For children and adolescents, national and international guidelines recommend at least 60 minutes per day of physical activity and a reduction of sedentary behaviour to achieve and maintain physical and mental health and wellbeing. The recently published 2022 Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents has demonstrated gender differences in meeting those physical activity guidelines with fewer girls meeting these recommendations. Failure to meet recommended volume and intensity of physical activity can increase risk of poor physical and mental health for adolescents into adulthood including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression, and anxiety. With women accounting for a greater percentage of community health, primary care and mental healthcare visits, early intervention is vital to address gender disparities in modifiable health behaviours, such as physical activity levels, to decrease the risk of future poor health and reduce potential burden on healthcare systems. Currently no longitudinal studies of adolescent female physical activity, sedentary behaviour, health, and wellbeing have been established in Northern Ireland.
The primary aim of this PhD programme of research is to establish a dynamic longitudinal data set for adolescent female health behaviours and outcomes in Northern Ireland, as a baseline data set for future studies on the long-term impact of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and other health behaviours on physical and mental health outcomes into early adulthood. We anticipate that studies within this programme of work will aim to define the content priorities and data collection parameters for the data set, and develop a pilot data collection tool for adolescent female health behaviours and outcomes in Northern Ireland.
Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.
We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.
In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.
If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.
The University offers the following levels of support:
Full award (full-time PhD fees + DfE level of maintenance grant + RTSG for 3 years).
This scholarship will cover full-time PhD tuition fees and provide the recipient with £18,000 (tbc) maintenance grant per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).
This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Part award (full-time PhD fees + 50% DfE level of maintenance grant + RTSG for 3 years).
This scholarship will cover full-time PhD tuition fees and provide the recipient with £8,000 maintenance grant per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance). This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Fees only award (PhD fees + RTSG for 3 years).
This scholarship will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance). This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £18,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).
This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living
1.United Kingdom, Department of Health and Social Care. (2019). Physical Activity Guidelines: Children and Young People (5 to 18 Years) [Online]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people-5-to-18-years
2.Bull, F. C., Al-Ansari, S. S., Biddle, S., Borodulin, K., Buman, M. P., Cardon, G., ... & Willumsen, J. F. (2020). World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. British journal of sports medicine, 54(24), 1451-1462.
3.Chaput, J. P., Willumsen, J., Bull, F., Chou, R., Ekelund, U., Firth, J., ... & Katzmarzyk, P. T. (2020). 2020 WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents aged 5–17 years: summary of the evidence. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 17(1), 1-9.
4.Research Work Group for Ireland’s Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents (2022). The 2022 Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents [Online]. Available from: https://activehealthykidsireland.org
5.Keene, J., & Li, X. (2005). Gender differences in older patient populations: a case linkage study of community health, mental health, and social services in the United Kingdom. Health Care for Women International, 26(8), 713-730.
6.Manuel, J. I. (2018). Racial/ethnic and gender disparities in health care use and access. Health services research, 53(3), 1407-1429
Submission deadline
Monday 27 February 2023
04:00PM
Interview Date
mid-April 2023
Preferred student start date
18 September 2023
Telephone
Contact by phone
Email
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