The Ellie Othick-Bowmaker PhD Studentship: Transitions in the lives of young brain tumour survivors and their caregivers

Young patients who have been diagnosed with cancer face many challenges. After the diagnosis and treatment, long-term difficulties may develop especially in childhood cancer survivors. These may include chronic medical conditions and secondary cancers. During the transition from childhood to adulthood (around the ages 16-30), social and vocational issues may also become more pressing. Cancer survivors generally have difficulties with education and finding employment, which can lead to financial stress. They live independently less often than their healthy peers and can struggle with building and retaining healthy social relationships. Among cancer survivors, those suffering from a brain tumour consistently rate higher on these issues, which is influenced by worse cognitive functioning and physical limitations. When making the transition from paediatric oncology to adult oncology clinics, not all patients are well-informed and some may even be lost to follow-up despite long-term effects of anti-tumour treatment. Supportive services that cater to children furthermore may not always be easy to replace as the patient reaches adulthood.

The strains and stresses experienced by patients’ informal caregivers are less often reported on in the literature, although family caregivers of paediatric cancer patients are also known to experience social and financial difficulties. As brain tumours are often accompanied by neuropsychiatric and behavioural symptoms, the professional and social lives of family caregivers of young neuro-oncology patients may be under increased strain. Indeed, those providing care for patients with brain injury or neoplasms are among the most likely to leave the labour force. In caregivers in neuro-oncology, specifically, economic hardship is related to psychological distress.
When the patient transitions into adulthood, and finds their way to independent living, the role of the family caregiver shifts as well. Sometimes, caregiving tasks transfer from the patient’s parents to their partner or spouse. How the issues experienced during this transition period influence caregivers’ emotional health, employment status and economic burden, has not yet been reported on. Therefore the student will:
1) Perform a series of qualitative interviews to get a good grip on the issues that not only patients, but their family caregivers go through during the transition period;
2) Start a multi-centre observational study to collect data on both caregivers and brain tumour patients and survivors of other cancers in the transitioning age.

More knowledge in this area can result in valuable leads to improve and tailor supportive care to better meet patients’ and caregivers’ needs. This, in turn, could potentially improve their quality of life substantially.

Training will be provided in the relevant areas. Some travel within the UK may be required as the observational study will be conducted across multiple centres.

Eligibility

You should hold a first degree equivalent to at least a UK upper second class honours degree in a relevant subject. This project would suit a student with a strong background in health psychology, neuropsychology, or health sciences. Excellent communication skills, experience in working with paediatric and teenage/young adult patients and strong knowledge of statistics would be ideal.

The Faculty minimum requirements for candidates whose first language is not English are:

• British Council IELTS - score of 6.5 overall, with no element less than 6.0
• TOEFL iBT - overall score of 92 with the listening and reading element no less than 21, writing element no less than 22 and the speaking element no less than 23.

How to apply

To apply for this scholarship applicants should complete a Faculty Scholarship Application form using the link below http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/download/2376/fmh_scholarship_application_16_17_entry and send this alongside a full academic CV, degree transcripts (or marks so far if still studying) and degree certificates to the Faculty Graduate School [Email Address Removed]

We also require 2 academic references to support your application. Please ask your referees to send these references on your behalf, directly to [Email Address Removed] by no later than Tuesday 21 March 2017

If you have already applied for other scholarships using the Faculty Scholarship Application form you do not need to complete this form again. Instead you should email [Email Address Removed] to inform us you would like to be considered for this scholarship project.

Any queries regarding the application process should be directed to [Email Address Removed]