Health PhD Examples
This is a list of current, previous or example PhD Studentships for potential supervisors in the Centre of Health and Behaviour. If you have any questions about potential ideas for projects, please contact the member of staff directly.
Current PhDs
Systematic development of an intervention to support midwives and health visitors in helping women to address multiple health behaviours in pregnancy and after birth
The PhD studentship will be associated with the newly founded Scottish Improvement Science Collaborating Centre (SISCC) and focus on the develop a behaviour change intervention to support maternity health care professionals to perform evidence-based maternity care behaviour which support women in changing and maintaining their health behaviours. Current NHS care for pregnant women is delivered primarily by midwives, who are asked to promote a multitude of health behaviours (not smoking, no alcohol during pregnancy, healthy foods, avoiding obesity, regular exercise and breastfeeding).
Supervisor: Dr Stephan Dombrowski
Example PhDs
Overcoming Barriers to Organ Donation
The aim of this studentship is to gain a deeper understanding of barriers to people registering as a posthumous organ donor. When asked 90% of the UK population say they support organ donation, in practice, only 38% have registered as an organ donor. Our group has demonstrated that emotions and affective attitudes may be acting as significant barriers to registration e.g. discomfort thinking about mortality, disgust, etc. The aim of the PhD would be to (a) further our understanding of barriers and (b) pilot interventions that may increase donor registration, e.g. reciprocity primes.
Supervisor: Professor Ronan O'Carroll