Summary


Position: Head of Department of Applied Psychology
School: Cardiff School of Health Sciences
E-mail: kthirlaway@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Telephone: +44(0)29 2041 6872
Room No: D3.13

Teaching


Programme Director

• Joint Programme director of MSc Health Psychology
• Joint Programme Director of Practitioner Programmes

Module Leader

• Biopsychosocial Issues in Health (MSc Health Psychology)
• Human Genetics and Health Care (BSc Psychology)

Undergraduate Supervision

• Weight Stigma
• Risk Communication
• Lifestyle Change

Masters Supervision

• Risk Communication
• Healthy Ageing
• Physical activity in sedentary groups

Research Degree Supervision - Current

• Honor Young: “Attitudes of teenagers towards unprotected sex and pregnancy” PhD
• Amy Prior: “Investigation of the Optimum Requirements and Practical Possibilities for a Telephone Helpline for Patients with Anorexia Nervosa” PhD
• Abdul Seckam: “The Effect of Complimentary and Conventional Medicine on Wound Healing” MPhil/PhD

Research Degree Supervision - Completed

• 2012 Shirley Hobbis “Lifestyle change over the lifecourse” PhD
• 2011 Jemma Hawkins “ The role of the environment in the well being of older adults PhD
• 2005 Gary Mendoza “The transtheoretical model of change and its application to the treatment of obesity “ PhD

Publications


Publications

• Hawkins, J.L., Mercer, J., Thirlaway, K.J. & Clayton, D. (in press) ‘Doing’ Gardening and ‘Being’ at the Allotment Site: Exploring the benefits of allotment gardening for stress reduction and healthy ageing. Ecopsychology.
• Hilgart J, Mercer J & Thirlaway K (In press) Individuals' experiences of, and responses to, a negative genetic test result for Familial Hypercholesterolaemia. Journal of Health Psychology
• Davies L & Thirlaway K (2012) Effect of Genetic Explanations of Type 2 Diabetes on Patients' Attitudes to Treatment Efficacy. Journal of Diabetes Nursing. 16(4):132-139
• Demery R, Thirlaway K & Mercer J (2012) The experiences of university students with a mood disorder. Disability and Society. 27
• Hawkins JL., Thirlaway K. Backx, K, & Clayton D (2011). Allotment Gardening and Other Leisure Activities for Stress Reduction and Healthy Aging. HortTechnology 21:577-585
• Hobbis S, Hendry L, Sanders L & Thirlaway K (2011). Retirement and lifestyle behaviours: A thematic Analysis Health Psychology Update 20(2): 2- 8
• Clarke A and Thirlaway K (2011). Genetic Counselling for Personalised Medicine. Human Genetics: 130 (1) 27-31.
• O’Shea R, Murphy AM, Treacy E, Lynch SA, Thirlaway K & Lambert D (2011). Communication of Genetic Information by Other Health Professionals: The role of the Genetic Counsellor in Specialist Clinics. Journal of Genetic Counselling: 20 (2) 192-203
• Thirlaway K (2011). Lifestyle Change. Welsh Chemist Review. Winter 2011: 18 – 19.
• Clarke A and Thirlaway K (2011). ‘Genomic Counselling’? Genetic Counselling in the Genomic Era. Genomic Medicine:3(1):7
• Upton D and Thirlaway K (2010). Promoting Healthy Behaviour. London: Pearson Educational
• Thirlaway K & Upton D (2009). The Psychology of Lifestyle: Promoting health behaviour. London: Routledge.
• Bennett L, Thirlaway K & Murray A (2008). The stigmatising implications of presenting schizophrenia as a genetic disease. Journal of Genetic Counselling 17: 550-559
• Thirlaway K & Heggs D (2005). Interpreting risk messages: Women’s responses to a health story. Health, Risk and Society 7: 107-121.
• Thirlaway K & Lukman H (2003). Meningitis C Vaccination Uptake in British Undergraduates. Communicable Diseases and Public Health 6: 157-160.
• Thirlaway K, Howell A & Evans G (2000). Identifying and counselling of those at high risk of developing breast cancer. In New Horizons in Breast cancer. Editors TobiasJ, Henderson C & Houghton J. Thomson Science LONDON
• Thirlaway K & Benton D (1996). Exercise and Mental Health: The Role of activity and fitness. In Workplace health: Employee Fitness and exercise. Editors Kerr J, Griffiths A & Cox T. Taylor & Francis Ltd. LONDON.
• Thirlaway K, Fallowfield L, Powles T, & Nunnerley H (1996). Anxiety in women “at risk” of developing breast cancer. The British Journal of Cancer 73: 1422-1424.
• Thirlaway K, Fallowfield L & Cuzick J (1996). The sexual activity questionnaire: A measure of women’s sexual functioning. Quality of Life Research 5: 81-90.
• Thirlaway K, Fallowfield L, Evans G & Howell A (1995). Entry into the tamoxifen prevention trial depends on women’s estimates of the population risk of breast cancer. The Breast 4: 203-204.
• Thirlaway K & Benton D (1994). Activity, fitness, mental health and mood. In Set. Editor: Richards L, Vol 1, item 2. Victoria: New Zealand & Australian Councils for Educational Research.
• Thirlaway K & Benton D (1993). Physical Activity in primary and seconday school children in West Glamorgan. Health Education Journal 52: 37-41.
• Thirlaway K & Benton D (1992). Participation in physical activity has different effects on mental health and mood. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 36:657-665.
• Thirlaway K & Benton D (1992). Different effects of activity and fitness on mood. Scottish Journal of Physical Education 20: 5-9.

