MENO-LIFE: Designing and Evaluating a Behaviour Change Toolkit for Menopause Self-Management through Diet and Lifestyle Strategies

Summary

Menopause is a natural developmental phase in a woman’s life characterised by cessation of menses, occurring around the age of 51 years in the UK. Up to 90% of women experience menopausal symptoms, most commonly hot flushes and night sweats. Symptoms typically last for >7 years with 25% of women experiencing severe and debilitating symptoms, thus the health and quality of life of women during the menopausal transition can be substantially affected.

Diet and lifestyle play a key role in managing menopausal symptoms and in the prevention of weight gain, osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease, of which women are at increased risk as they reach menopause. Sparse education on menopause for women and health care practitioners leave women unprepared and often disappointed with the support provided. Alarmingly, 1 in 10 women leave their jobs because of menopausal symptoms and lack of understanding in the workplace. Interventions to educate women on how to optimise diet and lifestyle, specifically designed for and by women at midlife, that promote self-management of menopausal symptoms are needed.

The aim of this PhD is to design, implement and evaluate a menopause toolkit to improve health, well-being and self-management of the menopausal transition. The toolkit will be co-produced with midlife women and behaviour change theories (COM-B and Behaviour Change Wheel) will be employed to inform the intervention design.

A mixed methods approach will be used. A systematic review will be undertaken to evaluate diet and lifestyle interventions designed for menopause management and identify components that bring about behaviour change to enhance health. A qualitative study, based on the COM-B model, will determine facilitators and barriers to the use of a menopause toolkit to aid self-management. This research will inform the design, implementation and evaluation of a co-produced menopause toolkit to promote better self-management of menopause.

Please note:  Research Proposal - 5 pages in total

The proposal must include:

• Background to the project - 2 pages
• Problem to be addressed/Aim and Objectives - 1 page
• Methods to be used -1 page
• Anticipated outcomes -1 page
• List of references

Please also note that the use of AI in generating the research proposal is prohibited.

Important Information: Applications for more than one PhD studentship are welcome, however if you apply for more than one PhD project within Biomedical Sciences/Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, your first application on the system will be deemed your first-choice preference and further applications will be ordered based on the sequential time of submission.
If you are successfully shortlisted, you will be interviewed only on your first-choice application and ranked accordingly. Those ranked highest will be offered a PhD studentship.
In the situation where you are ranked highly and your first-choice project is already allocated to someone who was ranked higher than you, you may be offered your 2nd or 3rd choice project depending on the availability of this project.

Essential criteria

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.

• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement demonstrating interest in the subject area

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a First Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject area
• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a relevant Masters Degree at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
• Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
• Experience or knowledge of research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project
• Experience of presentation of research findings

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD Scholarships are available for this project and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

To be eligible for these scholarships applicants must: be a UK or Irish national; or have pre-settled or settled status; or have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme i.e. September 2027.

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, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.