Research Themes
Web-based interventions
CCCAHP has a large programme of research (over £15 million) developing and evaluating web-based behavioural interventions to improve health. These include websites to:
- help people self-manage a range of health conditions, including sexually transmitted infections, hypertension, cancer-related fatigue, disability following stroke, dizziness, irritable bowel syndrome, flu-related symptoms and infections, and eczema
- support people to lose weight, stop smoking, practice hand hygiene and increase their physical activity
Understanding Pain
Research on pain focuses mainly on three intertwined themes:
- the cognitive and affective neuroscience of pain – in particular, the emotional modulation of attention in chronic pain.
- the development of theory-driven psychological interventions for the management of acute and chronic pain in children and adults.
- the evaluation of the efficacy and effectiveness of psychological interventions in paediatric and adult pain management.
Sexual and Reproductive Health
For more information visit Centre for Sexual Health Research page
Current research on sexual and reproductive health focuses on these areas:
- sexually transmitted infections
- condom use errors and problems
- sexual problems
- female sexual arousal and desire
- young people’s sexual activity, including teenage pregnancy
- the role of pleasure in sexual development
- challenges associated with increases in pornography access
- factors affecting conception outcome decisions
Understanding patient experiences
Research on the patient perspective and contextual effects of health care interventions includes:
- patients’ experiences, uptake and adherence to treatment, enhancing treatment outcomes through psychological pathways
- the use of placebos in clinical trials and clinical practice
Facilities and Equipment
The Department’s Research in pain focuses on three intertwined themes a) the cognitive and affective neuroscience of pain, b) the development of theory-driven psychological interventions for the management of acute and chronic pain in children, c) the evaluation of the efficacy and effectiveness of psychological interventions in paediatric pain management. The Pain Research Laboratory is equipped with state of the art equipment for Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) including TSA-II Neurosensory Analyser, a precise computer controlled device capable of generating and documenting response to highly repeatable thermal stimuli, cold pressure pain test equipment and others.
Funding
Members of our research group have received funding over £50 million from the UK research councils, NIHR, medical charities, Norwegian Research Council, and EC.
Collaboration and Partnership
CCCAHP collaborate with researchers from many countries and across a range of disciplines, including medicine, public health, computer science, sociology, and health sciences. Current collaborators include researchers from: UCL, University of Oxford, Coventry University, Harvard University, Indiana University, University of Oslo, University of Athens, University of Sussex.
Impact - brief description of pathways to impact
The digital interventions developed by CCCAHP are made available nationally and internationally to help patients, clinicians and members of the community manage their health. Our university enterprise works with the public, private and third sectors, and has already disseminated interventions to help with antimicrobial stewardship, obesity, respiratory illness, and dizziness.
CCCAHP also informs public health policy, clinical practice and educational initiatives. For example, members of CCCAHP have participated in clinical and education practice guidelines, including Parliamentary Select Committees and giving guidance to WHO and NICE.
Permanent CCCAHP members:
Lucy Yardley
Christina Liossi (Co-Director)
Cynthia Graham (Co-Director)
Felicity Bishop
Sarah Kirby
Laura Dennison
Leanne Morrison
Daniel Schoth
Roger Ingham
Nicole Stone
Kat Bradbury