Category / Research Centres

ADRC Launches Online Seminar Series

BU research, Events, Research Centres, Research news

We’re thrilled to invite you to the first online seminar in the new ADRC series on Wednesday, December 4th, from 3-4pm. This session will feature Dr. Michele Board from Bournemouth University, presenting on the topic: Veterans and Dementia: A Collaborative Research Project.

The Ageing and Dementia Research Centre (ADRC) at Bournemouth University, with funding from Dementia Research UK, launched a 2023/4 project focused on ex-military veterans—a typically underserved group in dementia research. The project explores veterans’ experiences through collaborative creative workshops, culminating in a documentary-style short film that amplifies their voices and personal stories. During this seminar we will share our film, highlight implications for practice and discuss the next stages of our project.

The seminar is open to all Bournemouth University staff, students, community organisations, and anyone interested in the topic.
Please keep an eye out for upcoming seminars throughout the new year!

Key Details:
• Date: Wednesday 4 December 2024
• Time: 3-4pm
• Topic: Veterans and Dementia: A Collaborative Research Project
• Speaker: Dr. Michele Board, Associate Professor Nursing Older People and Co-Lead Ageing and Dementia Research Centre ADRC
See you there!

Microsoft Teams 
Scan the QR code below or click on this link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_ZGI0NjE1YTUtNTIzYy00NTljLTk2OTEtYWZiNTc1ZmRjYzUy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22ede29655-d097-42e4-bbb5-f38d427fbfb8%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22612fce03-de45-44e3-b1e6-8404efc1b742%22%7d
Meeting ID: 364 666 916 013
Passcode: wJyC7U

Check out the artwork from the ESRC funded project, Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people.

BU research, ESRC, Events, Research Centres, Research news

This year’s ESRC-funded Festival of Social Sciences includes the project: Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people. Jayne Caudwell and Frankie Gaunt secured a small amount of funding from ESRC and BU research Centre for Seldon Heard Voices (CSHV) to run workshops, have artwork designed and displayed at the Lighthouse, Poole.

The workshops involved  discussions about on-line spaces that make LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, happy and provide them with a sense of belonging. Three workshops took place in August and October. Six themes emerged from group discussion at the workshops: 

  1. Types of social media, especially social media platforms that allow participants to have control over who sees their content. This made them feel safer, and Snap Chat was the most popular because content is short-term.
  1. Coming Out as LGBTQ+ on social media was seen as positive for people who come out and for people who see someone coming out. This was important for diasporic people who are unable to be openly LGBTQ+ in countries where it is illegal. Coming out on Tik Tok and Snap Chat felt safer compared with other social media sites.
  1. Participants did not like what they called ‘love to hate’ algorithms. It was mentioned that transgender people in the UK experience a lot of hate on social media. However, by being on platforms where they are able to control who sees their content, participants felt they were able to influence algorithms. They said they saw content that was affirming, positive, and joyful.
  1. Away from the popular social media sites, specialised groups were talked about. These groups were referred to as ‘secret groups’ and viewed as trustworthy. To enter these groups involved a long process of screening, but participants understood that this was needed to make the groups safe.
  1. Some social media sites were seen to help educate people about LGBTQ+ issues. For example, terms such as ‘non binary’ are explained by non-binary people in posts on websites. This education aspect was considered very important for people in communities where LGBTQ+ people are silenced and marginalised. Social media can help raise awareness and normalise LGBTQ+ for them. Also, social media can be used to seek advise about LGBTQ+ issues and to learn more about things like transitioning for transgender people.
  1. Workshop participants felt that social media websites can be positive, inspiring, educational, fun, enjoyable and safe because of the posts that are posted not always because of the site. It is the actual posts that are the important thing.

A final point, from the workshops, was that meeting other LGBTQ+ people in-person and doing something together in physical space would be nice.

The above themes were handed over to an artist who composed a series of six picture boards. These picture boards are on display at The Lighthouse in Poole from Friday 25th October to 16th November. The Lighthouse have publicised the project. Go to: Communities of wellbeing: the digital lives of LGBTQ+ young people – Lighthouse

BU Public Engagement have set up ways for people to provide feedback on the exhibition.

