Mini-project outline
Frances Griffiths and Nick Parsons, Warwick Medical School
Professor Jane Gunn, University of Melbourne.
Depression – predictors of patterns of illness over time
The objectives of this project will be to:
- Improve understanding of the patterns of depression over time
- Identify predictors of different patterns of illness over time
- To clarify the additional value of an analysis method from complexity science over
traditional methods of analysis used in health sciences
Depression is globally a common problem and its provenance is increasing. It is associated
with distress for the person living with depression and those close to them. It is costly in
terms of health care provision and in time away from employment. Depression is often a
recurring problem for the individual yet can vary in the pattern of depression over time. There
is evidence of some benefit from a number of therapies (counselling, medication etc.) but no
evidence of one best approach to therapy.
Professor Jane Gunn of the University of Melbourne is running a cohort study of people
living with depression (approx 700 people). The cohort includes annual follow up with an
extensive questionnaire and telephone interview. The cohort is now in its sixth year. The data
is entered on a data base and ready for analysis. Professor Gunn is visiting the University of
Warwick as Institute of Advanced Studies Fellow 28th April to 5th May 2011. Frances
Griffiths is a collaborator on the cohort study and has already undertaken analysis of the data
in collaboration with Professor Gunn and team.
This mini project would involve initially refining the research questions to be asked
conjunction with Professor Gunn, becoming familiar with the cohort database (or part of),
learning to handle the database and undertaking straightforward statistics to improve
familiarity with the data base. The project would then involve choosing a data mining analysis
method appropriate to the research question, data available and one of interest to the student
and using the analysis method with this data base.
Deliverables:
- Project report and poster
- New ideas for analysis of the cohort data base which could potentially become a PhD
project
- Networking experience with international researcher
- Possible application for student travel funds to visit the Melbourne based research team
- There might be the possibility of a research paper, in conjunction with other research
team members. For example, current mixed methods analysis led by Frances Griffiths
examines the notion of resilience. The analysis for this mini-project might link in with
this to contribute to a paper for publication.
End users will ultimately be health care providers and policy makers, including public health.
Potential avenues for PhD research include developing a prognostic model to identify those at
risk of persistent and disabling depression; identifying factors that reinforce resilience or not;
modelling the impact of multiple therapies on patters of depression.