University of Exeter Medical School

Mary Fredlund

Mary Fredlund

PhD Student

 maf215@exeter.ac.uk

 

Overview

Qualifications

  • MRes – Human Geography; University of Exeter; 
  • MSc – Natural Resource Management, Distinction; University of Leicester; 
  • BSc – Physical Geography, 2:1; University of Leicester; 

Research group links

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Research

Research projects

 Developing and evaluating a living evidence and gap map for Non-pharmacological interventions for dementia behaviours: 

  • This is an NIHR funded project. The need for this project relates to:

    • The prevalence of dementia: In 2020 there were more than 50 million people with dementia worldwide.  This number is predicted to rise to 152 million by   2050

    •  The need to present the eviedence base together: there is consesneus that  non-pharmacological approaches are the first choice for any line of treatment for dementia, yet in practice they are under-used.  While antipsychotics and various psychotropic drugs are used inappropriately. There is alot of research on dementia and much has been reviewed; but it has not yet been drawn together in one place. 

    • The need to make the evidence accessible: to all those involved in planning for an providing care for people with dementia.  

The Healthy Parent Carers Programme:

  • This is a feasibility study of a peer-led group-based intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of parent carers of disabled children by promoting empowerment, confidence, and resilience.
  • We are currently (2020-2021) running an implementation project to roll out the programme with two national charities. We have adapted the programme for devliery online and I have co-delievered the training of  a new set of facilaitors who are rolling out the programme in the spring of 2021 in london and yorkshire. 

It was inspired by and developed together with parent carers from the Family Faculty in the Peninsula Childhood disability Research Unit (PenCRU) based in the University of Exeter Medical School. Find out more 

Grants

  • Morris C, Bjornstad G, Borek A, Fredlund M, McDonald A, Berry V, Tarrant M, Hawton A, Lloyd J, Ukoumunne O, Logan S. (2018-20) Healthy Parent Carers programme: feasibility study of a peer-led group-based intervention to improve the health and wellbeing of parent carers of disabled children Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme £249,993.

Research networks

ESMI - Evidence sythesis and modeling for health improvement

EST - Evidence synthesis team 

PenCRU - the childhood disability research unit

PenARC PhDer's: A team of resarchers in training under NIHR and other funding bodies 

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Publications

Journal articles

Allen K, Melendez-Torres GJ, Ford T, Bonell C, Finning K, Fredlund M, Gainsbury A, Berry V (In Press). Family focused interventions that address parental domestic violence and abuse, mental ill-health, and substance misuse in combination: a systematic review. PLoS ONE Abstract.
Lloyd J, Bjornstad G, Borek A, Cuffe-Fuller B, Fredlund M, McDonald A, Tarrant M, Berry V, Wilkinson K, Mitchell S, et al (2021). Healthy Parent Carers programme: mixed methods process evaluation and refinement of a health promotion intervention. BMJ Open, 11(8). Abstract.  Author URL.
Bjornstad G, Cuffe-Fuller B, Ukoumunne OC, Fredlund M, McDonald A, Wilkinson K, Lloyd J, Hawton A, Berry V, Tarrant M, et al (2021). Healthy Parent Carers: feasibility randomised controlled trial of a peer-led group-based health promotion intervention for parent carers of disabled children. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 7
Liabo K, Boddy K, Bortoli S, Irvine J, Boult H, Fredlund M, Joseph N, Bjornstad G, Morris C (2020). Public involvement in health research: what does ‘good’ look like in practice?. Research Involvement and Engagement, 6(1). Abstract.
Bjornstad G, Wilkinson K, Cuffe-Fuller B, Fitzpatrick K, Borek A, Ukoumunne OC, Hawton A, Tarrant M, Berry V, Lloyd J, et al (2019). Healthy Parent Carers peer-led group-based health promotion intervention for parent carers of disabled children: protocol for a feasibility study using a parallel group randomised controlled trial design. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 5(1). Abstract.
Borek A, McDonald B, Fredlund M, Bjornstad GJ, Logan GS, Morris C (2018). Healthy Parent Carers programme: development and feasibility of a novel group-based health-promotion intervention. BMC Public Health, 18, 270-270.

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