Medicines in an Ageing Society

The hand is one of the most common joints affected by osteoarthritis, particularly the base of the thumb and small joints of the fingers. The effects tend to worsen as we age, and the condition is much more common in women, especially after the age of 55. Hand osteoarthritis can have a profound impact on older people's lives, limiting their ability to make hand movements necessary for activities of daily living and threatening their independence and confidence.

This project will evaluate evidence and accessibility to non-steroid (e.g. hyaluronic acid, platelet-rich plasma) injections for symptom management, through a systematic review of the evidence.

The student will conduct database searches, screen papers, extract key data, and produce a summary of key findings.

Community pharmacies are essential health hubs for older people receiving multiple medicines, but their locations are rarely considered from an equity of access perspective. Access by public transport is a critical factor in determining equity, as in most parts of the UK, all older adults have free public transport, while access by car is limited by socio-economic status or infirmity.

This project will provide the first detailed analysis of public transport access to community pharmacies in Northern Ireland (n=510), by assessing service level, proximity to bus/train stops and identifying other barriers that may prevent accessibility using public transport. These data will then be used to engage with public transport providers and planning authorities to develop action plans for overcoming identified barriers.

Studies have highlighted the misuse of antibiotics in care homes, often due to inappropriate prescribing, dosage, or treatment duration. For example, in Northern Ireland, care home residents are twice as likely to be prescribed antibiotics compared to those in the community. This suggests that care homes may serve as hubs for the spread of resistant bacteria into other healthcare settings and the wider community.

This study aims to characterise antimicrobial resistance (AMR) found in air, wastewater, and surface samples from nursing homes, comparing it phenotypically and genotypically to clinical isolates from urinary and respiratory tract infections. The goal is to better understand how pathogens and AMR spread within the care home environment and the wider community.