NIHRDataInsights/HRCSData huggingface dataset:
Title: A sociological exploration of the use of alcohol by women as a stress coping strategy – towards the development of an appropriate self care intervention for stress management
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Heavy drinking by women is a significant public health problem. Recent surveys have linked increased drinking with stress. Such cross-sectional data cannot show causation and this link needs further elucidation. Stress can arise due to adverse life-circumstances including multiple societal roles. A lack of recent research on stress and lifestyle behaviour requires an in-depth exploration of this complex issue. This research proposes a systematic review of current research on stress and alcohol use, a gendered critique of stress management interventions and qualitative health diary interviews with women. The data will be used to develop a self care stress management intervention.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING;2.3 PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy in the West Midlands: an Evaluation of the Joint Agency Approach to Investigating Unexpected Infant Deaths. (The West Midlands SUDI Project).
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Despite overall reductions in infant death rates, 300-400 infants each year die suddenly and unexpectedly in England and Wales. Many of these deaths remain unexplained and the unexpected nature of the deaths necessitates the involvement of the coroner and a police investigation, adding to the grief suffered by the parents. The West Midlands SUDI (sudden unexpected death in infancy) project aims to assess the impact and outcomes of a new national approach to investigating sudden infant deaths, where police, health and social services work jointly following a set protocol. It will assess if the new approach, which has not previously been evaluated, is more effective than previous approaches at determining causes of death and factors contributing to those deaths. It will study in detail the parents’ experiences of support to determine which aspects of the new approach are most beneficial. It will evaluate the views of professionals following the introduction of the new approach. The project will take place in the West Midlands, recruiting up to 100 families whose babies die suddenly and unexpectedly in the years 2010-12, and following them for the next 2 years. The research will use a variety of methods including analysing case notes, structured interviews and open ended interviews with parents and professionals. Eventually it is hoped that this research will result in improvements in the care and experience of parents whose infants have died suddenly and unexpectedly and contribute to a fall in infant mortality.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Multidisciplinary teamworking in ASHCs: how are translational research, clinical service and education brought together?
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Five Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) have been established in the UK to integrate world-class research, education and patient care to improve outcomes for patients across the NHS. As the organisations are so new, there is little guidance as to how to make frontline teams work together to achieve these aims This study will use interviews and observation to provide data to explain why some teams are more successful in bringing research from universities to hospitals and patients. The findings will provide guidance for other organisations in the NHS to enable better teamworking and improved patient care.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES;8.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Physical activity and emotional wellbeing in young people
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: The research will explore the relationship between physical activity and emotional wellbeing in young people including: young peoples understanding of emotional wellbeing and factors they think may enhance or diminish emotional wellbeing including physical activity; mechanisms behind any relationship between physical activity and emotional wellbeing; whether physical activity is a protective factor: and any dose response relationship. A qualitative focus group study will be used alongside the main observation study looking at data from two cohort studies, both cross sectionally and longditudinally. Patterns of association between physical activity and emotional wellbeing will be identified to contribute to future policy and practice.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: The influence of the physical food environment and psychosocial factors on dietary inequalities among women in Hampshire
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: There is little known in the UK about how the foods shops near where people live influence their diet. My research will look at how the types of food stores and the range, price and quality of foods they sell affect the diets of women living in richer and poorer neighbourhoods in Hampshire. I will map and survey food stores in our study area, survey mothers to measure the quality of their diets and examine local government and health policy. This research will help find ways to assist poorer families to eat more healthy foods.


Research activity codes: 2.2 FACTORS RELATING TO PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Understanding complexity in surgical interventions: an exploratory study with implications for trials, training and practice
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Understanding components of complex healthcare interventions during trial design improves reliability and implementation of results. Surgical procedures are complex with operative steps, surgeon expertise, peri-operative and patient factors but previously complexity has been unaccounted for, invalidating results. This study aims to understand surgical interventions in trials. A systematic review will summarise how interventions are documented, monitored and reported. Qualitative research with non-participant observation and video-recordings of surgery, and in-depth interviews with surgeons, teams and patients will explore interactions between intervention components, examine protocol fidelity and relate this to outcomes. Results will inform trial design and conduct with ultimate patient benefit.


