs. Specifically, it will:
- Determine whether and how audit and feedback is currently used to target HCPs recruitment and retention behaviours in RCTs;
- Identify key opportunities and challenges for audit and feedback interventions to target HCPs recruitment and retention behaviour;
- Develop an audit and feedback intervention to target HCPs recruitment and retention behaviour and establish feasibility and acceptability.
Eligibility:
Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants will have a first degree (undergraduate) at 2:1 or above and have a demonstrable interest in the topic area under investigation.
- Applicants can have a Masters degree, however this is not a requirement.
- Applicants can study part-time or full-time.
Other eligibility criteria:
Ideally knowledge or experience of health psychology (or psychology more broadly) and qualitative methods, however, training will be provided. A first degree or Masters in a health or social sciences subject.
Selection Process:
Applications will be ranked by an internal institutional selection panel, and you will be notified if you have been shortlisted for interview on week commencing 1st May 2023 . Interviews will take place on May 9th and 18th 2023.
This studentship award is subject to the successful candidate securing admission to a PhD programme within the University of Aberdeen. The successful candidate will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme.
If you are interested in applying to the listed PhD studentship, please visit the site below, select the PhD studentship your are interested in and follow the further instructions provided under the "How to Apply" section.
https://www.sgsss.ac.uk/studentships/current-opportunities/
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