Southampton study looks at the role of parents in treating childhood eczema
A study into the provision of support and advice for parents caring for children with eczema is about to start at the University of Southampton's School of Nursing and Midwifery, and researcher Heidi Surridge is looking for parents from the Southampton area to help.
Heidi, who is studying childhood eczema for her PhD programme says: "Childhood eczema is becoming increasingly common and currently affects up to twenty per cent of children at sometime before the age of seven.
"Many parents face a steep learning curve when they first find out their child has eczema and as they will be responsible for a lot of the treatment on a day to day basis, it is important that they are well informed.
"This means that in addition to medical care, the health services need to provide the best possible information and support."
Over the next few months Heidi will be speaking to parents from the Southampton area who care for children with eczema to hear their experiences.
"We hope to speak to as many affected parents from the local area as possible, asking them about their experiences in caring for a child between one and five with eczema. This information will help health services provide the most appropriate care based on real patient need," she adds.
If you would like to help with the study, contact Heidi on 023 8059 8306, or email: hrs2@soton.ac.uk
Notes for editors
- The University of Southampton School of Nursing and Midwifery is one of the largest in the country, providing pre-registration and post-qualifying education to over 5000 students each year across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
- It has a track record of innovation in health professional education and provides clinically focused courses for nursing and midwifery at undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels. The School has a national reputation for research with major programmes focusing on the enhancement of health and quality of life and innovations in approaches to health care delivery.
- The University of Southampton is a leading UK teaching and research institution with a global reputation for leading-edge research and scholarship. The University, which celebrates its Golden Jubilee in 2002, has 20,000 students and over 4,500 staff and plays an important role in the City of Southampton. Its annual turnover is in the region of £215 million.