Long-term Conditions and Ageing Research Cluster

Our vision is to ensure provision of high quality, values-based health and social care research across the life-span.

Research interests

Effective management of people with long-term conditions is a priority within health care and an ageing population. Our research activities are designed to develop and strengthen local, national and international collaborations enabling the delivery of high quality, values-based health and social care practice across the lifespan.

Our research focuses upon dementia care, frailty and multi-morbidity in older people, non-medical prescribing, self-management of long-term conditions, workforce preparation and models of care.

The mission of the Long-term Conditions and Ageing Cluster is to ensure provision of values-based care for service users by advancing knowledge in health and social care across the lifespan.

Research areas

Our research falls into five main areas:

Dementia care
Frailty and multi-morbidity in older people
Non-medical prescribing
Self-management of long-term conditions
Workforce preparation and models of care
Palliative and end of life care.

Research methodologies

Realist synthesis and evaluation
Randomised controlled trials
Intervention studies
Participatory research
Ethnography
Grounded theory
Phenomenology
Systematic review
Delphi technique
Mixed methods
Longitudinal and cohort studies.

Areas of interest for doctoral study

We welcome approaches from people wishing to undertake postgraduate research with us. We particularly welcome enquiries in the following areas:

Frailty and care homes- admissions avoidance, recognising deteriorating patients, quality of life, transitions into end of life, and end of life care
Implementation and evaluation of non-medical prescribing, medicines optimisation
Workforce development: extended roles, advanced clinical practice
Self-management of long-term conditions
Learning disabilities
Quality improvement.

Please contact Freda Mold (freda.mold@surrey.ac.uk) and Jenny Harris (jen.harris@surrey.ac.uk), our postgraduate research directors, if you are considering postgraduate research.

Our studies

Recent publications

Aunger, J., and Wagnild, J. (2022). Objective and subjective measurement of sedentary behavior in human adults: a toolkit. American journal of human biology, 34(1), e23546.

Beetham, B., Fasola, C., and Howard, F. (2022). Preferred Place of Death Discussions: Are They Informing and Empowering Patients and their Family Caregivers?. OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying, 00302228221115587.

Downs, S., Carey, N., and Mold, F. (2022). Barriers and facilitators to out-of-hospital pain management for children. Journal of Paramedic Practice, 14(4), 1-11.

Oozageer Gunowa, N. (2022). Skin tone bias and wound care: highlighting the current evidence and addressing the gaps in knowledge of dark skin tones. Wounds UK, 18(1).

Jensen, B. W., Watson, C., Geifman, N., Baker, J. L., Badrick, E., and Renehan, A. G. (2022). Weight Changes in Type 2 Diabetes and Cancer Risk: A Latent Class Trajectory Model Study. Obesity facts, 15(2), 150-159.

Johnson, L. C., Haregu, T., Sathish, T., De Man, J., Desloge, A., Absetz, P., and Oldenburg, B. (2022). Effects of a lifestyle intervention on depression and anxiety among adults at risk for diabetes in India: A secondary analysis of the Kerala Diabetes Prevention Program. Preventive Medicine, 162, 107172.

Nicholson, C. J., Combes, S., Mold, F., King, H., and Green, R. (2022). Addressing inequity in palliative care provision for older people living with multimorbidity. Perspectives of community-dwelling older people on their palliative care needs: A scoping review. Palliative medicine, 2692163221118230.

Salie, M.T., Yang, J., Ramírez Medina, C.R., Zühlke, L.J., Chishala, C., Ntsekhe, M., Gitura, B., Ogendo, S., Okello, E., Lwabi, P. and Musuku, J., 2022. Data-independent acquisition mass spectrometry in severe rheumatic heart disease (RHD) identifies a proteomic signature showing ongoing inflammation and effectively classifying RHD cases. Clinical proteomics, 19(1), pp.1-12.

Schneider, S., Junghaenel, D. U., Meijer, E., Zelinski, E. M., Jin, H., Lee, P. J., and Stone, A. A. (2022). Quality of survey responses at older ages predicts cognitive decline and mortality risk. Innovation in Aging, 6(3), igac027.

Smith, G., Harcourt, S., Hoang, U., Lemanska, A., Elliott, A.J., Morbey, R.A., Hughes, H., Lake, I., Edeghere, O., Oliver, I. and Sherlock, J., 2022. Observational study of mental health presentations across healthcare setting during the first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Shore, C. B., Maben, J., Mold, F., Winkley, K., Cook, A., and Stenner, K. (2022). Delegation of medication administration from registered nurses to non-registered support workers in community care settings: a systematic review with critical interpretive synthesis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 126, 104121.

Taylor, C., Mattick, K., Carrieri, D., Cox, A., and Maben, J. (2022). ‘The WOW factors’: comparing workforce organization and well-being for doctors, nurses, midwives and paramedics in England. British medical bulletin, 141(1), 60-79.

Whitaker, K. L., Krystallidou, D., Williams, E. D., Black, G., Vindrola-Padros, C., Braun, S., and Gill, P. (2022). Addressing language as a barrier to healthcare access and quality. British Journal of General Practice, 72(714), 4-5.

