The role and impact of place and space on performances of rehabilitation after stroke

A growing body of literature on therapeutic landscapes has begun to address the role and impact of place in the provision of healthcare and the lived experience of health and wellbeing. Stroke survivors form an increasingly large group in an ageing society, with a 28% increase in total stroke prevalence in the UK over the last ten years. People who have a stroke experience a number of environments on the stroke care pathway, from emergency admission, acute care and in-patient rehabilitation, to further home-based rehabilitation and community support. However, there has been limited investigation of the impact of place, space and transition between environments on the stroke care pathway for stroke survivors, family members and health care professionals. Research in this field has the potential to enhance the quality and effectiveness of rehabilitation, and to facilitate re-integration and inclusion for stroke survivors.
The three year plan of investigation will involve:
A systematic narrative review of the literature on place and space in stroke rehabilitation and getting back to life after stroke
An observational study of rehabilitation practices following a sample of stroke survivors in a number of contrasting settings on the stroke care pathway
Designing an approach to rehabilitation and care that accounts for the challenges and assets inherent in places and spaces on the stroke care pathway for testing in a future trial.

The student will be based the School of Health Sciences (HSC) under lead supervisor Dr Simon Horton, with expertise in stroke rehabilitation research (Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Alliance http://www.abira.ac.uk/), and co-supervisor Professor Andy Jones from the Norwich Medical School, with expertise in environment and health (https://www.uea.ac.uk/medicine/people/profile/a-p-jones#activitiesTab).

The studentship will provide training in key methods and skills required for an individual contemplating a career in rehabilitation research. They will be immersed in the ABIRA group of international experts in stroke rehabilitation, as well as the environment and health research group run by Professor Jones where they will have the potential for training in the ways that place and space can be represented in a research context. They will also be actively involved in dissemination activity such as platform/poster presentations at international scientific conferences and peer-reviewed publication.

To find out more about undertaking a PhD in the School of Health Sciences at UEA, visit https://www.uea.ac.uk/medicine-health-sciences/graduate-school .