Health

Listed below are some of the key questions addressed by research staff in this area.

1. What is the role of personality, appraisals and odour in relation to symptom reporting?
   Ferguson, E., Cassaday, HJ., & Bibby, P. (2004). Odors and sounds as triggers for medically unexplained symptoms: A fixed occasion diary study of in Gulf War veterans. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 27, 205-214
   
   Ferguson, E., & Cassaday, HJ. Erskind, J., & Delahaye, G. (2004). Individual differences in the temporal variability in medically unexplained symptom reporting. British Journal of Health Psychology, 9, 219-240
   
   
2. Why do only some people donate blood?
   Ferguson, E & Bibby PA. (2002). Predicting future blood donor returns: past behavior, intentions and observer effects. Health Psychology, 21, 513-518
   
   Ferguson, E. (2004) Conscientiousness, emotional stability, perceived control and the frequency, recency, rate and years of blood donor behaviour. British Journal of Health Psychology, 13, 293-314
   
   Ferguson, E., & Chandler, S. (2005). A stage model of blood donor behaviour: Assessing voluntary behaviour. Journal of Health Psychology, 10, 359-372
   
   
3. How does health anxiety influence decision making and responses to stress?
   Ferguson, E., Swairbrick, R., Clare, S., Bignell, C & Anderson, C. (2000). Hypochondriacal concerns, somatosensory amplification, and primary and secondary cognitive appraisals. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 73, 355-370
   
   Ferguson, E. (2000). Hypochondriacal concerns and the five-factor model of personality. Journal of Personality, 68, 705-724
   
   Ferguson, E. (2001). Intellect and somatic health: Associations with hypochondriacal concerns, threat appraisals and fainting. Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics, 70, 319-327.
   
   Ferguson, E. (2004) Personality as a predictor of hypochondriacal concerns: Results from two longitudinal studies: Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 56, 307-312
   
   
4. What do experts and the lay public understand about diseases?
   We currently have an ongoing project funded by the Health and Safety Executive examining expert and lay perceptions of occupational disease.
   



5. How does personality influence success in medical training?
   Ferguson, E., James, D., & Madeley, L. (2000). Factors associated with success in medical school: systematic review of the literature. British Medical Journal, 324, 952-957.
   
   Ferguson, E., James, D., O'Hehir. F., & Sanders, A. (2003). A pilot study of the roles of personality, references and personal statements in relation to performance over the 5 years of a medical degree. British Medical Journal, 326, 429-431
   
   Patterson, F., Ferguson, E., Lane, P., & Norfolk, T. (2005) A new selection system to recruit GPRS. British Medical Journal, 330, 711-714
   
   
6. What are the psychological and social factors which underpin deliberate self-harm?
   

   Townsend, E. (In press). Suicide terrorists: Are they suicidal? Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.

   Knowles, S., Townsend, E. & Anderson, M. (2006). Using ASSET data for mental health research on Young Offenders: issues and implications for researchers. Educational and Child Psychology, 23 (2), 52-61
   
   
   Hawton, K., Houston, K., Haw, C., Townsend, E., Harriss, L. (2003) Comorbidity of Axis I and Axis II Disorders in Patients Who Attempt Suicide. American Journal of Psychiatry, 160, 1494-1500.

   Haw, C., Hawton, K., Houston, K., Townsend, E. (2003) Correlates of relative lethality and suicidal intent among deliberate self-harm patients. Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior, 33 (4), 353-364.

   Hawton, K., Haw, C., Houston, K., Townsend, E.(2002). Family history of suicidal behaviour: prevalence and significance in deliberate self-harm patients. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106, 387-393.

   Hawton, K., Townsend, E., Deeks, J., Appleby, L., Gunnell, D., Bennewith, O., Cooper, J. (2001) Effects of legislation restricting pack sizes of paracetamol and salicylates on self poisoning in the United Kingdom: before and after study. British Medical Journal, 322, 1203-1207.
   
   Townsend, E., Hawton, K., Harriss, L., Bale, E., Bond, A. (2001) Substances used in deliberate self-poisoning 1995-1997: trends and associations with age, gender, repetition and suicide intent Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 36, 228-234
   
   Haw, C., Hawton, K., Houston, K., Townsend, E. (2001) Psychiatric and personality disorders in deliberate self-harm patients. British Journal of Psychiatry, 178, 48-54
   
   
7. What are the most effective treatments for self-harm?
   Townsend, E., Hawton, K., Altman, D.G., Arensman, E., Gunnell, D., Hazell, P., House, A., Van Heeringen, K. (2001) The efficacy of problem-solving treatments after deliberate self-harm: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials with respect to depression, hopelessness and improvement in problems. Psychological Medicine,†31, 979-988.
   
   Hawton, K., Townsend, E., Arensman, E., Gunnell, D., House, A., Van Heeringen, C. (1999)†Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for deliberate self harm. (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3. Oxford: Update Software.
   
   Arensman, E., Townsend, E., Hawton, K., Bremner, S., Feldman, E., Goldney, R., Gunnell, D., Hazell, P., Van Heeringen, K., House, A., Owens, D., Sakinofsky, I., Tråskman-Bendz, L. (2001) Psychosocial and pharmacological treatment of patients following deliberate self-harm: the methodological issues involved in evaluating effectiveness. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, 31, 169-180.