Cicely Mathews
Project Title: Exploring the digital self management of female sexual reproductive health in cystic fibrosis
Supervisors:
Prof Kenton O'Hara, School of Computer Science
Dr Aisling O'Kane, School of Computer Science
Dr Jamie Duckers, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
General Profile:
My background centres around psychology. I completed my BSc in Psychology at the University of Winchester (2017-2020) which is where my interest in the patient experience began. In the latter half of 2020 a new drug for cystic fibrosis called 'Kaftrio' was licensed. I was eager to explore how those eligible were coping with a shift in health status, this was of particular interest to me as I also have cystic fibrosis. I then went on to complete a MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Southampton (2020-2021) with my dissertation focusing on the qualitative experiences of those taking Kaftrio.
I am interested in digital health because I have had first-hand experience of healthcare settings and the advances in digital health technologies. I have witnessed from an end user perspective what works well and what can be improved. My interests not only lie in chronic health conditions (and how these can be made more manageable) but also how we can make the patient experience a less daunting one for everybody.