Project Description
STRONG-AYA is an EU project with the aim of improving cancer care for adolescent and young adults (AYA). One of the key objectives is the development of a Core Outcome Set (COS) for AYAs with cancer. The COS will be implemented in five national healthcare systems across Europe, with participating centres in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and the United Kingdom, and the establishment of national infrastructures for outcome data management and clinical decision-making. The PhD will investigate novel ways to capture the core outcome set directly from patients as patient reported outcomes (PROMs). Technology such as smartphones and wearable devices offer new possibilities to collect high-quality, high-resolution data passively with very little burden on the individual. A key question will be to what extent is it feasible to use technology to collect the COS? A related question is what technological solutions are acceptable to AYA with cancer? The project will use a co-design approach with AYAs with cancer for the development and evaluation of technology to capture the STRONG-AYA COS and a usability evaluation. The PhD could include a pilot study to establish validity of the data collected from patients against the COS. Further consideration could be given to how the data could be used in clinical decision support and value-based care. The PhD project will be hosted at the University of Manchester and supervised by Professor John Ainsworth. There will be very close interaction with the Christie Specialist Cancer Centre and the European partners in the project.
Funding Information
This project is funded by EU Horizon via YKRI. Studentship funding is for a duration of three years to commence in April 2024 and covers UK tuition fees and a stipend. Due to funding restrictions the studentship is only open to UK nationals.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants are expected to hold (or about to obtain) a minimum upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in medicine, biomedical sciences, health sciences, psychology or computer sciences/informatics or similar. A Masters degree in a relevant subject and/or experience in informatics or data science subject area is desirable or equivalent industry/health service experience.
Application Process
1. For information on how to apply for this project, please visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy website (https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/). Interested candidates must first make contact with the Primary Supervisor prior to submitting a formal application, to discuss their interest and suitability for the project. On the online application form select PhD Health Informatics.
References
Discussing factors associated with quality of life in cancer follow-up appointments: a preliminary test of a pragmatic model for clinical practice. Lindner OC, McCabe MG, Boele F, Mayes A, Talmi D, Radford J, Wearden A. Clin Rehabil. 2019 Apr;33(4):762-772
The Routine Clinical Implementation of Electronic Patient-reported Outcome Measures (ePROMs) at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. C Crockett, F Gomes, C Faivre-Finn, S Howell, V Kasipandian, E Smith, D Thomson, J Yorke, J Price. Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol). 2021 Jul 3;S0936-6555(21)00224-7.
Supplementary Information
Not applicable.
