Basic Information

Name: Sarah Peters
Title: Professor of Health Psychology
Institution: University of Manchester
Discipline: Psychology
Years of experience: 20

Research

Primary methodological research approach:

• Medically unexplained physical symptoms
• Patient education
• Patient–provider relationship

Focus of research in communication and healthcare:

• Qualitative methods
• RCT
• Systematic literature review

Description

Three keywords describing expertise and interest:

1. behavior change

Description of field of expertise, major interests, and consultation topics:

My research focuses on healthcare communication, particularly within challenging contexts, such as medically unexplained symptoms, unhealthy behaviours and suicide. The goal of my work is to improve patient care and a key aspect is how to equip health professionals to communicate more effectively with patients, relatives and colleagues. I use a range of methods but specialise in how to integrate qualitative methods within randomised controlled trials to examine mechanisms of action, acceptability, feasibility and implementation of psychological and educational interventions.

Brief biography:

My background is in psychology. I am Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Manchester, UK, and since 2022 have been director of the Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, the largest international group of health psychologists. I am a keen supporter of early career staff and building capacity in the next generation of healthcare communication researchers