Health Sciences

EXPLORING TRADE-OFFS AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS TO FOOD AND FUEL SECURITY IN OLDER PEOPLE (HANSONS_U22SF)

A member of the public, supported by one of our community partners said, “I can now put my heating on for longer and afford taxis to the doctors. I can now manage my bills with less worry and afford to eat a bit better.” This is real-world evidential experience of how social support can improve health and wellbeing. Older people are less likely to use foodbanks and apply for fuel vouchers to the detriment of their health, nutritional status and wellbeing. This PhD will help build evidence so those in greatest need can be better supported and services tailored appropriately.

The PhD aims to understand the trade-offs that older people in fuel and food poverty make in their daily lives and the structural systems that may prevent them getting appropriate support.

To do this, it is expected that the student will conduct exploratory work including a scoping review and background co-production work, which is likely to include short placements with our community partners. Using in-depth qualitative methods, the student will then complete two lines of enquiry: An exploration of older people’s experiences and perceptions of the trade-offs between fuel and food poverty that they make in their daily lives and how this affects their health, wellbeing and social circumstances. Secondly, a study with community organisations who support people with debt and benefits advice; emergency food and fuel vouchers and offer general support to older people. This will be to understand structural barriers that may prevent people receiving targeted and tailored health, wellbeing, social support and government benefits and entitlements.

The student will work with community organisations and members of the public with lived experience, to co-design the qualitative studies appropriately. The candidate will need to demonstrate the necessary skills to undertake co-production work and innovative in-depth qualitative methods.

Entry Requirements

We are seeking a student with an acceptable first degree (at least 2:1) and preferably a Masters in a related topic area (e.g., anthropology, social science, behavioural science, public health) or equivalent research experience. The student will be able to demonstrate a good understanding and real interest in the wider determinants of health, reducing health inequalities and working with people living in socially deprived communities. The student will be working alongside people with lived experience to develop the programme of research appropriately and will need to demonstrate an aptitude for taking account of the sensitivities and vulnerabilities around working with people in disadvantaged circumstances and poverty. We are particularly interested in students who have lived experience in these ‘hard to research’ communities.

Funding

This PhD project is offered on a self-funding basis. It is open to applicants with funding or those applying to funding sources. Further details can be found on our tuition fees page.

References

1) Notley, C, Belderson, P, Hanson, S, Ward, E, Brown, T & Naughton, F 2022, 'Disruption and adaptation in response to the coronavirus pandemic � assets as contextual moderators of enactment of health behaviours', British Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12592

2) Bunn, D., Hooper, L. & Welch, A., 12 Nov 2018, Dehydration and Malnutrition in Residential Care: Recommendations for Strategies for Improving Practice Derived from a Scoping Review of Existing Policies and Guidelines Geriatrics. 3(4): 77. doi: 10.3390/geriatrics3040077 Qualitative methods

3) Hanson, S., Cross, J., Jones, A. (2016) Promoting physical activity interventions in communities with poor health and socio-economic profiles: A process evaluation of the implementation of a new walking group scheme. Social Science & Medicine, 169, 77-85

4) Hanson, S., Guell, C., Jones, A. (2016) Walking groups in socioeconomically deprived communities: A qualitative study using photo elicitation. Health & Place, 39, 26-33. 5) Bunn, D. & Hanson, S. 2020. Chapter 6 Using evidence from Mixed Methods Studies. In: Craig, J. V. & Dowding, D. (eds.) Evidence-based practice in nursing. 4th Edition ed. USA: Elsevier Health Sciences

Enquire now

How to apply

Explore our research