Williams, E., Onih, J., Cox, A., Dockrill, K. and Maben, J. (2022) Nursing education needs to acknowledge the impact of race and racism. Nursing Times. https://www.nursingtimes.net/opinion/nursing-education-needs-to-acknowl…

Practical General Practice Nursing (2021) Dr Marion Welsh and Susan Brooks Paperback ISBN 9780702080289. Published by Elsevier. ebook available

Combes, S., Forbes, G., Gillett, K., Norton, C., and Nicholson, C. J. (2021). Development of a theory-based intervention to increase cognitively able frail elders’ engagement with advance care planning using the behaviour change wheel. BMC health services research, 21(1), 1-16. doi.10.1186 s12913-021-06548-4

Combes, S., Gillett, K., Norton, C., and Nicholson, C. J. (2021). The importance of living well now and relationships: a qualitative study of the barriers and enablers to engaging frail elders with advance care planning. Palliative medicine, 35(6), 1137-1147.

Carey, N., Stenner, K., Coleman, M., Edwards, J.A., Van Even, S. (2021) Optometrist therapeutic prescribing: A rapid review of the literature. Guildford: University of Surrey. Available at: https://optical.org/en/news/news-and-press-releases/goc-shares-findings…

Cox A, Parsons T, Watkin, S, Gallagher A. (2021) Supporting the delivery of good maternity care for parents with learning disabilities. Midwifery. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103073

De Man, J., Absetz, P., Sathish, T., Desloge, A., Haregu, T., Oldenburg, B., Johnson, L.C., Thankappan, K.R. and Williams, E.D., (2021) Are the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 suitable for use in India? A psychometric analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 12, p.676398.

Gallagher, A., Peacock, M., Williams, E., Zasada, M. and Cox, A., (2021) Findings from a mixed‐methods pragmatic cluster trial evaluating the impact of ethics education interventions on residential care‐givers. Nursing inquiry, 28(2), p.e12383.

Oozageer Gunowa, N., Hutchinson, M., Brooke, J., Aveyard, H., and Jackson, D. (2021). Pressure injuries and skin tone diversity in undergraduate nurse education: Qualitative perspectives from a mixed methods study. Journal of advanced nursing, 77(11), 4511-4524.

Oozageer Gunowa, N., Hutchinson, M., Brooke, J., Aveyard, H., and Jackson, D. (2022). Evidencing diversity: development of a structured tool for investigating teaching of pressure injury on people with darker skin tones. Nurse researcher, 30(2).

Lemanska, A., Hoang, U., Jeffreys, N., Bankhead, C., Bhui, K., Ferreira, F., Harcourt, S., James, A., Liyanage, H., Nicholson, B.D. and Sherlock, J., (2021) Study into COVID-19 crisis using primary care mental health consultations and prescriptions data. Studies in health technology and informatics, 281.

McMillan, B., Davidge, G., Brown, L., Lyons, M., Atherton, H., Goulding, R., Mold, F., Morris, R.L. and Sanders, C., (2021) A qualitative exploration of patients’ experiences, needs and expectations regarding online access to their primary care record. BMJ open, 11(3), p.e044221.

Mold, F., Cooke, D., Ip, A., Roy, P., Denton, S. and Armes, J., (2021) COVID-19 and beyond: virtual consultations in primary care—reflecting on the evidence base for implementation and ensuring reach: commentary article. BMJ Health & Care Informatics, 28(1).

Shoop-Worrall, S.J., Cresswell, K., Bolger, I., Dillon, B., Hyrich, K.L. and Geifman, N., (2021) Nothing about us without us: involving patient collaborators for machine learning applications in rheumatology. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, 80(12), pp.1505-1510.

Zasada, M., Yates, M., Ayers, N., Ide, Z., Norton, S., Galloway, J. and Taylor, C., (2021) Exploring the macro-level, meso-level and micro-level barriers and facilitators to the provision of good quality early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) care in England and Wales. RMD open, 7(3), p.e001616.

Aunger, J., Greaves, C., Davis, E., Asamane, E., Whittaker, A. and Greig, C., (2020) "A novel behavioural INTErvention to REduce Sitting Time in older adults undergoing orthopaedic surgery (INTEREST): results of a randomised-controlled feasibility study." Aging clinical and experimental research 32, no. 12: 2565-2585.

Baptista, S., Wadley, G., Bird, D., Oldenburg, B., Speight, J. and My Diabetes Coach Research Group, (2020) Acceptability of an embodied conversational agent for type 2 diabetes self-management education and support via a smartphone app: mixed methods study. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 8(7), p.e17038.

Carey, N., Edwards, J., Otter, S., Gage, H., Williams, P., Courtenay, M., Moore, A. and Stenner, K., (2020) A comparative case study of prescribing and non-prescribing physiotherapists and podiatrists. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), pp.1-20.

