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Enhancing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of Health Care Professionals (HCPs) in relation to early identification of osteoporosis and prevention of related fractures: what works, for whom, and in what circumstances?

Approximately 519,000/year new fragility fractures occur in the UK (Borgström et al, 2020). Health care professionals (HCPs) play a critical role in mitigating the negative impact of osteoporosis by implementing comprehensive person-centred care strategies. However inadequate awareness and training among HCPs regarding osteoporosis care underscore the urgent need for targeted educational interventions (Ramli, 2018; Wilson, 2020). Previous work by the Lydia Osteoporosis Project has developed increased awareness of the need for education that is targeted specifically at HCPs, to improve their ability to work safely, effectively, and compassionately with people who may or do have osteoporosis (Smith et al, 2016). However, it is important to build on this work and understand more about how best to do this. There is increasing awareness that interventions and strategies work differently in varying contexts. An intervention that does not work well for one group of people in one location may work very well for another group in another location. It is valuable to use realist approaches when it is important to develop recommendations or interventions that will need to be implemented in many different and complex contexts – such as when considering the varied professional skillset of HCPs. Realist research asks the question: What works, for whom, when and how? Using in-depth analysis of relevant literature, and qualitative interviews or focus groups with stakeholders, it is possible to gain insight into a range of possible interventions and strategies, and provide guidance into when, where, and with whom they are most likely to work. It would be valuable for a doctoral student to build on previous work and carry out this study to provide person-centred recommendations for health professionals who work in diverse settings and improve care.

Aims:

The current proposal aims to provide person-centred recommendations for practice to promote the role of health care professionals in the care of people with osteoporosis. To address this gap and support the progression of work by the Lydia Osteoporosis Project, we propose the following questions.

Research questions:

1. Knowledge: What is the current understanding of osteoporosis risk factors, diagnostic criteria, current guidelines for early identification of osteoporosis and evidence-based prevention strategies? Are there varying levels of prior knowledge among HCPs
2.  Attitudes: How do HCPs' perceptions and beliefs about osteoporosis screening and prevention strategies influence their willingness to incorporate these practices into their clinical routines, and what factors contribute to positive or negative attitudes towards proactive management? Are there differences in attitudes between HCPs?
3. Skills: What educational programmes have people experienced in practice and what learning do people feel they still need?
4. Based on analysis of existing literature, what interventions and strategies would work best, for whom and in what circumstances?
5. How can the theory developed from existing literature in relation to question 4 be refined in response to interviews / focus groups with HCPs and how does this translate to recommendations for practice?

To support this project, we would be able to involve different ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø subject areas, enabling access to arts therapists, dieticians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, radiographers and paramedics. Through these subject areas we would be able to seek input from different NHS and third sector organisations as well as Special Interest Groups.

References

Borgström, F., Karlsson, L., Ortsäter, G. et al. (2020) Fragility fractures in Europe: burden, management and opportunities. Arch Osteoporos. 15, 59 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11657-020-0706-y

Ramli N, Rahman NAA, Haque M. (2018) Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding Osteoporosis Among Allied Health Sciences Students in a Public University in Malaysia. Erciyes Med J; 40(4): 210-7.

Smith MC, O'May F, Tropea S, Berg J. (2016) Framing moving and handling as a complex healthcare intervention within the acute care of older people with osteoporosis: a qualitative study. J Clin Nurs. 25(19-20):2906-20. doi: 10.1111/jocn.13344. Epub 2016 Aug 22. PMID: 27550628.

Wilson N, Hurkmans E, Adams J, et al (2020) Prevention and management of osteoporotic fractures by non-physician health professionals: a systematic literature review to inform EULAR points to consider RMD Open 2020;6:e001143. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2019-001143

Who can apply?

Applicants should meet the entry criteria for this PhD Programme as follows:

• UK applications only.
• A bachelor’s degree with an excellent or very good classification (first or upper second-class honours in the UK (or international equivalent) and/or aÌýgood master’s degree.

·ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý In a health discipline (e.g. podiatrist, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, arts therapist, nurse, etc.) or other related discipline (e.g. public health, health anthropologist, etc.).ÌýÌýÌý

The successful candidate will receive:

• Payment of tuition fees for three years; and 
• an annual stipend of £19,237 for three years of full-time study

An overview of the PhD, including key progression stages, can be accessed in the information we provide to current students. Guidance on applying for the PhD is provided on the Graduate School website.

You can apply to the PhD bursary competition online using the Admissions PortalÌý(accessed via the 'Apply Now' button at the bottom of this section). The application process includes completion of an application form and submission of supporting documentation, including a research proposal.

The online application form allows you to save your progress, and you will be able to complete your PhD application in multiple stages, if required.

Following submission of your completed application, you will receive a ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø applicant ID number. Please quote this in any correspondence you have with ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø.

Application form

Please pay close attention to the spelling of your email address within the online form, as this is how we will contact you about your application.

Supporting information and documents

As part of your application, you will need to write a personal statement that sets out your experience, suitability for doctoral study, and motivation for applying to study on the ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø PhD programme.

As part of your application, you will need to provide:

• your PhD research proposal;
• copies of your degree certificate(s) and transcript(s);
• confirmation of your English language ability (if required); and
• copies of two letters of reference.

You will be able to upload these supporting documents as part of the application process. This is an important part of the admissions process, and without seeing supporting documents tutors will not have enough information to make a decision on your application. If you are currently undertaking a Masters or Honours Degree and therefore, don't yet have your transcript or certificate for this course, these can be provided at a later date following the submission of your application.

PhD Research Proposal

All applicants to the ²ÝÝ®ÉçÇø PhD programme must provide a proposal for research that has academic merit and is capable of generating new knowledge. We will use your research proposal to check how well you understand the research process

Your PhD research proposal should provide details of:

• how your professional experience aligns with the topic
• an initial research design outline
• any research and/or professional skills you can bring to the project.

Please note that the research proposal must be written in your own words and should NOT include text that has been copied from books or articles. This is considered and will lead to the automatic rejection of your application. In some cases, academic reviewers may submit research proposals to Turnitin in order to verify the legitimacy of the proposed research.

Qualifications (certificates and transcripts)

Please upload copies of your degree certificates and transcripts for any undergraduate or Masters degrees that you have completed or are about to complete.

Evidencing English language ability

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an IELTS certificate or have completed a degree which was delivered and assessed in English within the last five years.

Only valid IELTS certificates are accepted as evidence of English language capability. ÌýYou need a score of 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in each element).Ìý IELTS certificates are valid for two years after the test date.

If you completed a degree, at a non-UK institution, that was delivered and assessed in English, then you will need to provide a formal letter from the institution, on headed paper, stating that your degree was delivered and assessed in English.Ìý

If your documents are in any language other than English then they will need to be accompanied by a formal certified translation into English, by either the awarding institution or a sworn translator.

References

Two academic references are required.

Referees must provide your reference in the form of a formal letter on headed paper. The reference must be dated and signed (and ideally stamped).ÌýPlease note that we may contact your referee to verify the reference letter prior to it being accepted.

Referee contact details should include a professional email account. Please do not provide personal email addresses for referees (such as Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo), as these will not be accepted. Ìý

Deadlines

The deadline for applying for this project is 11.59 pm on 18th November 2024. Please note that interviews are expected to take place on 3rd December 2024 and will be conducted either in person or via MS Teams, dependent on the applicant's location.Ìý

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For further information regarding the PhD Programme please contact the Graduate School Team at graduateschool@qmu.ac.uk.

For further information regarding the Application process please contact Admissions@qmu.ac.uk.  

For further information about this PhD project please contact Professor Derek Santos and Dr Karen Matthews