Social and Psychological Research in Long Term Conditions (SPARC)

The Mouth in Scleroderma: Improving Pathways to Care

Prof Liz Walker (PI) with co-investigators Dr Liz Price (FHS, University of Hull), Dr Vishal Aggarwal and Dr Francesco Del Galdo (University of Leeds), have been awarded funding from Scleroderma and Raynaud’s UK (SRUK) (£36, 769) to undertake a study into the oral manifestations of the autoimmune condition, scleroderma. Many people living with scleroderma experience dental problems caused by things like dry mouth, thinning of the lips, and restriction in the opening of the mouth which significantly impact on people’s quality-of-life, causing pain and discomfort, eating and sleeping problems and even a higher risk of hospitalisation. Although these problems are very common, when assessing and treating people with scleroderma, rheumatologists tend to focus on the ways in which the condition affects the internal organs and, sometimes, this means that problems with the mouth and teeth can be overlooked. Also, when people seek advice from their dentist, there’s relatively little awareness of scleroderma and the effects it can have on people’s dental health. This means there is a ‘referral gap’ between rheumatologists and dentists.

The aim of this research is to develop guidelines to address this referral gap as early referral may significantly improve dental outcomes for people with scleroderma and therefore their quality-of-life. 

Competition success

Our Dementia Research Programme is supported by a Dementia Advisory Group (facilitated by Emma Wolverson, Liz Price and Rosie Dunn). We are delighted that a poster prepared by Rosie and which highlights the work of the group was a winner at our recent University of Hull Knowledge Exchange Conference poster competition. To see the poster and find out more about the work of the Advisory Group please click here

Social Care Innovation Programme – partnership working with East Riding of Yorkshire Council with the support of the European Regional Development Fund

Dr David Barrett, Dr Jane Wray and Fay Treloar are leading a team to work with the East Riding of Yorkshire Council to deliver a project which will drive innovation, enhance quality and increase productivity in the social care sector. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the £1.5M Social Care Innovation Programme (SCIP) which includes £910k of ERDF support, is currently recruiting staff to identify challenges and technological solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the local social care sector. 

Care homes and domiciliary care providers will be able to apply for grant funding from East Riding of Yorkshire Council to support procurement and implementation of technologies. Technologies may include those that support the care infrastructure such as electronic care records and eRostering systems, or those that directly facilitate the delivery of care, for example, remote alarm systems and video communication. The team in the Faculty of Health Sciences will serve as academic partner for the project, undertaking needs analysis with care providers, identifying potential technological solutions and evaluating effectiveness.  Social care providers that are successful in their grant applications will work closely with the University as they implement the new products and evaluate their impact.

The project is due for completion in June 2023, and if you are interested in learning more about SCIP, please contact the project team SCIP@hull.ac.uk.

“She’s my memory; he’s my legs!” - Rosie Dunn

The aim of this research is to explore the lived experiences of couples living with dementia and multiple health conditions. The research will be conducted from an interpretive phenomenological perspective, utilising creative methods such as photographic diaries and photo and object-elicitation techniques within interviews with couples.  The findings from this research will help to educate health and social care practitioners the best ways to support couples living with dementia and multiple health conditions, as well as lead to the development of evidence-based, relationship-centred care interventions, in the hope that couples can continue to live well at home for as long as possible.

Multimorbidity at Midlife - Justine Krygier

My research will explore the lived experiences of individuals at midlife with multiple health issues to better understand the impact of multimorbidity at this stage of the life course. It will aim to consider elements such as identity, emotional resources and mental health implications from an Existential and Humanistic perspective.

Multimorbidity and the workplace: How work shapes multimorbidity in struggling coastal communities - Edward Hart

Adopting a phenomenological approach, this research shall endeavour to elicit the felt experience of multimorbidity by exploring the critical influence of both working conditions and the ‘work imperative’. The research seeks to ascertain specific factors pertinent to coastal communities that have been subject to persisting economic decline and how this influences the intersectionality between multimorbidity and work.

Exploring the role of physical activity in the treatment and recovery of service users with alcohol dependence - Buse Apel

The current study will explore the role of physical activity in the treatment and recovery of service users with alcohol dependence. The associations between physical activity and alcohol dependence, and the barriers and facilitators of engaging in physical activity will be identified. Then, a physical activity intervention will be developed and the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention will be tested.

Elucidating the relationships between physical activity, physical and psychological health status (including mood, stress) and alcohol misuse in adolescence (females) - Saphsa Codling

The aims of the research are to understand the relationships between alcohol misuse and mood, and how physical activity affects these. The aims will be realised through a series of secondary data analyses, followed by the development of a preventative psychosocial intervention.

Developing a lifestyle physical activity intervention for women who misuse alcohol - Lady Gwendoline Akwa

Global evidence suggests that women participate in less physical activity and thus are prone to several lifestyle related diseases. My research will employ a mixed method design to develop a lifestyle physical activity intervention and explore the role of physical activity in mitigating the impact of alcohol misuse on women’s health.

Are death cafes a useful approach to having conversations about death and dying with people who have dementia? - Catherine Wood

This research aims to explore whether conversations about death and dying, with people who have dementia, can be enhanced by using the death café approach. The research will involve a series of cafés to which people with and without dementia will be invited to participate in. Observational and narrative analysis will be employed to determine outcomes. People are naturally reluctant to talk about their own wishes for end of life and it is hoped that this style of conversation will encourage discussion and contribute to improving the recognition of individual preference for end of life care.