Post-Doctoral Research Fellow
Location: Stirling Scotland
Description: University of Stirling is looking of Post-Doctoral Research Fellow right now, this job will be placed in Scotland. For complete informations about this job opportunity kindly see the descriptions. Full time, Fixed Term Contract Grade 7 £30,424 - 36,298 Closing date is midnight on Thursday 26 September 2013 Interviews will take place on Wednesday 16 October 2013 The University of Stirling! is seeking to appoint a post-doctoral researcher/econometrician within the Centre for Public Health and Population Health Research (CPHPH) in the School of nursing, Midwifery and Health (SNMH). The post-doctoral researcher will work with, and be responsible to Professor Sally Haw (SNMH) and Professor David Bell (Stirling Management School) on a CSO funded grant entitled "Evaluation of the impact of tobacco control mass media campaigns on quitting behaviour, smoking prevalence and smoking-related health outcomes". The post is on a fixed term, full-time basis for two years. The post is based on the Stirling campus and will involve some limited travel - mainly to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The project is run in collaboration with Dr Danny Mackay (Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow) and Dr Tessa Langley (Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham). The position would suit an outstanding early career academic, with the expect! ation being that they would develop a strong track record of h! igh level publications on the topic of the grant to be published during the two year period. Applicants with relevant backgrounds such as public health, social science, health economics and statistics are invited to apply. An interest in public health, including tobacco control is an advantage.
Candidates are invited to informally contact Professor Sally Haw with any queries at s.j.haw@stir.ac.uk Summary of the Grant Reducing smoking uptake and increasing rates of smoking cessation is crucial to reducing morbidity and premature death in Scotland. Over the last decade tobacco control mass media campaigns have been one of the central pillars of tobacco control strategy in Scotland. However, there have been few robust studies of their impact on smoking behaviour and smoking-related health outcomes. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tobacco control mass media campaigns.
First, we will characterise all Scottish national tobac! co control mass media campaigns (and tobacco control mass media campaigns reaching Scottish populations through UK terrestrial or satellite TV and radio) in terms of campaign characteristics (primary audience target, campaign aims, content and style), delivery medium, duration and campaign intensity (population reach X frequency of show). Then, we will determine the impact of different campaigns and campaign types on quit attempts, uptake of smoking cessation support, smoking prevalence and smoking related health outcomes both in the adult general population and sub-groups in the population (age group and socioeconomic status) and assess their cost-effectiveness. Finally, we will combine data collected by this and an on-going MRC-funded study of the effectiveness of English tobacco control mass media campaigns, thus increasing power to detect changes in health outcomes in population sub-groups. The research questions we seek to answer are: 1.
How effective are mass! media campaigns in increasing quit attempts and reducing smoking preva! lence in the Scottish adult general population and in sub-groups of the population? 2. What are the characteristics of more effective campaigns? 3.
Are targeted campaigns more effective than general population campaigns? 4. Is there any relationship between mass media campaigns and smoking-related health outcomes such as hospital admissions for asthma and heart attack, and peri-natal outcomes? 5.
How cost effective are different types of mass media campaigns? 6. How does the Scottish Government's new strategy of mixed methods tobacco control campaigning compare with their previous strategy of large television campaigns in terms of effectiveness? 7.
How do the results of this Scottish study compare to those from England and does a comparison tell us anything about the effectiveness of different characteristics and weights of tobacco control advertising in the two countries? The study will use a combination of time series analysis and panel study an! alysis, in order to quantify the effect of exposure to campaigns whilst controlling as adequately as possible for background secular trends in smoking behaviour. Time series analysis will be used to statistically model the population-level change in smoking behaviours and health outcomes from these data sources in relation to the introduction of specific campaigns. It will also consider the month-to-month change in their advertising reach and spend including the sharp cut in spend in 2006-2010, allowing for underlying trends, seasonal effects, and the impacts of other specific tobacco control policies including the 2006 introduction of smoke-free legislation.
We will compare the strength of effect of these associations for outcome data in different population groups, as available for each dataset. The University Stirling was the first new university to be established in Scotland for nearly 400 years, created by Royal Charter in 1967. Since its foundation, the Unive! rsity has embraced its role as an innovative, intellectual and cultural! institution with an established reputation for blending arts and science. Stirling is a University of distinction, home to leading researchers and scholars attracted by the unique learning environment, exceptional facilities and student-centred approach, where ability, not background, is recognised and valued.
The essence of the University of Stirling is its people: graduates, staff and students are helping to shape the world by making a direct and positive contribution to the development of prosperous, healthy and sustainable communities around the globe. The University population has grown from 164 undergraduate students and 31 postgraduates in 1967 to 8,800 undergraduates and 3,500 postgraduates in 2012. With over 100 nationalities represented at Stirling, around one in five students come from overseas. A truly Scottish university, Stirling's reach extends to campuses in the Highland capital of Inverness and to Stornoway, gateway to the Western Isles.
Stirling's main campus is located at the historic heart of Scotland, with convenient links to the rest of the UK and beyond. The University is within easy reach of Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh, and its largest city, Glasgow. Scotland's two main international airports are less than an hour away, with direct flights to Europe and beyond. About Us The Centre for Public Health and Population Health (CPHPH) is based in the School of Nursing Midwifery & Health.
Research in the School is organised around three cross cutting research work streams: i) Intervention Development and Evaluation; ii) Improving the health and well-being of patients; and iii) equitably improving the health of the general population. We attract research income of around £1.2m per annum from a range of funders from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Linked to our research groupings is an extensive portfolio of research training, from our MRes programme to clinical doctorate and! full and part time PhD programmes. Research in the Centre focuses on a! number of areas including: evaluation of complex interventions; epidemiological research into diabetes; physical activity, diet and health; substance use and addictions; and occupational and environmental health.
that explore aspects of public and population health in a range of contexts - local, national, international - and uses a range of methods often mixed. The Centre staff have expertise in quantitative and qualitative methods, action research, systematic reviews, epidemiology and demography. Our research aims to contribute to clinical practice and the development of public health policy with a focus, in a number of programmes, on user and community engagement. A common theme that runs through much of the past and current work of staff is a desire to engage with social inequalities and their impact using research, knowledge exchange and action research in our respective areas.
There is also a strong Centre interest in research linked to social justi! ce and environmental justice themes. Description of Duties The successful candidate will work with, and be responsible to Professor Sally Haw (School of Nursing Midwifery and Health) and Professor David Bell (Stirling Management School) and work closely with Dr Danny Mackay (Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow) and Dr Tessa Langley (Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Nottingham) on a CSO funded grant entitled "Evaluation of the impact of tobacco control mass media campaigns on quitting behaviour, smoking prevalence and smoking-related health outcomes" Duties will include: Taking the lead on the collection of required data, data analysis to answer the research questions outlined above and writing up the ensuing results. Contributing to the intellectual life of the Centre for Public and Population Health. Some limited travel will be involved - mainly to Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Essential Criteria Qualifications A doctorate in! a relevant research area with relevant post-graduate research experien! ce. Research Excellent research motivation and demonstrable potential to produce published research of a high standard. A record of peer-reviewed pipeline/publications, in an appropriate topic area, forming a REF profile appropriate to career stage. Skills, Attitude, & Behaviour Programming experience with SPSS, STATA or SAS.
Extensive experience with the organisation and use of datasets. Advanced multivariate statistical expertise in a quantitative health or social sciences discipline that includes some training in econometrics at PhD level. High level of technical competence in undertaking public health research, or research in a related discipline, and experience in reporting results to both
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This job starts available on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 05:21:21 GMT