Research activity codes: 6.4 SURGERY
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Which Factors Contribute to Unplanned Medical Admissions in England?
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: A number of factors influence the need of an individual to access healthcare; these may derive from the individual's medical history (which the individual is likely to be aware of), the patient's age, sex and ethnicity (which are likely to be recognised by the patient, but not necessarily in relation to health and disease), societal, cultural, economic, educational and environmental factors (which may be intangible to the patient), and attributes of the local and national health system (e.g. staffing levels, accessibility and quality of primary care, bed availability, funding and uptake of preventative services such as influenza immunisation). There is likely to be a proportion of unplanned acute medical hospital admissions that are immutable and represent true and unforeseen medical emergencies (such as acute myocardial infarctions). However, a certain proportion may result from sub-optimal treatment plans or treatment failures. This research project will aim to identify the factors which may underlie unplanned medical admissions to secondary care in adults in the United Kingdom. Some factors may be amenable to change at the level of the individual patient or at the level of local healthcare planning, delivery and strategy and national policy.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES;8.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Improving pain management within adult emergency departments: a mixed methods study.
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Inadequate pain management in emergency departments (EDs) is a widespread problem but little is known about why EDs do not provide adequate and timely pain relief. This research aims to identify factors affecting pain management and interventions for improving pain management within EDs using a mixed methods approach. A literature search followed by case studies of EDs (involving observation, interviews and focus groups) and then a national survey of EDs will be undertaken to understand organisational, professional and patient factors associated with good pain management. This will identify ways in which EDs can improve the management of pain.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Comparatve meta-analyses of diagnostic test accuracy studies
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Test selection is common and critical to health technology assessment. Appropriate methodology for simultaneous comparison of multiple tests that incorporate evidence from direct and indirect comparisons is lacking. The main objectives of this research are to estimate the bias and reliability of indirect test comparisons and to develop methods of meta-analysis for comparison of multiple tests that account for the type of evidence. Several research methods — simulations, empirical and case studies — will be employed to produce evidence of the importance of designing studies to make direct comparisons between tests, and advice on the appropriate use of meta-analytic approaches.


Research activity codes: 4.2 EVALUATION OF MARKERS AND TECHNOLOGIES;8.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Physical activity facilitation to improve functional ability and independent living in older people at risk of disability: a feasibility study and pilot randomised controlled trial.
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: As people live longer, their risk of disability increases. Disability can affect quality of life and increase health and social care costs. Physical activity may reduce the risk of disability; increasing levels in older adults is therefore important. A new physical activity programme has been shown to work in adults with depression. It is hoped that a similar programme can be developed to keep older adults active and independent for longer. This project aims to develop an intervention for older adults and to test it in a small scale trial. These results will help design a future full scale study.


Research activity codes: 3.1 PRIMARY PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS TO MODIFY BEHAVIOURS OR PROMOTE WELL-BEING;5.6 PSYCHOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Can an occupational therapy intervention increase independence in activities of daily living in people who use homecare reablement services
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: "Homecare re-ablement" services provide support for people to manage independently at home. Although occupational therapists have specialist skills in this field, their involvement in such schemes varies nationally. This research will compare outcomes for users who receive occupational therapy intervention with those who do not, and investigate the content of occupational therapy intervention in re-ablement services. The methods will include a systematic review; interviews with occupational therapists and re-ablement users; and a feasibility randomised controlled trial. The research will explore the occupational therapy role in re-ablement teams and investigate the effectiveness and cost effectiveness.


