Digital technologies have become part of everyday life for most people and innovation in the digital sphere is happening fast. The capacity for technology to improve health and wellbeing outcomes is substantial. Two major challenges have arisen when using digital technologies in health-related settings. Digital technology is too often employed as a simple fix, transferring existing services/tools or resources into a digital format, frequently a digital application, with limited consideration of other more appropriate technologies that may be better at facilitating the health outcomes. The technology is often developed and evaluated without having the actual user of the technology in mind. Little attention is paid to the behaviour change required of the user and the barriers and facilitators of its use. Thus, questions around what is working, why it is working, who it is working for and where there may be incidental harm by, for example, widening the digital poverty gap, can be neglected.
This PhD project will co-develop a digital intervention for young people with long-term conditions and evaluate their acceptability and feasibility by the target group. At this point, we are open to the prospect PhD proposing long-term conditions that are relevant in this age group. This PhD project may include a literature search for existing interventions, apps, and other materials. Facilitating stakeholder workshops as well as designing and carrying out quantitative research methods can also be a part of this project.
These projects would fit under the “Novel methodologies to support future research and better informed policy” research cluster: https://www.stir.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/institute-for-advanced-studies-studentships/novel-methodologies-to-support-future-research-and-better-informed-policy/
Please notify Dr Pamela Rackow ([Email Address Removed]) of intention to submit. Expression of interest to be submitted by 14. April 2023.
Supervisors:
1st supervisor: Dr Pamela Rackow
2nd supervisor: Dr Seda Erdem
3rd supervisor: to be confirmed
Research Groups:
Health Psychology Research group (https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/natural-sciences/our-research/research-groups/health-psychology-research-group/
Application Requirements:
Eligible applicants should:
· Hold a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Public Health, Computer Science and related fields. A relevant MSc qualification is desirable.
· Experience in psychological data collection and analysis
· Willingness to participate in an interdisciplinary project involving collaborators and supervisors from diverse research fields.
If your first language is not English, to be accepted into a PhD programme and be eligible for a studentship you are required to show English language competency equivalent to the minimum level of IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in all bands).
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