Dr Carol Maddock

Dr Carol Maddock

Research Officer, Public Health

Telephone number

+44 (0) 1792 602048

Welsh language proficiency

Basic Welsh Speaker
Office (CADR) - 204
Second Floor
Talbot Building
Singleton Campus
Available For Postgraduate Supervision

About

I am a research officer based in the Centre for Innovative Ageing (CIA) and I am currently working on the Active Building Centre (ABC) project. This project aims to combine solar and low/zero carbon technologies with building design and operation to transform the construction and energy sectors. Our centre is involved with the ABC project to examine the impact of Active Builds on older people. We want to understand older people’s motives and the decision-making processes around moving to an ‘active’ home. I am particularly interested in public involvement and engagement in the research process and this is central to our research. We will be working with older people to devise and conduct the research. I retain an active role in the SUNRISE project (Strategic University Network to Revolutionize International Solar Energy and was involved in piloting arts based approaches to involvement and engagement in India (this blog has further details) as part of my role within the Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research (CADR) Cymru. I have also recently been awarded my PhD on the role of social support networks in the dementia literacy of older adults in Wales.

Areas Of Expertise

  • Public involvement and Engagement
  • Ageing and Dementia
  • Dementia Literacy
  • Qualitative and quantitative analysis

Career Highlights

Research

My PhD research examined the relationship between general understandings of dementia and influences on attitudes towards risks and lifestyle behaviours, how views are shared, and how interactions with individuals are affected. The relationships are encapsulated within the concept of dementia literacy.

This study used a mixed methods approach to examine levels of population health literacy and explore understandings of dementia literacy within the older Welsh population. A health literacy measure was derived using data from the Cognitive Functioning and Ageing Study Wales, a nationally representative survey of older adults. The measure enabled relationships between health literacy and social factors to be determined. In depth interviews with a subset of participants were conducted to provide a picture of dementia literacy and how it was shared within social support networks. A qualitative framework approach was used for data analysis.