The role of partner support in chronic disease outcomes (University of Essex in collaboration with East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT))

Project background:

In the UK, patient care and disease management are typically treated as individual concerns rather than recognising that disease management is a social process. This project offers an exciting opportunity to develop and test a comprehensive account of how partner interactions impact chronic disease, with immediate relevance to chronic disease management and care of arthritis patients. Patient reported outcomes are important measures in management of inflammatory arthritis, but they are inherently subjective, and may be influenced by social factors overlooked in clinical contexts (e.g., social support). There is often a large discordance between patient and physician global assessments of disease activity in inflammatory arthritis, which impacts treatment decisions, patient satisfaction and compliance. An overreliance on physiological predictors of patient global assessments means that important social information (e.g., interactions with partners) which may contribute to patient-physician discordance have been overlooked. Shifting to a bio-psycho-social model approach which includes understanding the impact of social contexts should contribute to a better disease management.

How to apply for this studentship

You will need to make a separate application for this collaborative studentship using the SeNSS online application platform. The link to the application platform and the notes to guide you through this process are available here.

Start date for study: 1 October 2023.