The artwork will also be on display at the ESRC event at University of  Southampton on Saturday 9th November as part of Arts and Humanities Day.

Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health (CWLTH)

BU research, Research Centres, Uncategorized

The next CWLTH Research Seminar and Centre Meeting will be at 14:00-15:00 on Wednesday 13th November 2024.  Dr Steve Trenoweth (Principal Academic in Mental Health Nursing and CWLTH Workstream Lead for Mental Health and Psychosocial Care) will speak about ‘New directions in mental healthcare: international perspective’.  Steve will be drawing on his experiences of working with colleagues and CWLTH members at Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland.  The second half of the meeting will be an opportunity to reflect on CWLTH activities and future plans.  All are welcome to join this event.  Click HERE to join the meeting and for more information contact CWLTH@Bournemouth.ac.uk.

Launching the Mental Capacity Toolkit teaching and practice resource featuring new voices from living experience

BU research, Events, Research Centres, Research news

Following the recent research collaboration with Parkstone Connect day service, and funded by CRN Wessex Small Grant Scheme, members of the social work team are delighted to be relaunching the Mental Capacity Toolkit.
Team members and members of Parkstone Connect will be demonstrating the Toolkit between 2-4 on 30th October in BGB 302. No need to book, just drop in and:
  • Have a go with the toolkit and discover how it can enhance your practice
  • Talk to us about our recent research with a local day service and meet participants
  • Help us develop the toolkit further

 

ADRC attend the ‘On Track’ event at the Bovington Tank Museum

BU research, Events, Impact, Research Centres, Research news

Assoc Prof Dr Michele Board and Rebecca Dew were delighted to attend the “On Track” event at the Bovington Tank Museum at the start of October to present their team’s latest work with veterans living with dementia which was funded by Dementia Research UK.

Following three inspiring talks during the morning session given by ex-military personnel around resilience and mental health, Assoc Prof Michele Board was pleased to introduce and share the documentary film Veterans Living with Dementia, which demonstrates their team’s latest work with veterans living with dementia and exploring their experiences. More information on the project, as well as the film link, can be accessed via the project page on following link: https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/research/projects/creative-workshops-veterans-dementia Please note the documentary film is approximately 10mins long.
Following the presentation, both Michele and Becky represented the ADRC during the lunchtime stalls and had many interesting conversations about the project and people’s experiences of being in the military, living with dementia or knowing someone with dementia, as well as raising awareness for this important subject and work amongst other participating organisations and charities.
Working with Dementia Research UK, the team hopes to continue disseminating the film and building on this initial work and to raise awareness for this subject.
Research project team: Dr Michele Board, Rebecca Dew, Helen Aldridge, Ryan Muldoon, Emma Lucas, Emma Hall, Vikki Tweedy
Documentary creation and editing: Dr Brad Gyori and Benjamin Obojememe

New National Teaching Fellow at BU utilising Team-based Learning to improve care of patients with chronic pain

Awarded & submitted bids, BU research, BU2025, Events, Impact, PG research, Postgraduate Research, Research Centres

Dr Jonny Branney, Principal Academic in Nursing & Clinical Sciences, Department of Nursing Science, was delighted to represent Bournemouth University at the UK Teaching Excellence Award Ceremony 2024 in Edinburgh 3rd October 2024, where he received a National Teaching Fellowship!

Writing on the screen says Jonny Branney, Bournemouth University. Honestly!

The National Teaching Fellowship Scheme (NTFS) recognises, rewards and celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession. Jonny’s particular impact on education centres around his implementation of Team-based Learning (TBL) in the nursing curriculum at BU and beyond. He has supported colleagues at BU to adopt TBL including Dee Hughes who recently became a certified TBL Practitioner for his work introducing TBL to the MA Scriptwriting programme. TBL has become embedded in the nursing curriculum and been embraced by the team who deliver Applied Healthcare Sciences 2 (too many to name hear, you know who you are!), and in the paramedic science programme, led by Adam Bancroft. Jonny has also delivered workshops nationally and internationally to support other educators to adopt TBL, including in the US, Netherlands and Australia.