Research activity codes: 6.8 COMPLEMENTARY
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Developing complex multilevel models for analysing Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM)
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Experience sampling methodology (ESM) monitors patients in real-time, providing rich data from which we can study behaviour and symptoms When used to measure outcomes in clinical trials or in observational studies, ESM can help further our understanding of diseases, identifying triggers and patterns and be used to improve patient treatment. This project will identify current practices for analysing ESM data and develop complex multilevel models for analysis considering the data structure and issues arising from missing data. Guidance will be produced on how to analyse ESM style data and report findings with a clear structure to outline study quality.


Research activity codes: 8.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Informing healthcare decision-making in the UK: evidential and methodological implications of the changing pharmaceutical regulatory and pricing landscape for health technology assessment (HTA)
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Early market approval and the introduction of value-based pricing from 2014 onwards will have significant implications for conducting HTA in the UK in the coming years. First, wider sources of evidence will be required to assess the costeffectiveness of medicines at an earlier time-point in their development cycle. Second, simultaneous use of advanced methodologies will be required to provide appropriate assessment outputs. Retrospective case studies and a HTA simulation will be used to gauge the impact of the changing regulatory and pricing schemes for pharmaceuticals in the UK on HTA and inform timely recommendations for future methods guides to ensure the most appropriate evidence-based health policy decisions are made in the UK.


Research activity codes: 8.2 HEALTH AND WELFARE ECONOMICS;6.1 PHARMACEUTICALS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Urgent 'primary care' problems in the prehospital phase: deciphering presentation, management decisions and treatment pathways
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: When presented with a need for unplanned medical treatment, patients often turn to ambulance services when other community-based treatment may be more appropriate. Selecting the right care-pathway for these patients from the outset can be challenging. This study aims to explore factors shaping prehospital decision-making and care-pathway selection, by detailed observation of interactions between ambulance clinicians and patients, and interviews with ambulance clinicians, patients and carers about treatment episodes. By combining this with a quantitative analysis of the ambulance service database and key hospital/primary care records, an admission-avoiding pathway for such patients will be proposed, and key stakeholder feedback evaluated.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: General practice in the National Health Service (NHS): patient experience and its association with the utilisation of acute hospital services
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: Background: The increasing number of attendances at accident and emergency (A&E) departments and unplanned admissions to NHS hospitals in England is unsustainable. Objective: To determine the effect of access to and quality of general practice on A&E attendances and unplanned admissions. Design: The research will use national data for all general practices and NHS hospitals in England, for the time period 2008-13. Outcome: The association of patient experience of general practice with A&E attendances and unplanned admissions will be determined. Benefit: The findings will have implications for the national organisation and delivery of NHS services.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: Measuring and explaining variations in general practice performance.
Funder: Department of Health (England)

Abstract: There are large variations across general practices in the proportion of patients treated in hospital for particular conditions. I will link data on practices, patients and hospitals to explain the variation in general practice performance and measure how much of it is justified by differences in the health care needs of patients. Unjustified variation is inefficient and unfair because patients in different practices with the same needs receive different amounts of hospital treatment. I will develop measures of the efficiency and equity costs of unjustified variation in admission rates to guide policy to reduce variation to benefit patients.


Research activity codes: 8.2 HEALTH AND WELFARE ECONOMICS
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: 2010 Doctoral Fellowships: Investigating the concept of informed consent in patients diagnosed with non-curative disease who have considered participation in a clinical trial that has palliative intent only
Funder: Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (HSC R&D) of Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland

Abstract: Introduction: Virtually all clinical research is contingent on the provision of informed consent, which has the dual function of protecting patients from potentially risky treatments, and ensuring their autonomy. In some clinical scenarios the validity of informed consent can be questioned, particularly in studies where patients are life-limited. Thus research in that setting is sparse. Objective: To investigate the concept of informed consent in patients diagnosed with non-curative disease who have considered participation in a clinical trial that has palliative intent only. Methods: A grounded theory approach using qualitative interviews will investigate the social processes involved. Sampling: Theoretical sampling will be used to select approximately 15 consenting patients who meet inclusion/ exclusion criteria. To develop understanding of the consent process it is expected that data collection will also extend to family members and representatives from the patient's clinical team. Interviews will be conducted as soon as possible after enrolment into clinical trial but definitely prior to patients' first disease reassessment (6-12 weeks). Data collection will continue until a substantive theory of the phenomena is built. Data Analysis: Interviews will be taped and transcribed verbatim. Data will be analysed using conventional grounded theory procedures and NVivo. The researcher will maintain memos throughout the process. Outcomes: Findings from this research will illuminate the process of informed consent in this challenging clinical setting and may therefore facilitate increased research participation of life-limited patients. This is an important step in promoting patients' autonomy and potentially augmenting future research to increase the quality of care.


Research activity codes: 7.2 END OF LIFE CARE
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: 2011 Doctoral Fellowships: Moral distress in end of life care in the Intensive Care Unit
Funder: Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (HSC R&D) of Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland

Abstract: Background: Approximately 19% of patients die in the intensive care unit and the majority of deaths are preceded by a decision to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining therapies. Patients’ prior wishes about dying are often unknown because of the suddenness of their admission. This presents dilemmas for staff and relatives who are placed in situations of making decisions about what is morally good in a caring situation, particularly decisions about withholding or withdrawing supportive therapy: this can lead to moral distress. Moral distress is a neglected feature of both palliative and intensive care education programmes. Methods: This study will explore the concept of moral distress within the context of end-of-life care and relevant moral theories. Interviews will be conducted with staff and relatives involved in the dying trajectory of patients in the following categories, withdrawal of therapy, non-escalation of therapy and brain stem death with organ donation. Audio-taped interviews will be conducted with staff at an appropriate time after decisions have been made; audio or video-taped interviews will be conducted with relatives approximately 12 weeks later. Interviews will be transcribed verbatim and subjected to narrative analysis. Conclusions this study will provide important findings that can improve multidisciplinary palliative education programmes for ICU staff by incorporating real-life case vignettes and narratives as learning tools to inform future care delivery. Additionally, relatives can donate their audio or video-recording to ‘Healthtalkonline’. This website, run by the DIPEx charity, enables patients and relatives to share personal stories for the benefit of others.


Research activity codes: 7.2 END OF LIFE CARE
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE
Title: 2012 AIIHPC Doctoral Fellowship: An organisational case study of transition to adult services by young people with life-limiting conditions in Ireland
Funder: Health and Social Care Research and Development Division (HSC R&D) of Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland

Abstract: Background Improvements in care and treatment have led to more young people with life-limiting conditions living beyond childhood, which means they must make the transition from children’s to adult services. The loss of long-standing relationships with providers of children’s services combines with poor co-ordination of services to make this a daunting prospect for young people and their families. However, there is little evidence on transition services, with few models of good practice in the literature. This research aims to identify the organisational factors that promote or inhibit effective transition. Design A mixed-methods organisational case study of transition services in two metropolitan areas in Ireland. Methods A postal questionnaire survey of health, social, educational and charitable organisations providing transition services to young people in Belfast and Dublin to identify current practices. Semi-structured interviews with young people with life limiting illnesses who have experience of palliative care services provided by a HSC Trust in Belfast and HSE Area in Dublin. Two focus groups consisting of the parents or carers of the young people taking part in the focus groups. Semi-structured interviews with key service providers and practitioners in the identified HSC Trust and HSE Area. Outcomes The outcomes will be an overview of the transition services currently provided in Belfast and Dublin, together with a detailed description of the organisation of services in the identified HSC Trust and HSE Area, identifying models of good practice and the key factors influencing the quality, safety and continuity of care.


Research activity codes: 8.1 ORGANISATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES;7.2 END OF LIFE CARE
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE