Dr Robert Meadows
Lecturer in Sociology
Qualifications: LLB (Keele) MA (Sheffield) PhD (Surrey) FHEA
Email: r.meadows@surrey.ac.uk
Phone: Work: 01483 68 6984
Room no: 08 AD 03
Further information
Biography
Rob joined the University of Surrey in 1999 to work at the Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Medical Research Centre (HPRU/MRC), having previously gained degrees in Law, Sociology and Social Anthropology (LLB: Keele) and Socio-Legal studies (MA: Sheffield). From 1999 to 2003 he held numerous research positions within the HPRU/MRC, (including Programmer/Analyst, Acting Head of Data Management) worked as part of a small Home Office funded team, and spent time visiting two Japanese Universities.
In October 2003, Rob joined the sociology department as Research Fellow and co-investigator on an ESRC funded project, before becoming (2006-2008) a senior researcher and part of the core management team on a large-scale, cross-council, project. During this period Rob was also a part-time PhD student (2002-2008), Associate Lecturer/tutor (2002-2007) and a part-time (20%) lecturer (2007-2008) in the sociology department. He took up his present position in August 2008.
Research Interests
Rob's general interests focus on social relationships and the 'negotiation' of mental and physical health/illness. He has published widely on couples' sleep, older men's health and marital status, and the (embodied) methodological issues involved in researching these areas.
1) Funding Received
2012 - 2013 Curriculum Innovation: Integrating Quantitative Methods and Substantive Teaching for HE Level One Sociology Students ESRC Karen Bullock (PI), Meadows, Prince Cooke, Brunton-Smith and Earthy
2003-2006 Negotiating Sleep: Gender, Age and Social Relationships ESRC (K215). Sara Arber (PI), Jenny Hislop (CI) and Rob Meadows (CI)
2) Collaborator on Grants
2011 MRC Grant on Habits, activity and ageing (led by UCL)
3) Advisory Group Membership
2011 ESRC funded wakefulness project (led by Profs Jon Gabe and Simon Williams)
2010 Healthtalkonline.org Module on Sleep in later life
Publications
Journal articles
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(2013) 'Gender differences in approaches to self-management of poor sleep in later life'. Elsevier Social Science and Medicine, 79 (1), pp. 117-123.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/761431/
Abstract
In this paper we seek to understand the influence of gender on the different approaches to managing poor sleep by older men and women through the conceptual framework of existing theoretical debates on medicalization, healthicization and 'personalization'. In-depth interviews undertaken between January and July 2008 with 62 people aged 65-95 who were experiencing poor sleep, revealed that the majority of older men and women resisted the medicalization of poor sleep, as they perceived sleep problems in later life were an inevitable consequence of ageing. However, older men and women engaged differently with the healthicization of poor sleep, with women far more likely than men to explore a range of alternative sleep remedies, such as herbal supplements, and were also much more likely than men to engage in behavioural practices to promote good sleep, and to avoid practices which prevented sleep. Women situated 'sleep' alongside more abstract discussions of 'diet' and health behaviours and drew on the discourses of the media, friends, family and their own experiences to create 'personalized' strategies, drawn from a paradigm of healthicization. Men, however, solely relied on the 'body' to indicate when sleep was needed and gauged their sleep needs largely by how they felt, and were able to function the following day. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
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(2012) 'Understanding sleep among couples: gender and the social patterning of sleep maintenance among younger and older couples'. The Society for Longitudinal and Lifecourse Studies (SLLS). Longitudinal and lifecourse Studies, 3 (1), pp. 66-79.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217904/
Abstract
Sleep, which is vital for health and wellbeing, is influenced by a complex array of (neuro)biological and social factors. Previous research has suggested that these factors vary across the life course, as well as being affected by transitions, such as parenthood, care-giving and widowhood. This research has also suggested that many of these transitions have a greater affect on women’s sleep. Yet much of this research has focused on women and one-sided reports of partner behaviours. This paper draws on data from Wave 1 of the Understanding Society Survey to examine gender differences in sleep maintenance within younger and older heterosexual couples. Data were collected in 2009 from a representative sample of households in Britain with a response rate of 59%. Sleep maintenance, namely waking on 3 or more nights per week, was included in a self-completion module. A series of logistic regression models are run using sleep maintenance as a dependent variable; i) a two level model for couples where the male is aged 50 or less (n=2452 couples); ii) a two level model for older couples where the male is aged above 50 (n=1972 couples); iii) bivariate models which allow for odds to be calculated separately for male and female partners. Results from the couple level models illustrate how both younger and older women have increased odds of difficulties with sleep maintenance (as compared to their male partners). Poor sleep maintenance is also associated with poor health, own unemployment, dissatisfaction with income, having had a previous cohabiting relationship and having younger children for both men and women. Reports by the husband of frequency of coughing/snoring at night is significantly associated with their wives’ sleep maintenance among younger couples and vice versa; but among older couples there is only a significant association of husband’s snoring on wife’s sleep. Whilst the current analysis is cross-sectional, further understanding of the dynamic relationships of sleep will be revealed through longitudinal analysis as Understanding Society moves through future waves.
