The role of pain as a mediating factor on falls in people with Parkinson’s. (RDF17-R/SPO/MONAGHAN)

This is an exciting clinically-focused PhD research opportunity that is focussed on pain, Parkinson’s disease and falls prevalence. There is growing recognition that older adults living with chronic pain have an increased prevalence of falls than older adults without pain. In addition, people with Parkinson’s (PwP) also have an increased risk of falling, with Parkinson’s UK identifying falls as a top research priority. Many risk factors for falls have been described for PwP but to date this has not included pain. Pain in PwP is a common symptom; proposed to be more frequent than in the general population and may be associated with the neurophysiological processes involved in Parkinson’s. As older adults with pain experience a higher prevalence of falls, and pain and falls is a common problem in PwP, this project will explore the association between pain and falls in PwP, a novel area of research with potential to inform the management of this significant problem.

It is envisaged that this project will contain multiple phases to explore the relationship between pain and falls in PwP. This is an opportunity to explore a newly developing area of research, working with an established research team with a background in Parkinson’s disease and pain management and experience in supervising PhD students across these areas. There is potential to include qualitative and quantitative elements to the research and develop expertise in systematic reviewing.

The ideal candidate will have an interest in mixed research methods and the project may be particularly suited to those with a health background such as physiotherapy, clinical exercise physiology or psychology.

Eligibility and How to Apply
Please note eligibility requirement:
• Academic excellence of the proposed student i.e. 2:1 (or equivalent GPA from non-UK universities [preference for 1st class honours]); or a Masters (preference for Merit or above); or APEL evidence of substantial practitioner achievement.

For further details of how to apply, entry requirements and the application form, see
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/research/postgraduate-research-degrees/how-to-apply/

Please ensure you quote the advert reference above on your application form.

Northumbria University is an equal opportunities provider and in welcoming applications for studentships from all sectors of the community we strongly encourage applications from women and under-represented groups.