Alyson is a life scientist working in evidence-based medicine. Her research focuses on how people with chronic disease can support their health and healthcare through self-care and self-management. Alyson's research produces highly citeable output relevant to clinical guidance and UK health policy.

Active research areas

Heart Failure 

Research prioritisation and qualitative research conducted by Alyson has shown that people with heart failure value the role they can play in their health care [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32606070/].

Alyson's initial research looked at case management for people with heart failure and showed that both patients and health professionals appreciate this approach [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29495081/]  This research also showed that hospital-initiated case management can reduce hospital admissions, and these data have been cited by American and Brazilian clinical guidelines [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27165648/].  

Other research led by Alyson looked at self-management interventions for heart failure-related fatigue [https://openresearch.nihr.ac.uk/articles/2-63]. The evidence is limited but suggests that education, a person-centred approach, CBT, mindfulness and some supplements are promising for fatigue management and warrant further research.

Heart failure And Partcipation in Physical activitY (the HAPPY study) [https://www.bristol.ac.uk/primaryhealthcare/researchthemes/happy-study/]. This programme of work led by Alyson is based on the unmet need of physical activity support for people with heart failure in the community using a mixed method approach to intervention design [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40187783/]  Currently this work is looking at the experiences of GPs and community nurses in their support of physical activity by people with heart failure, and current England-wide provision [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40164492/]. Future work will involve intervention implementation and feasibility 

Cancer  

Alyson's research into supportive care for prostate cancer showed a lack of evidence of efficacy for supportive care interventions impacting on quality of life, and critiqued the inclusivity and design of such studies [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25828811/]. It was also clear from the qualitative data that there was unmet needs in the terms of long-term cancer survivorship and supportive care for men with prostate cancer [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25630851/].

Alyson leads a programme of work with European collaborators on herbal mistletoe preparations as an adjunct therapy for cancer patients. Her qualitative research shows that patients feel the benefit from using mistletoe therapy during cancer treatment and beyond [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26684278/].  Mistletoe therapy is safe although the proof of its efficacy and mechanism still requires more research [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2021.101392].

Mistletoe And Breast cancer - (the MAB study) was a pilot feasibility RCT and the first mistletoe study to be conducted in the UK , showing that mistletoe therapy provision is possible in the UK hospital setting [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35387677/]. 

Talking About Mistletoe (the TAM study) suggests that people in the UK want information and support around mistletoe therapy, and that they achieve this through peer support and forums.

Future work on this topic will focus on the mechanism of action of mistletoe preparations, and information support for people regarding mistletoe therapy.

Methodological expertise and leadership

Alyson provides leadership, collboration and mentoring on systematic review and evidence synthesis projects within the University of Bristol nationally and internationally. She is the Bristol lead of the SPCR Evidence Synthesis Working Group (ESWG), and leads the CAPC Evidence Synthesis Primary and Community CarE group (E-SPACE). She is a statistical editor (systematic reviews) for the journal Healthcare.

Alyson chaired the Bristol Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) group for over a decade until 2021, and led on the CAPC Bristol response to the Call for Evidence for the Charity Commision for England and Wales on the use of complementary and alternative medicines published in 2022.

Alyson has a special interest in mixed method research approaches. She  also has experience in research prioritisation approaches, surveys, qualitative interview studies and clinical trial management.

Alyson is an experienced post-graduate supervisor and welcomes interest from potential Masters and PhD students.

Key words:

Self-management, self-care, supportive care 

Cardiovascular disease

Cancer