Research in Health Sciences

Health Sciences leads our Health, Social Care and Professional Practice to Support Living Well research topic and also contributes to our Determinants and Interventions topics.

Health Sciences researchers form an active teaching and research division with practice at its core. Practitioner-led research is central to building capacity and capability; for example, our successful Clinical Doctorate programme equips senior clinical practitioners with the research skills to develop and undertake their own research within a range of practice arenas. Our practice focus spans health and social care and has a particular focus on:

Practice and interventions that enhance self-care and
Determinants of population and public health.

Featured research

Treatment of Prolapse with Self-care Pessary

TOPSY is an NIHR funded clinical trial with nested process evaluation that is led by Dr Carol Bugge. The study aims to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of self-management of vaginal pessaries to treat pelvic organ prolapse compared to standard care to improve women’s quality of life.

COVID-19 studies focus on Ambulance Service impact

A new University of Stirling study will assess the challenges faced by paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic – and consider how their decisions impact patients with the virus.

Contact us

For enquiries about research in Health Sciences, please contact Dr Carol Bugge or Dr Ashley Shepherd.

Health Sciences research staff

Dr Purva Abhyankar

Mrs Lorraine Armstrong

Professor Jayne Donaldson

Doctoral Students

Judith Balfour

Bugge, C., Dembinsky, M., Kearney, R., & Hagen, S. (2021). Does self-management of vaginal pessaries improve care for women with pelvic organ prolapse?. BMJ, 372, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n310

Using the Purple Line to Assess Labour Progress

Shepherd A & Cheyne H (2021) Using the Purple Line to Assess Labour Progress. Practising Midwife, pp. 22-23. https://stirling-research.worktribe.com/record.jx?recordid=1708515

A person-centred approach to implementation of psychosocial interventions with people who have an intellectual disability and dementia-A participatory action study

Watchman K, Mattheys K, McKernon M, Strachan H, Andreis F & Murdoch J (2021) A person-centred approach to implementation of psychosocial interventions with people who have an intellectual disability and dementia-A participatory action study. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34 (1), pp. 164-177. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12795

E-cigarette use in prisons with recently established smokefree policies: a qualitative interview study with people in custody in Scotland

Brown A, O’Donnell R, Eadie D, Ford A, Mitchell D, Hackett A, Sweeting H, Bauld L & Hunt K (2020) E-cigarette use in prisons with recently established smokefree policies: a qualitative interview study with people in custody in Scotland. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa271

Effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training with and without electromyographic biofeedback for urinary incontinence in women: multicentre randomised controlled trial

Hagen, S., Elders, A., Stratton, S., Sergenson, N., Bugge, C., Dean, S., …McDonald, A. (2020). Effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training with and without electromyographic biofeedback for urinary incontinence in women: multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ, 371, https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3719

The feasibility and effects of eye movement training for visual field loss after stroke: a mixed methods study

Hazelton C, Pollock A, Dixon D, Taylor A, Davis B, Walsh G & Brady MC (2020) The feasibility and effects of eye movement training for visual field loss after stroke: a mixed methods study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022620936052

Adolescents' perceptions of tobacco accessibility and smoking norms and attitudes in response to the tobacco point-of-sale display ban in Scotland: Results from the DISPLAY study

AG Kuipers M, Best C, Wilson M, Currie D, Ozakinci G, Marie Mackintosh A, Stead M, Eadie D, MacGregor A, Pearce J, Amos A & Haw S (2020) Adolescents' perceptions of tobacco accessibility and smoking norms and attitudes in response to the tobacco point-of-sale display ban in Scotland: Results from the DISPLAY study. Tobacco Control, 29 (3), pp. 348-356. https://doi.org/10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2018-054702

Characteristics of diabetes medication-taking in people with mild to moderate intellectual disability compared to those without: a mixed-methods study

Paterson RE, Taggart L, Hoyle L & Brown M (2020) Characteristics of diabetes medication-taking in people with mild to moderate intellectual disability compared to those without: a mixed-methods study. Diabetic Medicine, 37 (12), pp. 2035-2043. https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.14365

Women's experiences of receiving care for pelvic organ prolapse: a qualitative study

Abhyankar, P., Uny, I., Semple, K., Wane, S., Hagen, S., Wilkinson, J., …Maxwell, M. (2019). Women's experiences of receiving care for pelvic organ prolapse: a qualitative study. BMC Women's Health, 19, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-019-0741-2

Understanding the training and education needs of homecare workers supporting people with dementia and cancer: A systematic review of reviews

Cunningham, N., Cowie, J., Watchman, K., & Methven, K. (2019). Understanding the training and education needs of homecare workers supporting people with dementia and cancer: A systematic review of reviews. Dementia, Volume: 19 issue: 8, page(s): 2780-2803 https://doi.org/10.1177/1471301219859781

More miles on the clock: Neighbourhood stressors are associated with telomere length in a longitudinal study

Ellaway A, Dundas R, Robertson T & Shiels PG (2019) More miles on the clock: Neighbourhood stressors are associated with telomere length in a longitudinal study. PLOS ONE, 14 (3), Art. No.: e0214380. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214380

The development of an intervention for diabetes prevention among people with impaired glucose regulation: feasibility and acceptability of an intervention component

Evans, J. M. M., Irvine, L., Cameron, D. M., & Connelly, J. (2019). The development of an intervention for diabetes prevention among people with impaired glucose regulation: feasibility and acceptability of an intervention component. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(1), https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-019-0435-4

Texting to Reduce Alcohol Misuse (TRAM): main findings from a randomized controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men

Crombie, I. K., Irvine, L., Williams, B., Sniehotta, F. F., Petrie, D., Jones, C., …. Evans J, …Hapca, S. M. (2018). Texting to Reduce Alcohol Misuse (TRAM): main findings from a randomized controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men. Addiction, 113(9), 1609-1618. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.14229

'Fast and Frugal Heuristics': Clinical decision making in the Emergency Department

Gibbons L & Stoddart K (2018) 'Fast and Frugal Heuristics': Clinical decision making in the Emergency Department. International Emergency Nursing, 41, pp. 7-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ienj.2018.04.002

The Patient Centred Assessment Method for improving nurse-led biopsychosocial assessment of patients with long-term conditions: a feasibility RCT

Maxwell M, Hibberd C, Aitchison P, Calveley E, Pratt R, Dougall N, Hoy C, Mercer S & Cameron I (2018) The Patient Centred Assessment Method for improving nurse-led biopsychosocial assessment of patients with long-term conditions: a feasibility RCT. Health Services and Delivery Research, 6 (4), pp. 1-119. https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr06040

Washout policies in long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation in adults

Shepherd A, Mackay WG & Hagen S (2017) Washout policies in long-term indwelling urinary catheterisation in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017 (3), Art. No.: CD004012. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004012.pub5

Collective action for implementation: a realist evaluation of organisational collaboration in healthcare

Rycroft-Malone J, Burton C, Wilkinson JE, Harvey G, McCormack B, Baker R, Dopson S, Graham I, Staniszewska S, Thompson C, Ariss S, Melville-Richards L & Williams L (2016) Collective action for implementation: a realist evaluation of organisational collaboration in healthcare. Implementation Science, 11, Art. No.: 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-016-0380-z