The psychological burden of chronic spontaneous urticaria from patient and healthcare professional perspectives

About the Project

Details of the Project

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a recurrent appearance of wheals (hives), with or without swelling, that occurs unpredictably for more than six weeks. CSU is often described as an autoimmune condition with no identifiable trigger. It is therefore difficult to treat and patients can find it hard to get a diagnosis. CSU carries a high disease burden and has an impact on quality of life (QoL) and mental health, however it is a condition that has received little focus in the research literature. A recent review (Donnelly et al., 2023) exploring the psychosocial factors of CSU found just 18 studies, only two of which were qualitative in design. Psychosocial factors found to be related to CSU onset and aggravation included stress, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, OCD and personality characteristics. Symptoms affected lifestyle, sleep, body image, quality of life, levels of depression and anxiety. Qualitative studies reported on frustration with the healthcare service and lack of acknowledgement of the psychological impact of CSU.

This PhD project will explore the psychosocial burden of CSU from the patient and healthcare professional perspective. Very little research has been carried out on this condition in the UK and nothing is known about the experiences of patients with the UK healthcare system. Patients and healthcare professionals treating CSU will be interviewed to explore experiences. A cross-sectional survey will be undertaken to characterise the impact of CSU on QoL in the UK. Finally focus groups will be run to explore ways in which patient pathways can be improved.

This PhD would suit someone with an UG degree in psychology and a post-graduate qualification in health psychology or similar. Experience of research in this field would be desirable but not essential and training will be given.

Overseas Applicants

Overseas applicants may apply for this studentship but will need to pay the difference between the ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees. Currently the difference between ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees is £17,712 for 2026/7. As part of the application, you will be required to confirm that you will provide this additional funding. Please indicate this on the application form in the funding section.

Location

This position will be based on the Aston Campus in Birmingham, UK. The successful candidate will need to be located within a reasonable distance of the campus, and will be expected to visit in person regularly.

Person Specification

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER:

• a First or Upper Second Class award in their Undergraduate Degree (Bachelors or UG Masters) from a UK institution, in a subject judged by Aston to be relevant to the proposed research.
• a Merit (or above)* in a Postgraduate Masters degree in a relevant subject AND an Undergraduate Degree (Bachelors or UG Masters), both from UK institutions.

*where appropriate.

Qualifications from overseas institutions will be also considered but performance must be equivalent to that described above, and the University reserves the right to ascertain this equivalence according to its own criteria.

Contact information

For formal enquiries about this project contact Professor Rebecca Knibb: at r.knibb@aston.ac.uk

Submitting an application

We can only consider applications that are complete and have all supporting documents. Applications that do not provide all the relevant documents will be automatically rejected.Your application must include:

1. English language copies of the transcripts and certificates for all your higher education degrees, including any Bachelor degrees.
2. A Research Statement detailing your understanding of the research area, how you would approach the project, and a brief review of relevant literature. Be sure to use the title of the research project you are applying for. There is no set format or word count.
3. A personal statement which outlines any further information which you think is relevant to your application, such as your personal suitability for research, career aspirations, possible future research interests, and further description of relevant employment experience.
4. A Curriculum Vitae (Resume) which details your education and work history.
5. Two academic refereeswho can discuss your suitability for independent research. References must be on headed paper, signed and dated no more than 2 years old. At least one reference should be from your most recent University. You can submit your references at a later date if necessary.
6. Evidence that you meet the English Language requirements. If you do not currently meet the language requirements, you can submit this at a later stage.
7. A copy of your passport. Where relevant, include evidence of settled or pre-settled status.

Interviews

Interviews will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. If you are shortlisted, you will be contacted directly with details of the interview.

Apply for this position here

Please select “Research - Health Sciences” from the application form options.

If you require further information about the application process please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team at pgr_admissions@aston.ac.uk

Funding Notes

This project covers the Home tuition fees. Candidates who do not have Home status will be responsible for the difference in tuition fees. Currently the difference between ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees is £17,712 for 2026/7.