The AIM Study: AI-Assisted Multimodal and Multilingual ePROMs for Accessible Mental Health Care in Rural Populations with Severe Mental Illness

About the Project

Applications are invited for a full-time PhD studentship for the project: The AIM Study: AI-Assisted Multimodal and Multilingual ePROMs for Accessible Mental Health Care in Rural Populations with Severe Mental Illness

Context

Mental health inequalities in rural communities are compounded not only by language diversity, but also low literacy, limited digital skills and unreliable connectivity [1,2]. Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) could benefit from symptom monitoring for early detection and suicide prevention using validated electronic Patient-Reported-Outcome Measures (ePROMs). However, traditional approaches to translating and culturally validating PROMs can be slow and costly, limiting availability in minority languages and potentially failing to address accessibility barriers for people who struggle with reading, comprehension, or digital interphases.

Advances in AI and large language models (LLMs) provide potential opportunities to support multilingual translation and may enable adaptive, multimodal, personalised communication (such as speech, simplified text, pictorial explanations, contextsensitive wording etc.), which could reduce literacy demands, support neurodiverse user and help people to engage with PROMs even in low-connectivity rural environments.

This project will explore how AI-assisted ePROMs can fundamentally redesign accessibility, supporting equity in mental health care for rural populations.

Aims and Objectives

In alignment with the THRIVE People and Community Engagement and Involvement Strategy (PCIE), the successful applicant will work with local stakeholders and people with lived experience to co-produce a programme of research to meet the following objectives:

• Test measurement equivalence between AI-assisted dynamic translations and traditional culturally validated PROMs for SMI.
• Assess patient preferences and usability of AI-driven PROM interfaces designed to reduce literacy, comprehension and communication barriers.
• Explore feasibility of on-device fine-tuning of small LLMs to address literacy and connectivity barriers through personalised features (e.g., speech-based completion, plain language simplification, tone adjustments, offline functioning).
• Identify barriers and facilitators for implementation in SMI outpatient and home settings.

Research Questions

1. Does AI-assisted real-time translation of mental health PROMs produce equivalent results to traditional validated versions?
2. Can fine-tuned small LLMs improve accessibility for individuals with low literacy, limited digital skills or communication difficulties, compared to standard PROM delivery methods?
3. What are the usability, acceptability, and implementation challenges for AIassisted multilingual and accessibility-enhanced ePROMs in rural mental health care?

Supervisory team:

• Director of Studies: Professor Dez Kyte, Professor of Physiotherapy, School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Worcester, UK. Associate member of the Centre for Patient-Reported Outcomes Research, University of Birmingham, UK.
• Supervisors: Dr Chris Bowers, Course Leader for PG Computing and Principal Lecturer in Computing, Worcester Business School, Department of Computing, University of Worcester, UK. Professor Elizabeth Hughes, Professor of Mental Health Inequalities, Director of Rural Mental Health Research Unit, lead for NIHR THRIVE Programme, University of Worcester, UK.
• External Advisors: Institute for Mental Health, University of Birmingham [Named Individual TBC]

Details of the studentship:

The studentship is offered for a 4-year period on a full-time basis. During the period of your studentship you will receive the following:

• a tax-free bursary of £20,407 for 3 years
• a fee-waiver for 4 years
• a budget to support your project costs
• a laptop and other IT equipment or software as appropriate to the project
• use of the Doctoral School facilities

You will be expected to play an active role in the life of both the Doctoral School and of the School. You will be given opportunities to gain experience in learning and teaching within the School under the guidance of your Director of Studies.

Application Process:

The closing date for this studentship is Friday 8th May 2026.

To begin the application process for this studentship please go to our webpage and click ‘apply now’ next to the project you wish to apply for. It is expected that applicants will have the following qualifications:

• A Masters in the area of Health Care or equivalent professional experience.
• A First or Upper Second Honours Degree