We used Lego to involve children with ADHD and their parents in our research!

Children and young people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can encounter a number of difficulties including finding it difficult to concentrate at school, finding it difficult to communicate with others, struggling with change and school life, finding it challenging to form and retain friendships with others…the list goes on!

There are also some really great things about having ADHD such as often having a great sense of humour, being very creative, and when managing their condition in the correct way, can go on to lead extremely successful lives. 

ADHD: is there an app for that?

My name is Naomi Robertson and I am an undergraduate Psychology student taking part in

Naomi robertson

an 8 week research project as a Research Assistant alongside supervisor Lauren Powell and co- supervisor Dr Jack Parker. For this project I have conducted a content analysis for ten apps that claim to be suitable for children and young people diagnosed with the neurodisabiity, Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder (ADHD). My placement is part of the Teaching Assistant Sheffield Undergraduate Research Scheme (TA SURE). The project is being conducted within the Telehealth and care technologies (TaCT) theme of the National Institute of Health’s Collaboration for Leadership and Applied Health Research and Care Yorkshire Humber (NIHR CLAHRC YH). The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) have funded my placement.

This research topic appealed to me, as it is contemporary, investigating how the growth in technology can be harnessed and used as a tool for the management of ADHD, which affects 5% of the population. This area of research I also find very exciting as it is in its infancy meaning the findings may offer new insights, which have not yet been published by other researchers.

So far my role as a Research Assistant has involved the identification of ten apps for children and young people with ADHD, which were screened based on a strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final list of 10 apps have been presented to five clinicians who work with young people with ADHD. These clinicians were interviewed on their perspective on how useful the apps would be for young people as they seek to manage their ADHD.

This research placement has given me new insight into what carrying out research first hand looks like, when it previously seemed so distant simply citing studies throughout my degree. Having the opportunity to experience the practicalities of research as well as the enthusiasm of the researchers is unique and something I feel very lucky to have.

Throughout my time in TaCT I have also had countless opportunities to develop new skills from conducting and transcribing interviews, writing research documents, undertaking interview data analysis and learning more about ADHD as a disorder which has many parallels with my Psychology degree.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with TaCT and the chance to conduct independent research whilst having the support of such great supervisors. It has allowed me to have an idea about what conducting research involves without feeling overwhelmed in something I have never done before. I am excited about completing my placement and presenting my findings to an audience which I have gained more enthusiasm for than I could ever have anticipated.  

Written by Naomi Robertson

Posters and prizes at the UK Stroke Forum

Dr Rebecca Palmer with Big CACTUS poster

Three RAT group projects had posters at the UK Stroke forum held in Liverpool from the 1^st-3^rd December 2015. The Big CACTUS study had an on-going trials poster. The Big CACTUS study, led by Rebecca Palmer, is investigating the clinical and cost-effectiveness of aphasia computer therapy in the long term post-stroke. The study has recruited 180 participants so far and aims to recruit another 105 by July 2016. 

Mark Jayes Patient Carer and Public involvement prize

RAT group member Mark Jayes won the Patient Carer and Public Involvement prize for his poster about about the user-centred design of a toolkit to aid mental capacity assessment. This prize recognised the hard work and vital contribution of service users to the development of the toolkit.

Nasrin Nasr also had a poster about the novel use of narrative stories and forum theatre as methodologies to represent the experience of stroke. 

REhabilitation and recovery of peopLE with Aphasia after StrokE (RELEASE) Study

We are pleased to formally announce the launch of the RELEASE project. Funded by the UK Department of Health’s National Institutes of Health Research (NIHR) for 2 years, and in conjunction with the activities of the Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (European Cooperation in Science and Technology Action IS1208), our international, collaborative project aims to explore the contribution that individual characteristics and intervention components make to the natural history of recovery and rehabilitation of people with aphasia following stroke.

We hope to inform insights to the design and delivery of therapeutic intervention and future research by utilising pre-existing aphasia to explore:

•       the natural history of language recovery

•       the stroke survivor, aphasia and stroke characteristics which are linked to language recovery outcomes

•       the components of effective aphasia rehabilitation interventions

Led by the NMAHP Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University and involving Dr RebeccaPalmer from the University of Sheffield, the RELEASE project will commence in November 2015, and will involve an international, multidisciplinary team of researchers from Australia, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, UK and USA. RELEASE will include retrospective analyses of pooled, anonymised aphasia datasets to examine the predictors of recovery from post-stroke aphasia.

