Department of Nursing and Midwifery
Research
Improving Health Outcomes
Research Programme Lead: Prof Andrew Watterson
Members of the research group: Ruth Jepson, Colette McIntosh, Alison Coull, Ashley Shepherd, Francis Murray and Ian Murray; Tommy Gorman, Jim Brophy, Margaret Keith and Rory O'Neill.
Other members of the department working on Health Outcomes topics and proposals include Helen Cheyne and Brodie Paterson
PhD and Clinical doctorate students currently working on topics within the group include: Angie Docherty, Michael Gilbertson, Alison Coull and Julie Yates
Focus of the research programme
The programme focuses on research that is relevant to:-
- exploring how nurses, midwives and other health professionals may contribute to improved health outcomes in practical ways;
- a range of publics including user, community and lay groups;
- a better public understanding of and engagement with public health;
- evaluating research impacts on health professional practice.
Health outcomes in this context relate to 'upstream' disease prevention; health improvement policies and related practices; disease treatment involving patients, their carers and their communities that contribute to improved health outcomes.
Within the programme there are particular interests in:
- public health (see information on the Public Health Group)
- cancer prevention and cancer screening;
- presentation and understanding of information about environmental and personal risk;
- vulnerable groups in urban and rural areas within and beyond Scotland;
- environmental health especially connected to reproductive health and child health, respiratory diseases and mesothelioma and to the use of environmental health impact assessments by a range of health professionals. Please see also Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Research Group;
- the positive impact of the environment on health (for example as an open or public space for engaging in physical activity);
- action research that engages directly with nurses, midwives and communities especially methodological approaches using participatory action research and linked to both multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary interventions;
- mixed method evaluations of complex interventions.
Collaboration with other organisations and disciplines
Programme projects involve working with clinicians, scientists, a range of health professional groups, non-governmental organisations, patient and user groups. Funding for programme projects has come from Research Councils UK, the EU, the Scottish Executive, Health Boards, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Canadian Breast Cancer charities, the Carnegie Trust, non governmental organisations and various charities.
Current research projects
The programme is currently undertaking research in the following areas:
- Independent Nurse Prescribing In Scotland (funded by the Scottish Executive) 2004/2007
- Sustainability, Markets and Public Health in Relating to Fish Production - joint with Jimmy Young , Marketing & Dave Little, Institute of Aquaculture (funded by RCUK/RELU) 2004 onwards
- Cancer Epidemiology and Cancer Prevention linked to Chemical, Physical and Biological Exposures
- Tissue Viability and Drug Users (Smith and Nephew Foundation doctoral award)
- Crofting and Health (Carnegie Trust) October 2004/September 2007
- Information for Choice: What people need, prefer and use (multicentre study). NHS Service, Delivery and Organisation Research Programme 2007/2009
- A Complex Intervention to Improve Informed Choice in PSA Testing in Scottish Primary Care: Pilot study (CSO ) 2006/2008
- Canadian Breast Cancer Research Charities
Relevant Research Publications