Jonny was proud to attend the awarded ceremony at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, with his mum who is a retired teacher!

He is now utilising TBL not only in teaching but in his research and professional practice. He and team (Ryan Muldoon, Lecturer in Adult Nursing; Joe Barry, NHS Somerset) earlier this year received a TBLC Research Grant for ‘A qualitative usability testing study of TBL pain science classes for patients with chronic back pain.’ Patient interviews have been transcribed and we eagerly await the final results – preliminary results suggest this approach was popular with patients however, and the team hope to progress to the next stage and seek funding for a feasibility trial.

Thank you to everyone who has provided support on the journey to this award

While the National Teaching Fellowship is an individual award, this would not have been possible without significant support from many colleagues. Jonny would particularly like to thank all his nursing colleagues who have  embraced TBL (notably Monica Arias, now at Univerisidad de Nevarra, Spain, the unit lead who gave permission for him to first experiment with TBL back in 2015!), all the colleagues named above, and all other fantastic colleagues (Angela Warren from PIER, Heads of Department including Kathy Curtis, Professor Steve Ersser and Professor Sue Green) who helped make this happen. Key influences and amazing colleagues from the TBLC (to many to name all!) include Professor Simon Tweddell and Dr Gemma Quinn of the University of Bradford – both National Teaching Fellows themselves. Key mentors at BU were Professor Debbie Holley NTF and Dr Holly Henderson NTF- the application would not have been successful without their guidance, expertise and encouragement! (grateful thanks also to Professor Mel Hughes, NTF). Finally, Jonny would also like to acknowledge the unending support, love and patience from his wife, Debbie and two children. Behind every success is an element of sacrifice – patience truly is a virtue! Jonny apologies in advance if he has neglected to name anyone he should have!!

We now have five National Teaching Fellows at BU including our new Vice Chancellor and CEO, Professor Alison Honour! Who will be next colleague at BU to be rewarded for their outstanding impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession? Could it be you…?

 

 

DNS staff share their virtual reality research at AHSN Wessex

BU research, innovation, Research Centres, Research news, research staff

on behalf of Professor Debbie Holley

I am delighted to report that Dr Michele Board, Dr Heidi Singleton and I were invited to share our virtual reality research as part of the Wessex Academic Health Science Network webinar on 16.03.2023. Dr Board presented her work on ‘walk through dementia’, which brings the reality of lived experiences places the viewer in the shoes of the person with dementia. More information about this projects and the collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Society are available from the ADRC website.

Dr Singleton and I presented on our work on the mental health 360 video scenarios we created for student nurse education which have been embedded within the curriculum.

Evaluated via Focus group discussions (n=6 students) and an online survey (n=33 thus far); with 94% of nursing students reporting that the videos were extremely or very useful for their learning.  

“It flags up potential extra considerations in practice that you wouldn’t anticipate with just the theoretical teaching. You can better visualise.” (Student Nurse 31) 

“It made me feel confident in how to interact with an individual who may be having a mental health breakdown.” (Student Nurse 15) 

“It showed me that you can take time and check the correct information and repeat steps when assessing and treating a patient.” (Student Nurse 8) 

The learning resources mean that students can link theory to practice and can repeat the activity at any point during their course and from any location.

Thanks to the wider team Ursula Rolfe, John Moran, Emma Collins and our former colleague Jasmine Snowden,

 

Success in HEIF funding: VR Igloo

BU research, Research Centres, Research news

VR Igloo: Developing and evaluating a novel interactive virtual reality intervention for children with eczema

Team: Dr Heidi Singleton, Yaqing Cui, Dr Xiaosong Yang, Dr Emily Arden-Close, Professor Steven Ersser, Professor Debbie Holley, Dr Sarah Thomas, Richard Glithro, John Moran, Dr Andy Hodder and Amanda Roberts (Nottingham Support Group for Carers (NSG) of Children with Eczema).