Carey, N., Alkhamees, N., Cox, A., Sund-Levander, M., Tingström, P. and Mold, F., (2020). Exploring views and experiences of how infections are detected and managed in practice by nurses, care workers and manager’s in nursing homes in England and Sweden: a survey protocol. BMJ open, 10(10), p.e038390.

Davidge, G., Sanders, C., Hays, R., Morris, R., Atherton, H., Mold, F. and McMillan, B., (2020) What do patients want? A qualitative exploration of patients’ needs and expectations regarding online access to their primary care record. British Journal of General Practice, 70(suppl 1).

Edwards, J., Coward, M. and Carey, N., 2020. Paramedic independent prescribing in primary care: seven steps to success. Journal of Prescribing Practice, 2(6), pp.292-299.

Gallagher, A., Peacock, M. and Cox, A., (2020) Exploring the experiences of domiciliary caregivers simulating the role of care recipients. Nursing standard, 35(7), pp.45-50.

Oozageer Gunowa, N., Brooke, J., Hutchinson, M. and Jackson, D., (2020) Embedding skin tone diversity into undergraduate nurse education: Through the lens of pressure injury. Journal of clinical nursing, 29(21-22), pp.4358-4367.

Querstret, D., O'Brien, K., Skene, D.J. and Maben, J., 2020. Improving fatigue risk management in healthcare: a scoping review of sleep-related/fatigue-management interventions for nurses and midwives (reprint). International journal of nursing studies, 112, p.103745.

Ream, E., Hughes, A.E., Cox, A., Skarparis, K., Richardson, A., Pedersen, V.H., Wiseman, T., Forbes, A. and Bryant, A., (2020) Telephone interventions for symptom management in adults with cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (6).

Banks, C.A., D. Wainwright, R. Gooberman-Hill. (2020). An ethnography exploring the limits of dedifferentiation in the lives of adults with learning disabilities. Special Issue in Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2020.1799161 (forthcoming December 2020).

Carey, N., Alkhamees, N., Cox, A., Sund-Levander, M., Tingström, P. & Mold, F. (in press) Exploring views and experiences of how infections are detected and managed in practice by nurses, care workers, and manager’s in nursing homes in England and Sweden: a survey protocol. BMJ Open.

Davidge G, Sanders C, Hays R, Morris R, Atherton H, Mold F, McMillan B. What do patients want? A qualitative exploration of patients’ needs and expectations regarding online access to their primary care record. British Journal of General Practice 2020; 70 (suppl 1): bjgp20X711245. DOI: 10.3399/bjgp20X711245

Gong, E. et al. (2020) My Diabetes Coach, a mobile application-based interactive conversational agent to support type 2 diabetes self-management: A randomized effectiveness-implementation trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research (in press)

Lemanska, A., Byford, R. C., Cruickshank, C., Dearnaley, D. P., Ferreira, F., Griffin, C., ... & Faithfull, S. (2020). Linkage of the CHHiP randomised controlled trial with primary care data: a study investigating ways of supplementing cancer trials and improving evidence-based practice. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 20(1), 1-12.

Banks, C.A. (2019). Professional distance versus human touch. Community Living. Available at: https://www.cl-initiatives.co.uk/professional-distance-versus-human-touch/.

Combes, S., Nicholson, C. J., Gillett, K., & Norton, C. (2019). Implementing advance care planning with community-dwelling frail elders requires a system-wide approach: An integrative review applying a behaviour change model. Palliative Medicine, 33(7), 743–756.

Gallagher, A. & Cox, A. (2019) The ethics of ‘frailty’. Nursing Ethics 26 (2):325-326.

Kidd, T., Mold, F., Jones, C. et al. What are the most effective interventions to improve physical performance in pre-frail and frail adults? A systematic review of randomised control trials. BMC Geriatr 19, 184 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1196-x.

Lemanska, A., Poole, K., Griffin, B. A., Manders, R., Saxton, J. M., Turner, L., ... & Faithfull, S. (2019). Community pharmacy lifestyle intervention to increase physical activity and improve cardiovascular health of men with prostate cancer: a phase II feasibility study. BMJ open, 9(6), e025114.

Mold F, Hendy J, Lai YL, de Lusignan S. Electronic Consultation in Primary Care Between Providers and Patients: Systematic Review. JMIR Med Inform. 2019 Dec 3;7(4):e13042. doi: 10.2196/13042.

Shore CB, Hubbard G, Gorely T, Polson R, Hunter A, Galloway SD. (2019). Insufficient reporting of factors associated with exercise referral scheme uptake, attendance, and adherence: a systematic review of reviews. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. 16:667–76. 10.1123/jpah.2018-0341.

Stanulewicz, N., Mansell, P., Cooke, D., Hopkins, D., Speight, J. and Blake, H. (2019) PAID-11: a brief measure of diabetes distress validated in adults with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 149, pp. 27-38.

Williams, E., Cox, A. & Cooper, R. (2019) Ethnic Differences in Functional Limitations by Age Across the Adult Life Course. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Vol 75, Issue 5, 914–921, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glz264.