Thu, 1 Jul 2010
A £59,000 grant will enable AHP to investigate the experiences of occupational gain in people with inflammatory arthritis receiving successful antiTNFα treatment.
Doctor Maggie McArthur, MSc Pre-registration Occupational Therapy Course Director in the School of Allied Health Professions, has been awarded a £59,000 grant to investigate the experiences of occupational gain in people with inflammatory arthritis receiving successful antiTNFα treatment.
Doctor McArthur, who will work with Dr Lynne Goodacre from University of Central Lancashire, will lead the project which is funded by the United Kingdom Occupational Therapy Research Foundation.
New biologic (antiTNFα) medications for people with inflammatory arthritis have led to significant clinical and quality of life improvements. Dr McArthur’s research will examine how patients respond to their recovery and how they are able to readjust to life with such gain.
Dr McArthur said, “This is a piece of research that’s been top of my “wish list” - so I couldn’t be more pleased to have received the grant. At face value, a clinical recovery might be seen as a wholly positive outcome. But for some people the journey to re-adjusting to independence, or indeed fully realising the potential of their improved clinical position, will not always be straight forward. The Occupational Therapist has a key role to play in that adjustment.” She continued, "Drawing upon experience of service users and OTs from Norfolk and Lancashire, our study will include interviews with people using antiTNFα therapy to explore their experiences of occupational gain, especially in how they accommodate their revised life plans. We will also run focus groups with rheumatology OTs to consider the implications for OT interventions.”
Dr McArthur’s research begins in September and is expected to last for one year.
Doctor McArthur, who will work with Dr Lynne Goodacre from University of Central Lancashire, will lead the project which is funded by the United Kingdom Occupational Therapy Research Foundation.
New biologic (antiTNFα) medications for people with inflammatory arthritis have led to significant clinical and quality of life improvements. Dr McArthur’s research will examine how patients respond to their recovery and how they are able to readjust to life with such gain.
Dr McArthur said, “This is a piece of research that’s been top of my “wish list” - so I couldn’t be more pleased to have received the grant. At face value, a clinical recovery might be seen as a wholly positive outcome. But for some people the journey to re-adjusting to independence, or indeed fully realising the potential of their improved clinical position, will not always be straight forward. The Occupational Therapist has a key role to play in that adjustment.” She continued, "Drawing upon experience of service users and OTs from Norfolk and Lancashire, our study will include interviews with people using antiTNFα therapy to explore their experiences of occupational gain, especially in how they accommodate their revised life plans. We will also run focus groups with rheumatology OTs to consider the implications for OT interventions.”
Dr McArthur’s research begins in September and is expected to last for one year.
