The Psychological Burden of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria from Patient and Healthcare Professional Perspectives​

Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria (CSU) is a recurrent appearance of wheals (hives), with or without swelling, that occurs unpredictably for more than six weeks.  CSU is often described as an autoimmune condition with no identifiable trigger.  It is therefore difficult to treat and patients can find it hard to get a diagnosis.  CSU carries a high disease burden and has an impact on quality of life (QoL) and mental health, however it is a condition that has received little focus in the research literature.  A recent review (Donnelly et al., 2023) exploring the psychosocial factors of CSU found just 18 studies, only two of which were qualitative in design.  Psychosocial factors found to be related to CSU onset and aggravation included stress, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, OCD and personality characteristics.  Symptoms affected lifestyle, sleep, body image, quality of life, levels of depression and anxiety.  Qualitative studies reported on frustration with the healthcare service and lack of acknowledgement of the psychological impact of CSU. 

This PhD project will explore the psychosocial burden of CSU from the patient and healthcare professional perspective. Very little research has been carried out on this condition in the UK and nothing is known about the experiences of patients with the UK healthcare system.  Patients and healthcare professionals treating CSU will be interviewed to explore experiences.  A cross-sectional survey will be undertaken to characterise the impact of CSU on QoL in the UK.  Finally focus groups will be run to explore ways in which patient pathways can be improved. 

This PhD would suit someone with an UG degree in psychology and a post-graduate qualification in health psychology or similar.  Experience of research in this field would be desirable but not essential and training will be given. 

References 

Donnelly, J., Ridge, K., O’Donovan, R. et al. Psychosocial factors and chronic spontaneous urticaria: a systematic review. BMC Psychol 11, 239 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01284-2 

Candidates should have been awarded, or expect to achieve, EITHER:

a] a First or Upper Second Class award in their Undergraduate Degree (Bachelors or UG Masters) from a UK institution, in a subject judged by Aston to be relevant to the proposed research.

OR

b] a Merit (or above)* in a Postgraduate Masters degree in a relevant subject AND an Undergraduate Degree (Bachelors or UG Masters), both from UK institutions.

*where appropriate.

Qualifications from overseas institutions will be also considered but performance must be equivalent to that described above, and the University reserves the right to ascertain this equivalence according to its own criteria.

Financial Support

This project covers the Home tuition fees. Candidates who do not have Home status will be responsible for the difference in tuition fees. Currently, the difference between ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees is £17,712 for 2026/7.  

Overseas Applicants

Overseas applicants may apply for this studentship but will need to pay the difference between the ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees. Currently, the difference between ‘Home’ and the ‘Overseas’ tuition fees is £17,712 for 2026/7. As part of the application, you will be required to confirm that you will provide this additional funding. Please indicate this on the application form in the funding section.
 

Apply through our PhD application form.

When applying:

• For University College, please select Health and Life Sciences
• For Degree Programme, please select Research Health Sciences (including Optometry, Pharmacy, and Psychology Research Areas) and your preferred entry date.

Apply now

If you require further information about the application process please contact the Postgraduate Admissions team at pgr_admissions@aston.ac.uk

Supervisor:  ​ ​Professor Rebecca Knibb

Contact information

For formal enquiries about this project contact Professor Rebecca Knibb at r.knibb@aston.ac.uk

PhD programmes are for those who are seeking to develop greater in-depth knowledge in a specific area. Completing this level of study is about making an original contribution to knowledge, making new discoveries and developing lifelong skills. 

Studying a PhD is great route into academia and industries that are centred on research and innovation. Areas with a demand for very high level and specialised research skills often demand PhDs.

In addition to this specialist knowledge, PhD education will help you to develop a set of valuable transferrable skills. The very nature of studying an intensive research degree will enable you to become a team player, develop problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and advanced presentation and communication skills.