Dr Vera Araujo-Soares
Senior Lecturer in Health Psychology

  • Email: vera.araujo-soares@ncl.ac.uk
  • Address: Institute of Health and Society
    Medical Faculty
    Newcastle University
    Baddiley-Clarke Building
    Richardson Road
    NE2 4AX

 

I have 14 years experience in behaviour change in research and clinical settings in Portugal (1996-2006), Scotland (2006-2010) and England (since 2010). My specific expertise is in developing evidence based interventions focusing on self care and self management of chronic conditions (pain, cardiovascular rehabilitation and obesity) as well as on the promotion of health behaviours (e.g. sun protective behaviours, healthy diet and physical activity).  My main aims are to develop theoretically and evidence based interventions for behaviour change in order to reduce risk factors and enhance symptom management (e.g. pain), throughout the lifespan.

'Reflect': A feasibility study in experienced utility and travel behaviour

Project Leader(s): Prof. Jennifer Roberts (Leader Investigator), Dr. Vera Araujo-Soares (co-investigator), Prof. Nigel Davies (co-investigator), Prof. Eddie Wilson (co-investigator), Dr. Mark Grimshaw (co-investigator); Dr. Rosemary Harris (co-investigator), Mrs Tracy Ross (co-investigator).

Sponsors: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Project Brief Description

Travel behaviours have shown considerable resistance to change, but substantial change is needed because reduced emissions cannot be secured from technical innovation alone. Our focus is on a new way to engage with, and ultimately influence, travel behaviours. Instead of appealing to emission reduction (which can feel removed from our everyday experiences), we appeal to people's wish to improve their own subjective well-being and health outcomes (physical activity). Drawing on the behavioural economics concept of experienced utility and on psychological theory of behaviour change, we combine these perspectives with expertise from mobile computing, creative technologies, mathematics and user-centred design to explore an innovative solution to understanding and potentially influencing travel behaviour. We develop an experience sampling system via a smartphone platform for the collection and delivery of real-time information on subjective travel experience. In a series of small controlled trials we feedback information to individuals about their own experiences, and those of others, and we explore whether and how these interventions change behaviour. The idea is one of user-informed behavioural interventions to encourage self-motivated change, and here we draw on evidence from successful interventions in health.


For more details go to: http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/J004715/1

 

The LiveWell Programme: Developing pragmatic interventions to enhance health and wellbeing in later life

Project Leader(s): Management team: Prof. John Mathers (Leader investigator), Prof. Martin White (co-investigator), Prof. Ian McKeith (co-investigator), Prof. Paula Moynihan (co-investigator), Prof. Lynn Rochester (co-investigator), Dr Falko Sniehotta (co-investigator).

Sponsors: Medical Research Council on behalf of the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Consortium

Project Brief Description

The increasing burden of frailty and chronic poor health currently accompanying longevity is a public health problem. The challenge to health researchers is to find ways of improving health and maintaining wellbeing throughout the life-course.
LiveWell, a five year multidisciplinary research programme, aims to develop and pilot an integrated suite of well-founded, pragmatic interventions that are effective in promoting health and wellbeing in later life. In an innovative approach, LiveWell will focus on the retirement period, a “window of opportunity” in which novel interventions in key areas such as diet, physical activity and social interactions are more likely to be successful.

For more details go to: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/hnrc/research/project/3488

Development and Assessment of Services for Hyper-acute Stroke (DASH):  Objective 1

Project Leader(s): Prof. Gary Ford, Prof. Helen Rodgers, Prof. Richard Thomson, Prof. Martin White, Prof. Martin Eccles, Dr. Madeleine Murtagh

Sponsors: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
Partners: NHS

Project Brief Description

To determine the effectiveness of a multi faceted community programme to increase awareness of and response to symptoms of stroke by the public, patients and health service staff. This study will involve a mixed methods approach that will result in the development of materials and methods for intervention(s) aiming at increasing immediate contact with emergency services after stroke onset.  These materials and methods will then be tested in one or more practices.

For more details go to: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/ihs/research/project/3841

Projects

School of Psychology

Module Leader                                                                                                

PSY 3023 Health Psychology and Principles of Behaviour Change  (3rd Year Psychology Students)

20 Credits, 10 ECTS over Semester 1

Health psychology focuses on increasing our understanding of the role of behaviour, cognitions, emotions and motivation in physical health and disease, health risks and preventive measures. The goal is to analyse, explain and establish the evidence base for the development of interventions that can support people in changing their health-related behaviour (either by focusing on the individual or environment). The field of health psychology is interdisciplinary and has an applied perspective.  

Teaching:

Two hour session per week, followed on by a 2 hour workshop, so that students further their knowledge. There are some suggestions of further reading on the reading list online. Copies of PowerPoint slides will be available on Blackboard.

Assessment:

There will be an examination in the January assessment period, which will comprise of answering 2 essay questions out of 5 presented, worth 50% of the overall mark. Before the examination period begins, students will be expected to submit a group course work worth 35%. This course work will lead to an oral presentation worth 15% of the final student mark.

 

MBBS CURRICULUM: Medicine in the Community

Responsible for one hour class on:

Theory and practice of behaviour change: supporting self management of chronic conditions

Within this class the focus will be on the characteristics of social cognition models of behaviour  change and issues around behaviour maintenance. The self management of chronic conditions will be discussed and some examples will be given, with a particular focus on behaviour change techniques.