Grace Lewis

Project: Facilitating indoor asthma trigger avoidance for children and young people: Development of a conceptual framework for a complex intervention.

Asthma is the most common chronic condition amongst school-aged children and young people in the UK. Many have multiple triggers that can lead to worsening of symptoms and trigger acute attacks. Commonly reported indoor triggers include dust, pets, and environmental tobacco smoke. Prevalence of allergic sensitisation to pets and house dust mite has increased over recent decades. Managing triggers alongside medication regimens can be challenging for families. This PhD will explore the health beliefs that inform decisions families make about trigger avoidance at home, such as re-homing of pets, creation of smoke-free homes or house dust mite reduction methods. This will form the basis for development of an intervention to facilitate trigger avoidance at home.

About me

I am the current Student Representative on the Advocacy Committee at the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research.

I graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BMedSci (Hons) in Orthoptics and have seven years’ experience as a clinical Orthoptist in the NHS. I have some experience in quantitative and qualitative research methodology, and an interest in improving health-related quality of life. I completed a Master’s in Public Health (distinction) at the University of Edinburgh. During my master’s dissertation I developed an interest in novel familial interventions to improve child and family health, particularly respiratory health.

Publications

• Lewis G, Milnes L, Adams A, Schwarze J, Duff A (2022) Influences on indoor environmental trigger remediation uptake for children and young people with asthma: A scoping review. Health Expectations. 1-11. doi: 10.1111/hex.13670 

• Lee B, Lewis G, Agyei-Manu E, et al (2022) Risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes among adults and children with moderate to sever asthma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Respiratory Review. 31(220066). doi: 10.1183/16000617.0066-2022

• Lewis G, Rowa-Dewar N, O'Donnell R (2020) Stigma and Smoking in the Home : Parents ’ Accounts of Using Nicotine Replacement Therapy to Protect Their Children from Second-Hand Smoke. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 17(12), 4345; doi: 10.3390/ijerph17124345

• O’Donnell R, Lewis G, Lumsdaine C, Di Tano G, Swanston L, Amos G, Finnie A, Rowa-Dewar N. (2020) Supporting parents living in disadvantaged areas of Edinburgh to create a smoke-free home using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): A two-phase qualitative study.  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: 17 (7305) doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197305
• Bansback N, Czoski-Murray C, Carlton J, Lewis G, Hughes L, Espallargues M, Brand C, Brazier J (2007) Determinants of health related quality of life and health state utility in patients with age related macular degeneration: the association of contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. Quality of Life Research: 16 (3): 533-543; doi: 10.1007/s11136-006-9126-8
• Espallargues M, Czoski-Murray C, Bansback N, Carlton J, Lewis G, Hughes L, Brand C, Brazier J (2005) The impact of age related macular degeneration on health state utility values. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science: 46 (11), 4016-4023; doi: https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.05-0072
• Squirrell D, Lewis G, Burke JP (2005) Congenital Brown’s Syndrome treated with exaggerated traction testing alone. Journal of AAPOS: 9 (4), 398-399; doi: 10.1016/j.jaapos.2005.02.012

Research activity

Posters

• Lewis G, Milnes L, Schwarze J, Adams A, Duff A (2022) Determinants of indoor allergen avoidance uptake in the homes of children and young people with severe asthma and allergic sensitisation: a qualitative study. World Allergy Congress, World Allergy Organization, Istanbul, October 13-15th 2022.

• Lewis G, Milnes L, Schwarze J, Adams A, Duff A. (2021) What determines the extent to which children & young people avoid asthma triggers at home? 10^th World Conference of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). View Poster

• O’Donnell R, Rowa-Dewar N, Lumsdaine C, Swanston L, Lewis G, Amos G. (2019) Developing a harm reduction approach to protect disadvantaged children from second-hand smoke: A qualitative study with parents and practitioners. World Social Marketing Conference 2019. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20049.48487

• Brazier J, Bansback N, Espallargues M, Czoski-Murray C, Phippen G, Carlton J. (2005) Are generic preference-based measures truly generic? The case of visual impairment. 5th iHEA World Congress on Health Economics. Barcelona, Spain, July 2005

• Brazier J, Bansback N, Espallargues M, Czoski-Murray C, Phippen G, Carlton J (2005) The relationship between impairment and generic based preference measures, patient valuations and patient life satisfaction, in age related macular degeneration. European Conference on Health Economics, London School of Economics, London 2005

• Espallargues M, Brazier J, Czoski-Murray C, Bansback N, Phippen G, Carlton J. (2004) Health status measurement in age-related macular disease: new evidence for clinic and economic evaluation. Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi), Krakow, Poland, 30th May - 2nd June 2004

Conference presentations

• Lewis G, Milnes L, Adams A, Schwarze J, Duff A (2022) Supporting self-management of indoor asthma triggers and allergens in children and teens with sever asthma: what do families value and what further information do they need? Session: 'Hot topics in childhood asthma' British Thoracic Society winter meeting, London, 2022. BMJ Thorax. 77(suppl.1), https//thorax.bmj.com/content/77/Suppl_1/A24.2 

• Understanding family beliefs and decisions regarding management of asthma triggers in the homes of children and young people: An ongoing qualitative study to inform a grounded theory. Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research ASM: 15-16^th June, 2022

• The challenges of qualitative research with children and young people. Methodology Session: Research Methods with Children and Young People from PPI to Co-researchers: Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research ASM: 15-16^th June, 2022

• Grace Lewis, Linda Milnes, Jurgen Schwarze, Alexandra Adams, Alistair Duff (2021) What determines whether families follow advice to avoid indoor environmental triggers of children's and young peoples' asthma?  A scoping review. 15th International Family Nursing Conference (IFNC15) 28th June - 2nd July 2021
• Carlton J, Phippen G, Hughes L, Czoski-Murray C, Bansback N, Espallargues M, Brand C, Brazier J (2004) A survey of quality of life in patients with age related macular degeneration. Transactions of the Xth International Orthoptic Congress: Melbourne, Australia, 14th-17th November 2004