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The West Yorkshire Air Quality and Health Strategy aims to address ambient air pollution
in the region by influencing behaviour at both an individual and decision maker level. The
proposed PhD will link to this ongoing strategy, and help to provide evidence based
interventions for policy makers to implement low emissions straetiges by utilising
behaviour change and implementation science methodology. The project will take a
collaborative approach, combining local authority, NHS and academic expertise.
Aims and objectives
The overall aim of the PhD is to engage with decision-makers about what they need to
make different types of decisions, and to develop rigorous and evidence-based
intervention strategies to improve the implementation of policies to reduce air emissions
with the West Yorkshire Region. The research will be based on sound underpinning of
behaviour change and implementation science, and policy implementation theory.
The proposed PhD has the following objectives:
a) To establish the extent to which policies to reduce vehicle emissions are adopted and
implemented across local authorities in West Yorkshire
b) To identify barriers and facilitators using behaviour change methodology to the
adoption and successful implementation of these policies
c) To develop an evidence based intervention designed to address the barriers and
facilitators to the adoption and successful implementation of policies to reduce vehicle
emissions, in partnership with stakeholders, using an intervention mapping approach
d) To investigate the use and acceptability of the intervention in practice
Potential Methods
The PhD will be based around priniciples of behaviour change and intervention mapping.
A scoping review of the theoretical basis of interventions to facilitate implementation of
low emission policies will be conducted. If, as expected, literature in this area is sparse,
the Delphi technique will be employed to combine the knowledge and judgment of a
group of relevant experts and achieve a level of consensus in order to develop an
evidence base. Further interviews and focus groups will be conducted with stakeholders
and the findings will be used to develop an appropriate intervention. A feasibility study
will then be conducted to assess the acceptibility of the intervention in practice. It is
anticipated that the PhD will contribute to a further funding proposals to conduct a
rigorous evaluation of identified methods.
Links to CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber
This project is uniquely placed to take advantage of links and infrastructure of the School
of Psychology, University of Leeds (Ian Kellar), the Bradford Institute for Health Research
(Rosie McEachan), and Public Health at Bradford District Metropolitan Council (Sara
Ahern). This will be important in increasing impact and reach of the research. It will also
link across a number of themes within the CLAHRC Yorkshire and Humber and with the
Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network (YH AHSN). Specifically it will
build on expertise with the Evidence Based Transformation Theme by using behaviour
change principles to understand how to support service transformation to reduce
emissions (for example, implementing novel and innovative policies). It will also
complement a key air quality project within the Health Families theme, exploring
individual behaviour change to reduce emissions. It will link to the Air Quality theme
within the Improvement Academy hosted by the YH AHSN.
This three year PhD studentship, funded by the School of Psychology and Bradford
Institute of Health Research, is available from 1st January 2016, with a tax-free stipend of
13,863 with EU/home fees paid and a research training support grant of 750 per year.
We are keen for the studentship to begin as soon as possible, but some flexibility can be
afforded to applicants.
The award will support one PhD student following a 3-year programme (known as a '+3')
of research and training. Applicants are required to possess an Undergraduate degree a
related discipline and preferably also a postgraduate degree e.g., MSc in Health
Psychology, Health Sciences, Public Health and Research Methods. Applicants are
required to submit electronically a CV, a personal statement outlining how their
experience and skills are suitable for the project, copies of degree certificates,
transcripts of marks achieved in degree-level qualifications, evidence of English
language qualifications, and details of up to three referees to the Faculty Graduate
School email: fmhgrad@leeds.ac.uk. Please note that this studentship is only available
to UK and EU applicants. Informal enquiries can be made to i.kellar@leeds.ac.uk
Closing Date for applications is 02.12.15 with interviews expected to be held on
15.12.15.