- . (2011) 'Unen sosiologia: hoiva, sukupuoli ja uniongelmat / Sociology of Sleep: Caregiving, Gender and Sleep Problems'. 48 Edition. Society for Social Medicine in Finland Finnish Journal of Social Medicine, 2, pp. 100-113.
- . (2010) 'SOCIO-ECONOMIC PATTERNING OF SLEEP PROBLEMS IN MIDLIFE AND LATER LIFE: THE CONTRIBUTION OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH-RELATED CHARACTERISTICS'. OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC GERONTOLOGIST, 50, pp. 406-406.
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(2010) 'An actigraphic study comparing community dwelling poor sleepers with non-demented care home residents'. Informa UK Ltd. Chronobiology International, 27 (4), pp. 842-854.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217905/
Abstract
Sleep disturbances are a common problem among institutionalised older people. Studies have shown that this population experiences prolonged sleep latency, increased fragmentation and wake after sleep onset, more disturbed circadian rhythms and night-day reversal. However, studies have not examined the extent to which this is because of individual factors known to influence sleep (such as age) or because of the institutional environment. This paper compares actigraphic data collected for 14 days from 122 non demented institutional care residents (across 10 care facilities) with 52 community dwelling poor sleepers aged over 65. Four dependent variables are analysed: i) the ‘interdaily stability’ (IS); ii) the ‘intradaily variability’ (IV); iii) the relative amplitude (RA) of the activity rhythm; and iv) the mean level of activity during the 24 hour day. Data are analysed using a fixed effects, single level, model (using MLwiN). This model enables comparisons between community and institutional care groups to be made whilst conditioning out possible ‘individual’ effects of ‘age’, ‘gender’, ‘level of dependency’, ‘level of incontinence care’, and ‘number of regular daily/prescribed medications’. After controlling for the effects of a range of individual level factors, and after controlling for unequal variance across groups (heteroscedascity), there is little difference between community dwelling older adults and institutional care residents in IS score; suggesting that the stability of day to day patterns (such as bed times, get up times, lunch times etc) is similar within these two resident groups. However, institutional care residents do experience more fragmented rest/wake patterns (having significantly higher IV scores and significantly lower mean activity values). Our findings strongly suggest that the institutional care environment itself has a negative association with older people’s rest/wake patterns; although longitudinal studies are required to fully understand any causal relationships.
- . (2009) 'REST-ACTIVITY FRAGMENTATION IN OLDER PEOPLE LIVING IN CARE HOMES'. GERONTOLOGICAL SOC AMER GERONTOLOGIST, 49, pp. 206-207.
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(2009) 'Exploring the Interdependence of Couples' Rest-Wake Cycles: An Actigraphic Study'. Informa Healthcare UK Ltd Chronobiology International, 26 (1), pp. 80-92.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217906/
Abstract
Within western societies it is commonplace for couples to share a bed. Yet there has been remarkably little research carried out on couples’ sleep. This paper draws upon actigraphy, audio diary and questionnaire data from both partners in 36 heterosexual couples (age 20-59) and aims to quantify the extent to which it is important to take the dyadic nature of sleep-wake cycles into account. It achieves this through two interrelated aims: (i) to use Hierarchical Linear Models to measure dyadic interdependence in actigraphically recorded variables; and (ii) to investigate how much of this dyadic interdependence truly results from couple dynamics. The variables with the most significant couple interdependency were ‘Actual bed time’, ‘Sleep latency’, ‘Light/Dark ratio’ and ‘Wake bouts’. The paper concludes by suggesting that interdependence may be the defining feature of couples’ sleep and that we need to employ analytic approaches which both acknowledge this and which are sensitive to the possibilities that not all aspects of sleep will behave in the same way.