Aim: To co-create a complex VR health intervention based on the guided imagery approach to treating eczema (Ersser et al., 2014); targeted at children (aged between 7 and 11 years of age) (complex intervention development). This intervention is not a medical device but addresses a clinical issue and can be used at hospital or in the home. Our processes and outputs will be congruent with some of the staging of complex intervention development advised by the Medical Research Council (2021).

Evidence from our small-scale PPI project (Singleton et al. 2022), points to the need for an interactive VR innovation that provides an immersive experience to distract from itchy eczema with minimal requirements for contact with the child’s face or hands. To tackle this problem, we will design and develop a prototype system of an interactive “mini-VR igloo headset”. We will work with the Department of Design and Engineering to design and develop the prototype.

In keeping with a person-based approach these ideas will be discussed with our PIER group and will form part of the developmental work with our Nottingham based charity stakeholder partner.

This Open Call HEIF funding will enable this cross faculty team to work together, with some additional paid staff, to accelerate and maximise the development of a complex intervention to enhance its potential for impact of this well-established VR Eczema project. It will also provide us with several prototypes to test at BU events.

Heidi, Steve and Debbie research as part of the Centre for Wellbeing & Long-Term Health, follow us at Twitter CWLTH_BU

Wednesday 2 October – Have your say at the LGBTQ+ Digital Lives workshop

BU research, ESRC, Events, Research Centres, Research news, research staff

This year the national ESRC Festival of Social Sciences theme is ‘Our Digital Lives’. For the festival, BU is supporting events that will run between Saturday October 19th and Saturday November 9th. Jayne Caudwell and Frankie Gaunt in the Department of Social Sciences and Social Work were awarded up to £1,000 to hold an event in the festival.  Their event is an art exhibition focused on “Communities of Positive Well-Being: The Digital Lives of LGBTQ+ Young People”. 
The aim of the event is to showcase on-line spaces that help LGBTQ+ young people feel safe, happy and that they belong. This is important because existing research shows that physical space can be a hostile public place for LGBTQ+ people. This hostility can lead to feelings of marginalisation, exclusion and isolation.
Before the art exhibition, a series of workshops will take place with local LGBTQ+ young people to explore how social media and the internet provide opportunity for positive stories at a time when mainstream media can be negative in its coverage of LGBTQ+ issues. The workshops are funded by the Centre for Seldom Heard Voices, the next workshop is Wednesday 2 October 4-6pm in BG 601, Bournemouth Gateway Building. During the workshop participants will decide the artwork that will be used for the art exhibition. The art exhibition will be displayed in and around Bournemouth and Dorset.
Check out the CSHV twitter @BU_SeldomHeard to share information about the upcoming workshops or visit http://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/lgbtq-digital-lives

Research Seminar: Exploring the theory practice gap surrounding young people who self-harm

BU research, Research Centres, Research news

The first in a series of interdisciplinary research seminars run by the Centre for Wellbeing and Long Term Health (@CWLTH) and the Centre for Science, Health,  Data Communication Research (@SHDCResearch) was framed around the partnership formed through a match-funded doctoral studentship between DHC and BU. Andy Sweetmore is researching early-interventions for children and young people who self-harm; he works 15 hours a week clinically as a specialist nurse practitioner within the Closer2Home CAMHS community intensive treatment team.  

L-R Dr Claire Young, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Service Lead; Dr Phil Morgan, Head of Nursing, Therapies and Quality; Morad Margoum (Interim Service Director DHC) Andy Sweetmore (CAMHS and BU) Professor Ann Luce (BU)

The aims of the symposium were to: 

  • To explore what the clinical evidence means in the context of working with young people who self-harm, for our local healthcare services 
  • To discuss the assumptions about self-harm and what actions can be taken 
  • To gain insights into joint research working between DHC and BU 

 Morad Margoum, Intermin Service Director (DHC) and on the supervision team, welcomed the symposium delegates, comprising mental health experts and practitioners from across Dorset, school nurses, academics from the Bournemouth University mental health team.  

