Naas Hospital, Senior Occupational Therapist, Yvonne Codd has received a bursary for her research into how a new diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis impacts on patients’ home, work and social lives.
She is currently completing a PhD study with Trinity College Dublin‘Exploring the Impacts of Inflammatory Arthritis on Participation: Informing Current Practice to Address Participation.’
The study is in its third year and the current phase involves gathering the patient voice and experience to get a real understanding of living with inflammatory arthritis.
In support of the study, the Kildare Branch of Arthritis Ireland has supported the patient voice piece of the research phase with a bursary of €1,000.
Speaking at the presentation of the bursary at Naas General Hospital,Yvonne Codd said, “In Rheumatology Occupational Therapy we are very interested in understanding the impact of symptoms on peoples’ life roles. Occupational therapists are concerned with maximising our service users’ engagement in, and satisfaction with, self-care, work, social and leisure participation.It is hoped that findings from this study will provide evidence to inform and improve current service delivery to address participation so people can learn to live with their condition insofar as is possible.”
Results from phase one of the study have been presented as oral and poster presentations at conferences nationally and internationally and published in Musculoskeletal Care Journal (2018). Phase one explored current practice in addressing work participation with inflammatory arthritis in the Irish clinical setting. It found that a loss of work frequently occurred early in the disease and recommended awareness of work issues and early intervention to support job retention with this population. Findings identified extensive variation in how work issues were addressed nationally in the clinical setting and highlighted the importance of addressing work issues early post-diagnosis signposting appropriately to services to meet these needs and support work retention.
Alice Kinsella, Hospital Manager, Naas General Hospital said, “In line with our commitments to academic excellence and in recognition of our strong academic partnership with Trinity College Dublin, Naas General Hospital welcomes and supports academic research which provides evidence for addressing and improving the healthcare and outcomes for our patient population. We are very pleased with the level of academic altruism that is demonstrated throughout Naas General Hospital. Yvonne, like many of her colleagues, is undertaking key evidence based studies which will inform and improve how care is delivered to our patients and this is to be commended.”