- . (2009) 'Understanding how socio-economic status, gender and marital status influence self-reported sleep problems in Britain'. Social Science and Medicine, 68, pp. 281-289.
- . (2008) 'Engaging with sleep: male definitions, understandings and attitudes'. Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Sociology of Health and Illness: a journal of medical sociology, 30 (5), pp. 696-710.
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(2008) 'Unruly bodies and couples' sleep'. Sage Publications Body and Society, 14 (4), pp. 75-91.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/217908/
Abstract
Everyday social order is said to be based on appropriate bodily conduct. The emphasis on day raises at least two questions for the sociological study of sleep: the first concerns the existence of a ‘sleep habitus’ and whether sleeping bodies can ever be ‘unruly’. The second involves the possibilities for breaching or mediating any such ‘sleep habitus’. What we suggest here is that any ‘sleep habitus’ does appear to be limited. If a sleeper is considered to be ‘unconscious’, in a private space, and in an intimate relationship with his or her audience, bodies appear free to do anything without invoking the need for embarrassment. However, at the same time, couples do suggest that sleeping bodies can feel embarrassed, and thus can experience failed ‘impression management’. Gender and length of relationship appear important factors here. For example, as a relationship becomes ‘routinized’ couples learn to ‘fit together’, and to ‘mutually adapt’. Although, this fitting together negates the requirement for ‘private’ embarrassment, it may actually increase the likelihood that the private is ‘leaked’ into the public domain and thus, augment the possibilities for ‘reputational’ embarrassment.
- . (2008) 'The fourth shift: exploring the gendered nature of sleep disruption among couples with children'. BLACKWELL PUBLISHING BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY, 59 (1), pp. 79-98.
- . (2008) 'Older men's sleep: function and 'narratives of decline''. Generations, 32 (1), pp. 28-31.
- . (2008) 'The rights and duties of the sleeper'. Virtual Mentor (American Medical Association Journal of Ethics), (10), pp. 585-588.
- . (2006) 'Investigation into the suitability of a portable psychometric device to be used in the field: an illicit drugs field investigation'. Journal of clinical forensic medicine, 13 (5), pp. 242-246.
- . (2005) 'Suppression of the histamine-induced wheal and flare response by fexofenadine HCI 60mg twice daily, loratadine 10mg once daily and placebo on healthy Japanese volunteers'. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 21 (9), pp. 1495-1503.
- . (2005) 'Development of a portable psychometric testing device for use in the field: an alcohol investigation'. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 101 (2), pp. 383-392.
- . (2005) 'Investigating couples’ sleep: An evaluation of actigraphic analysis techniques'. Journal of Sleep Research, 14 (4), pp. 377-386.
- . (2005) 'The negotiated night: An embodied conceptual framework for the sociological study of sleep'. The Sociological Review, 53 (2), pp. 240-254.
- . (2005) 'Completely unattended home sleep recordings'. Sleep, 28 (4), pp. 526-526.
- . (2004) 'Impairment of driving ability: The assessment of the pharmacodynamics of psychoactive compounds'. Neuropsychiatrie, 18 (3-4), pp. 86-99.
- . (2003) 'A placebo controlled investigation into the effects of paroxetine and mirtazapine on measures relating to car driving performance'. Human psychopharmacology: Clinical & Experimental, 18 (4), pp. 261-269.
- . (2003) 'A single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over investigation of the effects of fexofenadine hydrochloride 180mg alone and with alcohol, with hydroxyzine hydrochloride 50mg as positive internal control, on aspects of cognitive and psychomotor function related to driving a car'. Clinical Therapeutics, 25 (5), pp. 1518-1538.
- . (2001) 'The acute and sub-chronic effects of levocetirizine, cetirizine, loratedine, promethazine and placebo on cognitive function, psychomotor performance and weal and flare.'. Current medical research and opinion, 17 (4), pp. 241-255.
Book chapters
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(2012) 'Sleep and Society'. in Morin CM, Espie CA (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Sleep and Sleep Disorders
New York : Oxford University Press Article number 11 , pp. 223-247.Full text is available at: http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/721936/
Abstract
This chapter demonstrates how sleep is inextricably linked to ‘society’. Part 1 illustrates how sleep and its disorders are historically and culturally divergent and that ‘where’, ‘why’ and ‘how’ we sleep differ depending on the society in which we live. Part 2 focuses in more detail on the ‘private’ nature of Western sleep. Sleep is affected by the social context where it occurs, and is thus influenced by household composition, power, gender, social roles and life course position. Finally, we examine sleep in care-giving and institutional contexts, where sleep is not only ‘observed’, but may be disturbed by those undertaking care or surveillance at night. Sleep is also socially patterned with the socially disadvantaged most likely to report sleep problems.
