Dr S Harrison, Dr C Ryan, Prof D Martin
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
I. Scientific excellence
COPD is characterised by breathless but pain prevalence is also higher in individuals with COPD (66%) compared to older adults (23%) with thoracic pain most frequently reported (36-54%). Pain appears to have a musculoskeletal component which likely stems from altered breathing mechanics in response to increased ventilation. People with COPD and healthcare professionals also emphasise the emotional element of pain, which increases breathless symptoms. A pain intervention that highlights the interactive relationship between experiences of pain, dyspnoea and anxiety may help patients rationalise how these symptoms interact in COPD.
II. Clear aim and hypothesis
1. Develop a COPD-specific pain intervention.
2. Assess the feasibility and effect of delivering COPD-specific pain education in pulmonary rehabilitation.
III. Methodology and innovations
Stage 1. Development of a COPD specific pain intervention
1. Conduct a review of the literature and combine findings from existing systematic reviews
2. Triangulate the existing evidence
Stage 2. Assessing the feasibility and effect of delivering COPD-specific pain education
1. Pilot a randomised controlled trial (RCT)
2. Investigate the views of patients and healthcare providers on COPD-specific pain education.
Individuals with COPD who report pain will be randomly assigned to receive 1. COPD-specific pain education delivered within pulmonary rehabilitation or 2. standard pulmonary rehabilitation. Health care professionals responsible for delivering pulmonary rehabilitation will provide the intervention following adequate training.
The candidate will select appropriate outcome measures that will likely include: pain, pain catastrophising, hyperventilation, thoracic-abdominal asynchrony and respiratory muscle strength. Exercise capacity and health-related quality of life are routinely collected in pulmonary rehabilitation.
Interviews or focus groups will be conducted with patients and healthcare professions to explore the acceptability of the intervention.
IV. Strategic relevance
This research fits within the Rehabilitation Center in the SOHSC at Teesside University. It aligns with work currently being undertaken by PhD and DTA students within the school exploring pain, balance and gait. It enables collaboration with international colleagues in Australia and Canada who are exploring pain in people with COPD. There maybe future opportunities to work with web-developers to delivery COPD-specific pain education remotely, we can support this through the Healthcare Innovation Center and links with local SMEs.
V. Interdisciplinarity and fit with relevant DTA programme
People with COPD tend to be aged over 65 years. COPD can be viewed as an accelerated form of aging, for example they have more advanced skeletal muscle dysfunction than older adults without COPD and possess a higher number of co-morbidities. This project draws together expertise in COPD, pulmonary rehabilitation, pain, physiology and psychology to develop and pilot a complex intervention focused on addressing the issue of pain in older adults with COPD.
Applications
Applicants must apply using the online form on the University Alliance website at https://unialliance.ac.uk/dta/cofund/how-to-apply/. Full details of the programme, eligibility details and a list of available research projects can be seen at https://unialliance.ac.uk/dta/cofund/
The final deadline for application is Monday 8 October 2018. There will be another opportunity to apply for DTA3 projects in the spring of 2019. The list of available projects is likely to change for the second intake.
Application Web Page
Applicants must apply using the online form on the University Alliance website at https://unialliance.ac.uk/dta/cofund/how-to-apply/. Full details of the programme, eligibility details and a list of available research projects can be seen at https://unialliance.ac.uk/dta/cofund/
Funding Notes
DTA3/COFUND participants will be employed for 36 months with a minimum salary of (approximately) £20,989 per annum. Tuition fees will waived for DTA3/COFUND participants who will also be able to access an annual DTA elective bursary to enable attendance at DTA training events and interact with colleagues across the Doctoral Training Alliance(s).
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 801604.