Staff Members

Dr Helen Close

(email at h.j.close@durham.ac.uk)

Biography

Helen Close is a research associate at the Centre for Integrated Health Care Research in the School of Medicine & Health at Durham University. She completed her PhD at Northumbria University, UK using qualitative methods to explore the lived experience of chronically ill children, adults, and their carers. Her undergraduate degree was in nursing and she has a clinical background in district nursing and palliative care. Helen spent two years working on improving care delivery systems for chronically ill patients and has published papers and workshop material for the Department of Health, Wales. Helen’s current research spans both qualitative and epidemiological investigations in the areas of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, and mental illness. Helen runs a number of epidemiological studies using the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) which involves collaboration between the GPRD research team, Durham University, and local GP practices and hospitals.

In her spare time, Helen enjoys swimming and spending time with her two nephews.

Selected Publications

• Degeling, P, Close, H & Degeling, D (2006). Rethinking Long Term Conditions. NLIAH

Books: sections

• Robinson, J & Close, H (2008). A Year of Care pathway for COPD: problems, pitfalls and solutions from practice. In Changing Clinical Care: Experiences and Lessons of Systemisation. Gray, A, Degeling, P & Colebatch, H Abingdon: Radcliffe.
• Close, H & Scott, E (2008). Empowering nursing and patient centred healthcare through the systematisation of clinical work. In Changing Clinical Care: Experiences and Lessons of Systemisation. Gray, A, Degeling, P & Colebatch, H Abingdon: Radcliffe. 42-54.
• Degeling, P, Close, H & Degeling, D (2008). Systematising the care of long-term conditions: the Year of Care model. In Changing Clinical Care: Experiences and Lessons of Systemisation. Gray, A, Degeling, P & Colebatch, H Abingdon: Radcliffe. 113-132.

Conference papers

• Close, H. J., Reilly, J., Mason, J., Kripalani, M. Wilson, D. , Main, J. & Main, J. (2009), Renal impairment and failure in lithium-treated bipolar disorder: a retrospective cohort study.
• Close, H., Reilly, J., Main, J., Kripalani, M., Hungin, P., Wilson, D. & Mason, J. (2009), Renal Outcomes in People with Bipolar Disorder treated with Lithium: A British Retrospective Cohort Study, British Renal Society Annual Conference. Birmingham International Conference Centre, England.
• Close, H., Reilly, J., Main, J., Kripalani, M., Hungin, P., Wilson, D. & Mason, J. (2009), Renal Outcomes in People with Bipolar Disorder treated with Lithium: A Retrospective Cohort Database Study, 38th Annual Scientific Meeting of the SAPC. St Andrew's University.
• Close, H., Hancock, H. & Lang-Ping-Nam, P. (2008), Explaining socioeconomic differences in coronary heart disease: behaviours, beliefs and culture, Society for Academic Primary Care Northern Conference. Kendal.
• Close, H., Degeling, P., Maxwell, S. & Coyle, B. (2007), The Year of Care Model: pathways for long term conditions, 9th Annual Conference of Integrated Care Pathways. London, England.
• Close, H., Carr, S. & Maxwell, S. (2007), To be Sure or not to be Sure? Moving Uncertainty Management from Covert to Overt via Integrated Care Pathways, Royal College of Nursing International Nursing Research Conference. Dundee, Scotland.
• Close, H. (2006), “Look, that’s me!” An analysis of photography as a method of exploring children’s lived experiences of chronic illness, Royal College of Nursing International Research Conference. York, England.

Journal papers: academic

• Wood, V J, Curtis, S E, Gesler, W, Spencer, I H, Close, H J, Mason, J & Reilly, J G (Accepted). Creating 'therapeutic landscapes' for mental health carers in inpatient settings: A dynamic perspective on permeability and inclusivity. Social Science & Medicine 1-8.
• Hancock, H., Close, H., Mason, J. M., Murphy, J. J., Fuat, A., Singh, R., Wood, E., de Belder, M., Brennan, G., Hussain, N., Kumar, N., Wilson, D. W. & Hungin, A. P. S. (Accepted). High Prevalence of Undetected Heart Failure in Long-Term Care Residents: findings from the Heart Failure in Care Homes (HFinCH) study. European Jounral of Heart Failure
• Close, H. J., Mason, J. M., Wilson, D. W. & Hungin, A. P. S. (Accepted). Hormone Replacement Therapy is associated with Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Gastroenterology
• Close, Helen (2013). It's somebody else's responsibility: A qualitative study to heart failure diagnosis and management for older people in long term care. European Journal of Heart Failure Pending(Pending).
• Close, Helen. (2013). Relaxation therapies for the management of primary hypertension in adults. Cochrane Library Pending(Pending).
• Mason, James, Hancock, Helen, Close, Helen, Murphy, Jerry, Fuat, Ahmet, de Belder, Mark, Singh, Raj, Teggert, Andrew, Wood, Esther, Brennan, Gill, Hussain, Nehal, Kumar, Nitin, Manshani, Novin, Hodges, David, Wilson, Douglas & Hungin, Pali (2013). Utility of Biomarkers in the Differential Diagnosis of Heart Failure in Older People: Findings from the Heart Failure In Care Homes (HFinCH) Diagnostic Accuracy Study. PLOS ONE 8(1): e53560.
• Wood, V.J., Spencer, I.H., Curtis, S.E., Gesler, W., Close, H.J., Mason, J.M. & Reilly, J.G. (2012). Creating 'therapeutic landscapes' for mental health carers in inpatient settings, a dynamic perspective on permeability and inclusivity. Social Science and Medicine
• Hancock, H. C., Close, H., Mason, J. M., Murphy, J. J., Fuat, A., Singh, R., Wood, E., de Belder, M., Brennan, G, Nussain, N, Kumar, N, Wilson, DW & Hungin, APS (2012). High prevalence of undetected heart failure in long-term care residents: findings from the Heart Failure in Care Homes (HFinCH) study. European Journal of Heart Failure Advance Access
• Close, H., Mason, J. M., Wilson, D. W. & Hungin, A. P. S. (2012). Hormone replacement therapy is associated with Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux disease: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Gastroenterology 12: 56.
• Hungin, A.P. & Close, H. (2010). Sleep disturbances and health problems: sleep matters. Br J Gen Pract 60(574): 319-320.
• Close, H. (2007). The use of photography as a qualitative research method. Nurse Researcher 15(1): 27-36.
• Close, H. (2003). Nausea and Vomiting in terminally ill patients: towards a holistic approach. Nurse Prescribing 1(1): 16-20.
• Close, H & Procter, S (1999). Coping strategies used by hospitalised stroke patients: implications for continuity and management of care. Journal of Advanced Nursing 29(1): 138-144.

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Research Groups

• Centre for Integrated Health Care Research
• Durham Clinical Trials Unit (DCTU)

Grants Awarded

• 2012: SNS Constipation Project (£75880.00 from NHS Darlington)
• 2010: Reilly J, Curtis S, Mason JM, Gesler W, Spencer I, Close H Evaluating the implementation of a new psychiatric inpatient facility: a mixed methods approach. NIHR PERP 2010-2012, £324,717

Supervises

• Miss Alisha Crayton
• Mrs Rachel Stocker
• Mr Kevin Etherson