Conference Papers

• Thirlaway K (2012) The Psychology of Obesity (Invited speaker). Wales Obesity Epidemic: Institute of Welsh Affairs.
• Davies L & Thirlaway K (2011) “The influence of genetic explanations of type 2 diabetes on patients’ attitudes to the efficacy of preventative behaviours and treatment and personal responsibility for the condition” Cym Taf Research and Development Conference (prize winning presentation)
• Thirlaway K (2011). Life is a risky business. Invited lecture to Welsh branch of British Psychological Society
• Hensman J, Edwards A, Thirlaway K, Procter A (2011). An Investigation Into The Perceptions Of Individuals With Turner Syndrome & Their Parents British Society of Human Genetics
• Thirlaway K (2010). The stigma of obesity and its impact on change. National Obesity Forum Wales
• Clement C, Thirlaway K, Smith A and Williams J (2010). Vulnerable Young People and Alcohol: A qualitative exploration of determinants and service use issues. Children & Young People's Research Network Annual Conference
• Clement C, Thirlaway K, Smith A and Williams J (2010). Vulnerable Young People and Alcohol: A qualitative exploration of determinants and service use issues. Launch Day: Centre for Children and Young People's Health and Well-Being
• Hawkins J, Thirlaway K, Backx K and Clayton D (2010). Healthy Ageing: The benefits of outdoor activities for psychological and physical health. Embracing the challenges – changing conditions. The voice of NHS Wales.
• Thirlaway K (2009) Health Promotion in Adolescents. Health and Well-being from Early Years to Adolescence Conference UWIC
• Simon K, Levene S & Thirlaway K (2008). Tay-Sachs disease: Knowledge and Interest in Carrier Testing amongst Ashkenazi Jewish Students. British Human Genetics Conference
• Heggs D & Thirlaway K (2006) The influence of trust in interpreting health risk messages 4th Interdisciplinary Conference Communication, Medicine and Ethics
• Thirlaway K (1997) Psychosocial implications of prophylactic bilateral mastectomy 5th Nottingham International Conference
• Thirlaway K (1997). The psychosocial implications of prophylactic mastectomy. Guest lecturer – University of Wales, College of Medicine
• Thirlaway K (1996). Anxiety in women with a family history of breast cancer. British Psycho-oncology Society Annual Meeting
• Thirlaway K (1995). Psychological implications of breast disease and those at risk. PGEA Study Day for GPs – Breast Diseases and Screening Services
• Thirlaway K (1995). Psychosocial Implications of Prophylactic Mastectomy:Research & Clinical Perspectives. Cancer family study group
• Thirlaway K (1995). Psychosocial implications of participating in preventative strategies when you have a family history of breast cancer North East Metropolitan Surgical Society
• Thirlaway K (1995). Psychosocial implications of being “at risk” of developing breast cancer’Into the 21st Century with Breast Cancer Research‘
• Thirlaway K (1994). Psychosocial aspects of the Tamoxifen Prevention Trial. IBIS Workshop of Co-ordinators
• Thirlaway K (1994). Psychosocial implications of being “at risk” of developing breast cancer’ Congress of European Society of Psychosocial Oncology
• Thirlaway K (1993). The psychosocial arm of the Tamoxifen Prevention Trial: An update at 1 year’. British Psychosocial Oncology Group
• Thirlaway K (1992). The psychosocial arm of the Tamoxifen Prevention Trial: An update at 6 months. EROCTC Joint Breast Cancer Meeting
• Thirlaway K (1991). Participation in physcial activity has different effects on mental health and mood. British Psychological Society Christmas Conference

Profile

Dr Katie Thirlaway is a Chartered psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and registered health psychologist with the Health Professions Council (HPC) and Head of the Department of Applied Psychology.

Katie is an active researcher in areas of lifestyle behaviours in healthy ageing with a on-going research projects including the NISCHR funded project “Growing a healthy older population in Wales” and the “Ageing Well project”. Katie is currently supervising four PhD students carrying out research on teenage pregnancy, eating disorders, healthy retirement and outdoor activities & healthy ageing. She publishes widely in the field of health psychology including two recent books written in collaboration with Professor Upton a health psychologist at Worcester University: “The Psychology of Lifestyle: promoting health behaviour” published by Routledge and “Promoting Healthy Behaviour” published by Pearson Educational. Katie’s latest publication is an invited editorial for Genomic Medicine with Professor Angus Clarke from the Insititute of Medical Genetics (Cardiff University) ‘Genomic Counselling’? Genetic Counselling in the Genomic Era’ which will be published in the Spring.

Katie is the Joint Programme Director of the BPS accredited MSc in Health Psychology and of the Post-graduate Certificate in Practitioner Health Psychology (Currently seeking approval from the HPC.)

Katie is a visitor for the Health Professions Council, a member of the British Psychological Society’s Graduate Qualifications Accreditation Committee, an external Examiner for the MSc in Health Psychology at De Monfort University and a member of the All Wales Diabetes Forum which advises the Welsh Assembly Government on policy around diabetes prevention and treatment.