- . (2012) 'Denying death's counterfeit’: the sociological aspects of sleep'. in Green A (ed.) Sleep: multi-professional approaches Jessica Kingsley
- . (2011) 'Social and health patterning of sleep quality and duration'. in McFall S, Garrington N (eds.) Understanding Society: Early findings from the first wave of the UK’s Household Survey Essex : Institute for Social Research.
- . (2010) 'The sociology of sleep'. in Cappuccio F, Miller FM, Lockley S (eds.) Sleep epidemiology and public health Oxford : Oxford University Press
- . (2010) 'Older men’s health: the role of marital status and masculinities'. in Gough B, Robertson S (eds.) Men, masculinities and health: critical perspectives London : Palgrave
- . (2009) 'Constructing identities: postmodernism pragmatism and a Third Way?'. in Powell JL, Gilbert T (eds.) Aging identity: A dialogue with postmodernism New York : Nova
- . (2007) 'Epistemology'. in Flood M, Gardiner K, Pease B, Pringle K (eds.) Routledge International Encyclopaedia of men and masculinities London : Routledge
- . (2007) 'Risk'. in Flood M, Gardiner K, Pease B, Pringle K (eds.) Routledge international encyclopaedia of men and masculinities London : Routledge
- . (2006) 'Maintaining manliness in later life: Hegemonic masculinities and emphasized femininities'. in Calasanti T, Slevin K (eds.) Age matters: Realigning feminist thinking London : Routledge
Internet publications
- . (2007) Gender roles and women’s sleep in mid and later life: A quantitative approach. Sociological Research Online
- . (2005) Narratives of the night: The use of audio diaries in researching sleep. Sociological Research Online
Teaching
2012-2013
Level 1 Introduction to Classical Sociological Theory
Level 1 20th Century Sociological Theory
Level 1 Study Skills
Level 2 Researching Bodies
Level 3 Sociology of Mental health
MSc Principles of Survey Design.
PhD Supervision
Theresa Ellmers - A qualitative study of sleep and the night-time in care homes for older people (awarded)
Jessica Underhill (PT) - Sleep, cerebral palsy
Alex Cuncev (PT) - homelessness
Lorraine Allibone (PT) - dreams
Richard Green - prostate cancer
Bryony Chater - consent
Departmental Duties
2012-2013
International Liaison Officer
Previous Positions
Member of the Faculty Ethics Committee
Undergraduate Examinations Officer
Professional Activities
Referee
Journal of Sleep Research, Biological Research for Nursing, Sleep Medicine Reviews, Social Science and Medicine, Social History of Medicine, Sociological Research Online, International Journal of Men's Health, BMC Public Health and the Royal Statistical Society; Series A. Adhoc grant reviewer for the Royal Society of Engineering. Book proposal reviews for Palgrave, Sage and Cambridge; ESRC grant proposal reviews and Rapporteur
External Examiner
2011 - BSc Sociology, Kingston University
2010 - MSc Life course studies, Kingston University
PhD Examination
2011 chair and examiner – PhD viva (Surrey)
2011 external reviewer – PhD upgrade (University College London)
International Visits
2001 Sendai University/Nagoya University Japan
Professional Affiliations and Activities
Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society;
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy;
British Science Association (Recorder, sociology & social policy section since 2009; involves organising sessions for the festival each year)
British Sleep Society (Elected member of the Executive Committee 2003-2006; 2008-2011;Elected member of the Scientific Committee 2004-2006; Newsletter Editor 2008-2011; Co-organiser of several annual conferences and individual sessions)
British Sociological Association (Involved in the organisation of Sleep and Society: Critical Themes, Future Agendas (ESRC funded joint program of 6 seminars organised by sleep sociologists at the University of Surrey and the University of Warwick - Simon Williams PI; Sara Arber CI) (2005-2006))
Invited and other presentations
Invited talks
5 invited talks since 2008; Cambridge, Chester, Turkey and Japan.
First authored Seminar/Conference Papers
5 first authored conference papers since 2008; Medical Sociology, British Sleep Society, Gerontological Society of America
