Members of the Community and Health Research Unit from the University of Lincoln recently attended the combined Society of Academic Primary Care and RCGP Annual Scientific Meeting in Glasgow where they were selected to give five oral presentations on some of the team’s current research into cardiovascular disease, adult vaccination and insomnia treatment. The conference provided a wonderful opportunity for junior and senior members of the team to present work at an international conference. 
Dr Zahid Asghar (senior lecturer) presented a study funded by the NIHR Research for Patient Benefit programme entitled “Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination and risk of stroke/TIA (IPVASTIA): case control study using the GPRD” which showed an association between influenza vaccination and reduced risk of stroke. Fiona Togher (research assistant) presented “Using qualitative methods for generating patient reported outcome measures and patient reported experience measures for pre-hospital care of stroke and heart attack.” The study was funded by the Health Foundation as part of the Ambulance Services Cardiovascular Quality Initiative which as been shortlisted for an HSJ award.
Jo Middlemass presented a study funded by the EPSRC, ” Integrating online communities and social networks with computerised treatment for insomnia: a qualitative study of service user and primary health care professional perspectives” which has been the basis for development of a novel platform for delivery of computerised psychological therapies. Finally Niro Siriwardena (professor), director of CaHRU, presented two studies, “Seven steps for improving influenza vaccination rates in risk-groups: findings from a national cross sectional survey in UK general practice” funded by the NIHR Policy Research Programme and “How effective are Z-drug hypnotics for treatment of adult insomnia? Meta-analysis of data submitted to the Food and Drug Administration.”