University of Oxford Seeks Young People with Alopecia to Interview

Researchers at the University of Oxford are looking for young people with Alopecia to take part in a new project called SKINS.

The Health Experiences Research Group at the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, are seeking people aged between 12 and 24 with Alopecia to feature on a new website called Healthtalkonline. Run by a leading charity, the award-winning website will act as an information centre and online resource on Alopecia and other skin-related conditions.

A chance to help others with Alopecia

The project is being funded by the National Institute for Health Research and aims to improve understanding of conditions like Alopecia and Psoriasis in addition to helping others who are suffering from these conditions. Being interviewed will give young people with Alopecia Areata a chance to share their story, and provide useful information that may comfort others with the auto-immune hair loss condition, and their families.

Interviews from the study will appear on the website as a film, audio clip or written interview, with an option to appear anonymously. In addition to being made available on the website, the information will also be used for training materials and to improve understanding of the condition among health professionals.

Sharing experiences

Researchers are interested in finding out more about what it is like to live with Alopecia, and will ask interviewees about their experiences and how it affects their life. Interviewees will have the opportunity to discuss how they got a diagnosis, treatment options for Alopecia and any other useful tips or resources for managing their condition.

How to get involved

For more information on the project including how to take part, visit the SKINS project website. Alternatively you can contact the researcher Abigail McNiven directly on [email protected], 01865 617944 or tweet @AbiSKINS. Interviewees can choose to opt out at any time, and for those that decide to take part, travel expenses will be covered if travel is required.