Understanding and addressing loneliness in people living with long-term health conditions

Loneliness is increasingly recognised as a serious problem due to its reported: i) prevalence; ii) associations with low wellbeing, poor mental and physical health and premature mortality; iii) economic costs. Living with a long-term physical or mental health condition is acknowledged as a particular risk factor for loneliness.

We are keen to support PhD/ProfDoc candidates who are interested in understanding and addressing loneliness in people living with one or more long-term health conditions, e.g. cancer, stroke, diabetes, mental illnesses (please note these examples are not exclusive) to undertake projects to:

• Explore experiences, sources and consequences of loneliness;

• Develop, implement and evaluate conceptually-sound and contextually-sensitive methods to identify and assess loneliness;

• Develop, implement and evaluate targeted and tailored interventions to reduce loneliness.

This opportunity would be suitable for those with a background in health sciences or social sciences.

For informal enquiries about the project, contact Dr Kathryn Cunningham, k.b.cunningham@dundee.ac.uk

For general enquiries about the University of Dundee, contact doctoralacademy@dundee.ac.uk

Our research community thrives on the diversity of students and staff which helps to make the University of Dundee a UK university of choice for postgraduate research. We welcome applications from all talented individuals and are committed to widening access to those who have the ability and potential to benefit from higher education.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants must have obtained, or expect to obtain, a UK honours degree at 2.1 or above (or equivalent for non-UK qualifications), and/or a Masters degree in a relevant discipline. For international qualifications, please see equivalent entry requirements here: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/study/international/country/. 

English language requirement: IELTS (Academic) overall score must be at least 6.5 (with not less than 6.0 in reading, listening, speaking and in writing). The University of Dundee accepts a variety of equivalent qualifications and alternative ways to demonstrate language proficiency; please see full details of the University’s English language requirements here: http://www.dundee.ac.uk/guides/english-language-requirements. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Step 1: Email Dr Kathryn Cunningham, k.b.cunningham@dundee.ac.uk to (1) send a copy of your CV and (2) discuss your potential application and any practicalities (e.g. suitable start date).

Step 2: After discussion with Dr Cunningham, formal applications can be made via our direct application system. When applying, please follow the instructions below:

Candidates must apply for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in PhD in Nursing & Health Sciences (3 or 4 Year or the Professional Doctorate in Health Sciences (DHSci) using our direct application system: Apply for a Research Degree in Health Sciences

Please select the study mode (full-time/part-time) and start date agreed with the lead supervisor.

In the Research Proposal section, please:

– Enter the lead supervisor’s name in the ‘proposed supervisor’ box

– Enter the project title listed at the top of this page in the ‘proposed project title’ box

In the ‘personal statement’ section, please outline your suitability for the project selected.