Deliverables will include:

•       The components of aphasia therapy that best facilitate recovery after stroke

•       The natural history of recovery from aphasia, with and without therapy

•       The individual factors that contribute to recovery from aphasia.

We welcome further collaboration from interested parties, and the contribution of further datasets to strengthen our analyses.  For more information or to join this project, please contact Cats@gcu.ac.uk

The RELEASE Team

www.aphasiatrials.org

NHS England on patients being experts of self care

Ho expert are patients when it comes to self care? 

NHS England's National Medical Director for Long Term Conditions considers how important it is to listen to, work with and help empower patients.

Click here to read more.

Brand New TaCT Newsletter

The second issue of the TaCT newsletter is now available.

TaCT is a theme of the National Institute for Health Research, Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care Yorkshire and Humber (NIHR CLAHRC YH).

Access the newsletter here.

The aim of the TaCT theme is to harness new technologies to support health and social care in the community and to improve the quality of life and in-dependence of the growing number of people living with long-term conditions and disability. Our team comprises researchers from universities, the NHS and care organisations across Yorkshire and Humber and together we are carrying out projects re-searching, developing, evaluating and implementing innovative technology supported interventions. Our aim with this newsletter is to keep you up to date with progress in the theme and to give a taster of the projects we are involved with.

More information about the theme can be found on our website
http://clahrc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/our-themes/telehealth-and-care-technologies

Our Theme Lead is Professor Mark Hawley, please contact Dr Jack Parker (Theme Manager) if you have any queries regarding the newsletter or the Theme (Jack.parker@sheffield.ac.uk).

Google takes deeper dive into med tech with health-tracking wristband

Google has not wasted any time since launching its life sciences division group a couple of years ago, sinking funds into med tech projects to expand its reach in wearable health. Now the company is charging full speed ahead with one of its initiatives, developing a health-tracking wristband device with its eye on FDA approval.
The product, which is being developed through the company's Google X research unit, measures pulse, heart rhythm and skin temperature and gauges environmental information like light exposure and noise levels, giving doctors and researchers minute-by-minute data on patients' physical states, Bloomberg reports. Google already offers health-monitoring smartwatch features through its Android Wear software platform, but its health-tracking wristband will not be marketed as a consumer device, Andy Conrad, head of the company's life sciences team, told the news outlet. "Our intended use is for this to become a medical device that's prescribed to patients or used for clinical trials," he said.
Next up, Google plans to team up with academic researchers and drugmakers to test the wristband, kicking off its first trials over the summer, company spokeswoman Jacquelyn Miller told Bloomberg. And the company could also be in the market for a manufacturing partner, Conrad said, echoing last year's deal with Novartis ($NVS) to license and commercialize its smart contact lenses for diabetes.

For further information please click here.

 

Job Advert: Information Specialist

Post title: Information Specialist
What? The post holder will work within the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at the University of Sheffield. They will participate in the provision of specialist a health research information service to ScHARR  staff and students and to NHS staff undertaking research. They will undertake literature searches to support ScHARR projects and contribute to teaching and training activities.

Post ref: UOS10903
Closing date:  20 July 2015

The above University of Sheffield Grade 7 post is is currently being advertised. If you are interested or know someone who you think may be suitable, please advise them of the vacancy. 

 

Further details can be found by clicking here.

Is more tech better?

Dr Abigail Millings

Dr Abigail Millings from CATCH has published a paper examining whether online interventions for the management of stress can be improved by adding wearable biosensors for the purposes of tracking and biofeedback relaxation exercises. The mixed methods study found that an online program for stress management was more effective without, rather than with, the sensors. However, the sensors were prototypes, and not wholly reliable, and this is the likely reason for the pattern of results found. Interviews with participants suggest that the sensors have potential, and people particularly enjoyed using them for biofeedback exercises.

You ca read more here in this open access publication.