Elaine O’Connell Francischetto

Institute of Applied Health Research
PhD Student

Contact details

Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 6043
Email: e.e.oconnellfrancischetto@bham.ac.uk

Address: NIHR CLAHRC West Midlands Chronic Disease Theme
Institute of Applied Health Research
Murray Learning Centre
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Elaine O’Connell Francischetto is a PhD student at the Institute of Applied Health Research.

Qualifications

PhD in Public Health and Epidemiology (2014-present)
MSc by Research in Health (2009-2011)
BSc First Class Honours in Health and Exercise Sciences (2005-2008)

Biography

Elaine graduated with a First Class BSc Honours in Health and Exercise Sciences from the University of Gloucestershire in 2008. Whilst completing her undergraduate degree Elaine gained experience of completing research and started to develop a keen interest in health research. This motivated her to apply for an MSc by Research studentship. Elaine was successfully awarded the studentship, which was a mixed method evaluation of an arts intervention that aimed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of primary care patients. She completed the MSc part-time, whilst also working as a self-employed sports coach for local schools and school sports partnerships. Since completing her MSc by Research Elaine has worked in various research positions at the University of Gloucestershire, Public Health England, the University of Bristol and here at the University of Birmingham.

In these roles Elaine developed strong methodological skills, particularly in qualitative methods and systematic reviewing. Additionally, she has experience of project management, teaching/mentoring students, and working with large multidisciplinary teams. In November 2014 Elaine became part-time at the University of Bristol, to start her PhD studentship with the CLAHRC West Midlands Chronic Disease Theme (based here at the University of Birmingham).

Her doctoral research includes a meta-review of discharge interventions for older patients leaving hospital and a case study evaluation of a supported integrated discharge service. In February 2016 Elaine moved from the University of Bristol to start her part-time role as a Research Fellow in the CLAHRC West Midlands Chronic Disease Theme. In her Research Fellow role, Elaine is the lead on a study evaluating the effectiveness of virtual clinics for liver transplant patients, and is conducting a scoping review of inappropriate prescribing interventions.

Teaching

Public Health MPH/Diploma - Qualitative Research Methods

Medicine and Surgery MBChB

Research

Elaine has worked in a number of research-focused roles and has broad research interests. In these research roles, Elaine has conducted mixed method research in different research areas including: cancer; research methodology; electronic patient reported outcomes measures; chlamydia screening and arts for mental health.

Some of her research interests include:

Chronic diseases
Integrated care
Hospital discharge services
Electronic patient monitoring and support
Inappropriate prescribing
Quality of life
Patient reported outcome measures
Methodological research
Qualitative research

Publications

O’Connell Francischetto E, S Damery, S Davies and G Combes (2016). Discharge interventions for older patients leaving hospital: a systematic meta-review protocol. Systematic Reviews Journal, 5(46).

Ricketts EJ, O’Connell Francischetto E, Wallace LM, Hogan AH, and McNulty CAM (2016). Tools to overcome potential barriers to chlamydia screening in general practice: Qualitative evaluation of a complex intervention. BMC Family Practice, 17:33.

F Kennedy, B Clayton, K Absolom, E O’Connell Francischetto, L Flintoff, K Gordon, W Crocombe, R Cicero, V Hiley, JM Blazeby, J Brown & G Velikova (2016). Real-time Electronic Patient Outcome ReporTing of adverse events – is it feasible in UK cancer trials? Findings from a proof-of-principle study. PsychoOncology, 25 (Suppl. 1): 12.

O’Connell Francischetto E, Avery K, Velikova G and Blazeby J (2015). Assessment of patient-reported adverse events after discharge from hospital following gastrointestinal cancer surgery: do EORTC disease-specific modules have sufficient coverage to monitor recovery and detect problems early? Quality of Life Research, 24 (Suppl 1), 126.

Avery K, Williamson P, Gamble C, O’Connell Francischetto E, Metcalfe C, Davidson P and Blazeby J (2015). Optimising the design of internal pilot work to inform efficient randomised controlled trials: issues to consider when developing progression criteria. Trials, 16(Suppl 2):P10

Gilbert A, O’Connell Francischetto E, Blazeby J, Holch P, Davidson S, Sebag-Montefiore D and Velikova G (2015). Choice of a patient-reported outcome measure for patients with anal cancer for use in cancer clinical trials and routine clinical practice: a mixed methods approach. The Lancet,385 (Suppl 1): S38

O’Connell Francischetto E, Gilbert A, Velikova G and Blazeby J (2014). Is the CTCAE System Suitable to use in Trials in Surgery and Radiotherapy? A Content Analysis of the NCI-PRO-CTCAE and EORTC Systems. Quality of Life Research, 23 (Suppl 1), 42.

McNulty CAM, Ricketts EJ, Hogan AH, Wallace LM, Campbell R, Oliver I, Kalwij S, O’Connell E, and Charlett C (2013). Increasing chlamydia screening tests in general practice: a Modified Zelen Prospective Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial evaluating a complex intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Sexually Transmitted Infections, Published Online First: [04.09.13]

Crone D, O'Connell E, Tyson P, Clark-Stone F, Opher S, and James D.V.B (2012). "'Art Lift' Intervention to Improve Mental Wellbeing: An Observational Study from UK General Practice." International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 22 (3):279-286

Crone D, O'Connell E, Tyson P, Clark-Stone F, Opher S, and James D.V.B (2012). It helps me make sense of the world’: the role of an art intervention for promoting health and wellbeing in primary care—perspectives of patients, health professionals and artists. Journal of Public Health, 20 (5). pp. 519-524.