PhD Studentship - Technology in Diabetes Self-Care: Use and Contextual Engagement with Flash and Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Oxford Institute of Applied Health Research (OxINAHR)

Oxford School of Nursing and Midwifery

3 Year, full-time funded PhD Studentship

Eligibility: Home UK/EU applicants who must be permanently resident in the UK

Bursary p.a.: Bursary equivalent to UKRI national minimum stipend plus fees (current 2023/24 bursary rate is £18,622)

Fees and Bench fees: will be met by the University for the 3 years of the funded Studentship.

Closing date: Monday 8 April 2024

Start Date: September 2024

Project Title: Technology in diabetes self-care: use and contextual engagement with flash and continuous glucose monitoring

Director of Studies: Dr Marion Waite

Other supervisors: Dr Olga Kozlowska

Requirements:

Applicants should have a first or upper second-class honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or acceptable equivalent qualification.

EU Applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 6.5 to 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued in the last 2 years by an approved test centre.

The studentship requires you to undertake the equivalent of up to 6 hrs teaching per week on average, during semester time, and to include preparation and marking (but no more than 20 hrs per week), and to participate in a teaching skills course without further remuneration.

Project Description:

People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) require blood glucose tests and insulin administration several times daily. Technological progress in diabetes management and introduction of flash and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) enables replacement of finger-prick tests by a sensor (a small device attached to one's body measuring blood glucose levels) and accessible ways to visualise results and personal glucose trends. This life-changing technology, reducing the personal burden of managing diabetes, has been long-awaited. However, users' response to flash and CGM has been mixed (Friedman et al., 2023; Kubiak et al.,2020), with some being considered as under-utilising it /or not using it to its potential. There is little understanding of why that is, and this PhD project aims to understand better how users choose/adapt to use flash and CGM technology through their self-management strategies.

The objectives are to explore user engagement with Flash and CGM, assess usability, understand user-clinician interactions, and make recommendations for users, clinicians, and industry. Dr Marion Waite is an expert in the clinical management of diabetes and a researcher in how people with diabetes engage with technology in their everyday lives, including mobile applications, artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and immersive virtual reality. Dr Olga Kozlowska is an expert in the psychological aspects of living with diabetes. Both supervisors have successfully collaborated with diabetes researchers locally, nationally, and internationally. The studentship will provide an opportunity to network with the broader diabetes research community.

Application process: For details, please visit the project link on our research funding opportunities webpage via the ‘Apply’ button above

Complete applications should include a research proposal (max 500 words) about how you would conduct the study.

Contact hls-applications@brookes.ac.uk with any queries.

Project queries: contact Dr Marion Waite: mwaite@brookes.ac.uk 

Provisional interview date: 29 April 2024.

In-person interviews anticipated.

Part time MPhil/PhD study will be exceptionally considered.

Advertised on a competitive basis alongside the studentship ‘Understanding the sweet-liking phenotypes: differences in eating behaviour and metabolic responses to food intake as a function of sweet liking – implications for personalised weight loss interventions’.

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