Andy then reported on his systematic literature review, conducted covering publications from January 2004 to March 2024. The inclusion criteria encompassed children and young people aged 4 to 25 years, in educational or primary care settings, and studies reporting self harm outcomes. Definitions of self-harm underpinned the work: 

  • Self-harm, defined as self-poisoning or self-injury regardless of intent, is associated with an elevated risk of mental health conditions and is a strong predictor of suicide (Iyengar et al. 2018; Mughal et al. 2019).  
  • Self-harm was previously associated with depression and pervasive emotional dysregulation, however, occurs in almost every mental health condition, including anxiety, anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia (Harris et al. 2022). 
  • Suicide is the predominant cause of mortality among females aged 15 to 19 globally and is a pressing public health concern (Liu et al. 2022). 

 The review highlighted a significant gap in robust, high-quality studies on self-harm interventions within educational and primary settings. The limited evidence base suggests potential benefits of school based interventions, but further research with rigorous methodologies is required. It was noted that Iatrogenic harm was not discussed.   Interventions to support mental health conditions in any environment carries inherent risks, with Foulkes & Andrews (2023) finding that mental health support within schools may not be as effective or safe as initially presumed. Recent literature (Andrews et al. 2022; Harvey et al. 2023; Montero-Marin et al. 2023), also indicate potential post-intervention deterioration in school-based interventions. Even if only a small fraction of adolescents are adversely affected within a school, the widespread application of these interventions could result in significant harm to thousands, underscoring the importance of assessing even minor adverse effects at scale. Despite the NHS strategy of moving mental health initiatives rapidly into school, these interventions may make some young people worse. There isn’t one therapy which an evidence base points to that  can reliably say will be effective, which offers limited treatment options for those who are trying to ensure a standardised provision. 

Expert speakers offered their insights, followed by a panel discussion to seek comment, clarification and a focus for the lively debate that followed. The next steps include disseminating the insights and findings from the symposium to inform the prospective CAMHS clinical transformation plan, which aims to develop innovative approaches to supporting children and their families, as well as the broader strategy to address self-harm within local mental health services.  

Andy Sweetmore is a match funded DHC/BU doctoral student, supervised by Dr Heidi Singleton (DNS) Professor Debbie Holley (DNS) and Professor Ann Luce (FMC)

Heidi and Debbie research as part of Centre for Wellbeing and Long Term Health (@CWLTH) and Ann the Centre for Science, Health, Data Communication Research (@SHDCResearch)

CWLTH Research Seminar

BU research, Research Centres

The Centre for Wellbeing and Long-Term Health (CWLTH) will be hosting its first virtual Research Seminar of the new academic year on Thursday 27th October at 13:00.  Dr Heidi Singleton will be speaking about her systematic review of interventions for managing eczema.  All are welcome to attend by clicking HERE.  For more information about this meeting or for information about the CWLTH, please contact cwlth@bournemouth.ac.uk.

Understand what hate crime and discriminatory abuse are and how best to respond to them

BU research, Events, hate crime, Research Centres, Research news

Over the summer, Jane Healy (Principle Academic in Criminology at Bournemouth University) led an inter-disciplinary research team at Bournemouth University and Royal Holloway which has conducted a survey to evaluate approaches to safeguarding adults who experience hate crime and discriminatory abuse. 

Responses were received from across the UK, identifying challenges and providing examples of good practice. We are keen to share these findings as widely as possible.

The team are hosting a webinar where they will outline the context of hate crime and discriminatory abuse and discuss the anonymised findings and next steps, in a free online event on Tuesday 22 October 2024, from 12pm to 13:30pm. 

Please click on this link to reserve your tickets: Exploring restorative practice approaches to safeguarding adults Tickets, Tue 22 Oct 2024 at 12:00 | Eventbrite 

Please forward to anyone who might be interested in learning more about hate crime and discriminatory abuse, and the research findings.

We look forward to seeing you all at the online event.

Jane Healy and team

An interdisciplinary approach to thinking about pain

Research Centres, Research news, research staff

Congratulations to Professor Carol Clark, Dr Sujan Marahatta and Professor Vanora Hundley for their new interdisciplinary paper exploring the prevalence of pain catastrophising among women of reproductive age in Nepal.

