Research Fellow

Alcohol is a contributory causal factor for over 200 health conditions, and the potential risks are greater for older adults due to the increased risk of falls, medication interactions and comorbid conditions. The evidence base for interventions to reduce alcohol use in older adults is limited and poorly defined. To date only three studies (all from the USA) have reported the development of interventions specifically for older adults. While these showed positive results in terms of reductions in alcohol consumption, the contexts were significantly different from that of a UK population accessing universal health services. The purpose of the job is to develop and deliver the quantitative aspects of the research project that builds on the pilot work undertaken with people over 65 years admitted to University Hospital Southampton (UHS) whose alcohol consumption was at increased risk levels (Older Adults, Loneliness and Alcohol -OLA study). Specially, this aspect of the project will: 1. Collaborate with the Southampton Emerging Therapies and Technologies (SETT) Centre, to triangulate the data emerging from the first OLA study with results of data on all patients admitted to UHS over the age of 65, with an AUDIT score of 8+/12 over that same time period to investigate:

• Length of stay, Readmission rates, ED presentations, mortality (where available)
• Nutritional status (based on Laboratory data for PO4, Mg, Thiamine)
• Main comorbidities based on routinely available data (e.g. gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health crises)
• Prescription of psychotropic drugs whilst an inpatient (specifically anti-depressants, benzodiazepines, opioids, and gabapentinoids)
• Prescriptions for medically assisted withdrawal (chlordiazepoxide, oxazepam) and Pabrinex
We anticipate that this strand of work will occur in parallel with the qualitative aspects (delivered separately) as part of developing a fully funded application for a programme grant to take the work forward. Our collaborators in Wessex and beyond will enable us both to contribute to the very small evidence base in this area but also to set up and test pathways that may be effective and sustainable. The successful candidate will have extensive quantitative research experience including working with complex large scale medical NHS datasets (e.g. HES) and national calibre longitudinal datasets relevant to mental health (e.g.CRIS); experience in data cleaning, data linkage, and analysis of such datasets using appropriate statistical methodologies; experience in writing data protocols for research studies requiring NHS approvals (i.e DARS, REC and HRA), submitting them for approvals, and successful completion and publication of resulting findings. Experience with programming and/or advanced specialist statistical software (e.g. R, Python, JMP Pro) would also be welcome. The work is part of NIHR ARC Wessex, which conducts applied health research with the aims of improving outcomes for patients and public; improving quality, delivery and efficiency of health and care services; increasing the sustainability of health and care systems locally and nationally, through collaborative partnership. NIHR ARC Wessex has an established Mental Health Research Hub, which aims to facilitate inter-disciplinary mental health research across the region. This is achieved through investing in infrastructure to enable leadership of this field of research across Wessex, support growth and development amongst early career applied health researchers, facilitate expansion in patient and public involvement and create better connections between the academic community, the NHS, social care and the third sector. This will help to ensure that the right research questions are asked and that findings can be rapidly translated into treatment and care. Excellent organisational and communication skills are also essential for the role, and the ability to travel to selected locations. The post is full time (1.0 FTE), funded by NIHR ARC Wessex, until 31/03/2026. Flexible working, part-time/ job share will be considered. Applications will be considered from candidates who are working towards or nearing completion of a relevant PhD qualification. The title of Research Fellow will be applied upon completion of PhD. Prior to the qualification being awarded the title of Senior Research Assistant will be given. The posts will be at the level of Research Fellow. Informal enquiries are very welcome. Please contact Professor Julia Sinclair ( ) or Professor Sam Chamberlain ( ), for further information.