Current Ph.D. students in the Department
- Sisary Kheng (part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Prosthetics and Orthotics) – Exploring sustainable financing options for the Prosthetic and Orthotic Service in Cambodia.
The requirement for physical rehabilitation services, including prosthetic and orthotic (PO) services is a life-long need for those who have acquired a permanent disability. For countries affected by civil war, internal conflicts or a legacy of conflict, assistance in the provision of these services normally comes from international donors, partners, multi-lateral or bi-lateral donors, as well as through International Development Agencies (IDAs) and individuals. With international support diminishing, this study seeks to understand attitudes and perceptions to identifying and integrating sustainable financial solutions for the P&O section in Cambodia. - Hadijat Ige – Exploring the Effect of Mobile Pregnancy Apps on Maternal Health: A Qualitative Inquiry into the Experiences of Pregnant Women in Africa.
Reducing maternal mortality caused by pregnancy or childbirth complications to less than 70/100,000 live births is a key indicator of Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nigeria is one of the six countries contributing over 60% of global maternal deaths, with a ratio of 1047/100,000. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises that poor access to antenatal care services is common among countries with high maternal death rates and proposes using mobile health (mHealth), a form of Digital Health Technology (DHT), to address maternal health issues in affected countries. This research aims to analyse the experiences of pregnant women who use mobile pregnancy apps to identify areas for improvement in providing accessible and personalised health information. - Asma Javed – Physical behaviour in postpartum Emirati women: associations with diet, sleep, quality of life and self-efficacy The United Arab Emirates has reported increasing rates of obesity over the previous two decades. This has been associated with a rise in non-communicable diseases, particularly diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders. These factors have led to unhealthy habits such as physical inactivity, and excessive nutritional intake, which have further exacerbated obesity. Female obesity in the country stands at 39% as opposed to male obesity at 27%; with women being more at risk due to weight retention following multiple pregnancies, excessive nutritional intake, decreased physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle. This can have long-term health-related consequences and create considerable burden on the healthcare system. There is limited literature in the UAE concerning the Emirati postpartum population, who are native to the region and culturally distinct while looking at these variables. Therefore, this thesis aims to examine physical behaviour in postnatal Emirati women and explore associations with diet, sleep, quality of life, and exercise self-efficacy. Furthermore, it also looks to gain insight into their postnatal experience during the pandemic.
- Veena Raigangar – Physical Activity, Sleep, Health Related Quality of Life, Diet and Exercise Self-efficacy in Emirati Pregnant Women: An Embedded Mixed Methods Study Physical inactivity, poor sleep, and unhealthy diets are common issues affecting the health and well-being of pregnant women globally. Emiratis or UAE citizens make up 11% of the population with female citizens being at higher risk of obesity owing to multiple pregnancies, gestational weight gain, inadequate physical activity, erratic dietary, and sleep patterns. Overall, there is paucity of literature worldwide and UAE on this vulnerable pregnant women population, more so in the local Emirati population, who are native to the region and culturally distinct. An insight into their physical activity during pregnancy and associated factors could shed light on how clinicians can design interventions and provide a more comprehensive public health care plan to promote the health of Emirati pregnant women.
- Nic Guttridge (Funded through a Widening Participation Scholarship) – How does the nature of the private rental sector and moving home within it, affect the lives of residents in Greater Manchester? This research will focus on the ongoing housing crisis within the UK, with a specific focus on the residents living in private rental properties across Greater Manchester. Housing is a core element of the wider determinants of Public Health, which is often overlooked or underestimated, especially when hearing directly from tenants on the impact housing has on their lives. This research will provide the opportunity to improve understanding of the effects housing can have on health and, aims to explore not only the impact of unsecure private rental tenancies on residents, but the impact this has on their wider lives and health over the past 5 years. It is believed this research will be one of the first of its kind within the region, given the depth and timeframe it sets out to cover.
- Emily Malcomson (part of the Centre for Doctoral Training in Prosthetics and Orthotics) – Understanding factors impacting Prosthetic outcomes using clinical, prosthetic device and health care service data from world first Limb Loss Registry (LLPR) Current work on a systematic review: The number of those living with amputation in the USA is expected to reach 3.6 million by 2050, which is double the estimated population of amputees from 2008. Prosthetic limb prescription and use is key to rehabilitation and continuation of desired activities of daily living, work, and social participation, with prosthetic limb use linked to reduced mortality: these outcomes can be used as a marker of good health. There are a range of studies that investigate factors affecting prosthetic receipt and use, but obtaining a wider picture of the prevalence of prosthetic limb use and how this is captured is required to ensure all populations are accounted for. The increase in the use of real-world-data sets and electronic medical health records has already allowed for these studies in the medical field and has the potential to be a valuable tool within prosthetics and orthotics as seen by the launch of the new Limb Loss and Preservation Registry in the USA. To review data collection methods used to measure the prevalence of those with amputation or limb loss who use a prosthetic device, and to increase understanding of the sample populations captured and the differences or biases introduced by the data collection method.
- Aoife Prendergast (Dprof Student) – Irish Early Childhood Practice Placements: Unveiling Supervision Experiences using an Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. This doctoral research reveals the unexplored research area of professional supervision in early childhood education placements in Ireland. It investigates both the ‘experience’ and ‘understanding’ of current supervisory practices and arrangements utilising the conceptual framework of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Ten participants (early years educators supervision students on placement) were interviewed in-depth using a qualitative semi structured narrative design. Since the early 1990s, significant efforts have been made to improve the Irish Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in order to professionalise services provided to children under 7 years old and their families, as well as supporting professionals and students in this area. However, despite these efforts, early childhood educators experience significant challenges in relation to their professional recognition, professional supervision and mentoring, identity, level of qualification, and salary. Interestingly, there is little regard or respect for the utilisation of professional supervision to address these fundamental challenges for early childhood professionals in practice, often disregarding valuable formative practice placements for students as emerging early years professionals. The outcome of this research will add strength and enable substantial and meaningful impact in current professional practice in early childhood education by appraising and scrutinizing several factors that influence the current climate within Irish early childhood education practice. This study will contribute new literature that amplifies the voice of early childhood educators through their individual lived experiences and address the gap in understanding the purpose of professional supervision as a learning tool in practice placements.
- Cynthia Poolay Mootein – As a researcher with a background in Medicine and Public Health, and having an interest in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), my research will look at AMR knowledge and understanding among parents in Greater Manchester. Raising awareness on antimicrobial drugs, and improving knowledge on their long-term effects and the potential consequences of their overuse, could contribute to the limitation of AMR globally. Comprehending how much the public knows and understands about AMR is imperative, as this would allow the development of more efficient ways to educate the public and raise awareness on this global public health problem. This study focuses on parents of children aged between 3 months and 6 years, an age group that is prone to contracting infections from their surroundings, particularly in day-care, nursery, or school. It aims to develop a health promotion intervention to improve antibiotic practice in parents, following a mixed methods explanatory study to understand parents’ current knowledge, attitudes, and practice towards antibiotic use, antibiotic prescription advice, and antimicrobial resistance. By using explanatory methods and participatory approaches, this study aims to produce an intervention/tool that could be used regionally, nationally, and internationally to raise awareness among parents about the dangers of AMR.