It is well-acknowledged that there are multiple factors that contribute to constructing perceptions of pain – this paper explores previous pain experiences and the prevalence of pain catastrophising. The team found a high prevalence of pain catastrophising in Nepal, which could contribute rising obstetric intervention, particularly caesarean births, in Nepal.

The work is part of a programme of work looking at how best to support women during the latent phase of labour (early labour). You can hear more about this work by listening to a recent vodcast from Carol and Vanora:

Pain in Childbirth: An Interdisciplinary Approach – By: Prof. Vanora Hundley and Prof. Carol Clark (youtube.com)

Third INRC Symposium: Interdisciplinary Computational and Clinical Approaches at the Edge of Brain Research

BU research, BU2025, Events, Featured academics, Fusion, Impact, international, Knowledge Exchange, REF Subjects, REF2029, Research Centres, Research news, Uncategorized

Last month, we celebrated the third symposium of the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre at the Inspire Lecture Theatre, entitled “Interdisciplinary Computational and Clinical Approaches at the Edge of Brain Research”.

This year, our symposium revolved around two linking themes: applied machine learning for understanding neuroscientific data and translational neuroscience. We choose to contrast these two themes because they show the breadth of areas of the centre and steer the debate on potential synergies.

The event started with an exciting talk by Prof. Miguel Maravall (director of the Sussex Neuroscience Centre of Excellence, Sussex University).  Dr Maravall presented new experiments testing the idea that the function of the somatosensory cortex -beyond processing input information about an object’s features- represents the decision to act and even the outcomes of such actions. The recording of this lecture is available here.

Next, the first session concentrated on computational approaches. In this focused session, we enjoyed three talks. The opening talk by Michak Gnacek (Emteq Labs Emteq Labs, Brighton and Centre for Digital Entertainment, BU) showcased his appealing results on affect recognition in Virtual Reality leveraging multimodal physiological recordings and continual machine learning. The second speaker was Dr Géza Gergely Ambrus (Department of Psychology, BU). Dr Ambrus presented gripping new findings that extend the application of multivariate pattern analysis beyond face perception to other facial characteristics to explore underlying neural mechanisms. Finally, Dr Matteo Toscani (Department of Psychology, BU) discussed a series of intriguing studies over the recent years on unsupervised learning approaches -such as avant-grade deep autoencoders- for inferring haptic material properties.

After this first session, Prof. Jonathan Cole (University Hospital Dorset, NHS) opened the second session centred on clinical neuroscience. In his inspiring talk, Dr Cole discussed his research on patients with congenital and acquired complete absence of touch and movement/position, showing how the absence of these senses leads to different alterations in proprioception. Next, Prof. Caroline Edmonds (Department of Psychological Sciences, University of East London) presented a fascinating study on real-life implications of co-occurring memory impairments in children with neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. The study evaluated memory function in school-aged children with this condition who received hypothermia treatment and survived without extensive neuromotor impairment.

To conclude the symposium, Prof. Birgit Gurr (Community Brain Injury and Adult Neuropsychology Services Dorset at Dorset HealthCare University, NHS) and Dr Ellen Seiss (Department of Psychology, BU) introduced a compelling evaluation of the dynamic information processing programme, encompassing mental exercises fostering the recovery of patients from a stroke.

After the symposium, we visited the Multimodal Immersive Neuro-sensing lab for natural neuro-behavioural measurement (MINE), led by Dr Xun He.

All in the INRC would like to wholeheartedly thank the speaker and the attendees for the fascinating talks and exciting debates we had. If you are interested in getting in touch, contributing or joining the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Research Centre, please do not hesitate to contact Ellen Seiss (eseiss@bourenmouth.ac.uk) or Emili Balaguer-Ballester (eb-ballester@bournemouth.ac.uk).

Thank you again for your interest, and we are looking forward to seeing you in our upcoming activities.

Kind regards,

Ellen and Emili, on behalf of all of us at the INRC