Improving outcomes through self-regulation and self-management

Research overview

This project examines how patients manage their conditions day-to-day and identifies strategies to support these behaviours, reducing complications and enhancing quality of life.

A major strand of this work focuses on dialysis and kidney disease, investigating how patients regulate fluid intake and adhere to treatment plans. Studies led by ESNEFT clinician, Dr Richard Smith and academic expert, Professor Sheina Orbell and their colleagues include a published meta-analysis and on-going studies exploring barriers and facilitators to self-management. Complementing this, an adjunct project evaluates an education intervention programme for health professionals in primary care. This programme aims to promote awareness, understanding and confidence in managing early-stage kidney disease, ensuring patients receive timely and effective support.

Further research explores interoception, which is the ability to sense internal bodily signals, and its role in physical activity engagement among people with axial spondyloarthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis. This work seeks to understand how internal awareness influences behaviour and how interventions can encourage sustained activity to improve health outcomes.