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Dr Kate Alford

A head and shoulders image of Kate Alford standing against a grey wall

Dr Kate Alford (MA, MSc, PhD)

Research Fellow in HIV and Neurology
E: K.Alford3@bsms.ac.uk
Location: Medical Research Building, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9XP

Areas of expertise: HIV; HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders; Health-related quality of life; Qualitative methodologies; Psychometric assessment of patient reported outcomes (PROMs)

Research areas: Cognitive impairment in people living with HIV (PLWH); Quality of life in PLWH; HIV and mental health; Cognitive neuroscience; fMRI

Preferred gender pronouns: She/her

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Biography

Dr Kate Alford is a research fellow in HIV and Neurology with an interest in cognitive impairment and mental health in people living with HIV (PLWH). She works within Prof Jaime Vera’s HIV Aging and Comorbidities research group at BSMS and at the Lawson Unit at University Hospitals Sussex (UHS). Kate completed her PhD at BSMS examining health-related quality of life in people living with HIV and cognitive impairment. Prior to completing her PhD, Kate worked on HIV and mental health studies within UHS and Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. She has an undergraduate degree in Psychology (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen and a Masters in Cognitive Neuroscience (MSc) from the University of Sussex.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Research interests

At BSMS, Kate works across a number of different projects examining the acceptability of injectable antiretroviral therapy (LEAP Study), screening for cognitive impairment in PLWH (Views on Screening for Cognitive Impairment Study), understanding research priorities for improving quality of life in PLWH with cognitive issues (UPLIFT Study), and brain fMRI parameters in people switching antiretroviral therapy to help with insomnia (BIC-CNS Study). For more information on these projects please see the HIV and sexual Health research page.

Publications

Morris R, Alford K, Vera JH. How are HIV services in the UK currently identifying and managing patients with cognitive impairment? Results of a national survey. HIV medicine. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13494

Alford K, Banerjee S, Daley S, Hamlyn E, Trotman D, Vera JH. Health-Related Quality of Life in People Living With HIV With Cognitive Symptoms: Assessing Relevant Domains and Associations. Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care (JIAPAC). 2023;22. doi:10.1177/23259582231164241

Alford K, Daley S, Banerjee S, Hamlyn E, Trotman D, Vera JH. “A fog that impacts everything”: a qualitative study of health-related quality of life in people living with HIV who have cognitive impairment. Quality of Life Research. 2022 May 17:1-2.

Alford K, Daley S, Banerjee S, Vera JH. Quality of life in people living with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder: A scoping review study. PLoS One. 2021;16(5):e0251944

Leake Date HA, Alford K, Hounsome N, Moore D, Ing K, Vera JH. Structured medicines reviews in HIV outpatients: a feasibility study (The MOR Study). HIV Med. 2021.

Levett T, Alford K, Roberts J, Adler Z, Wright J, Vera JH. Evaluation of a Combined HIV and Geriatrics Clinic for Older People Living with HIV: The Silver Clinic in Brighton, UK. Geriatrics (Basel). 2020;5(4)

Alford K, Banerjee S, Nixon E, O'Brien C, Pounds O, Butler A, et al. Assessment and Management of HIV-Associated Cognitive Impairment: Experience from a Multidisciplinary Memory Service for People Living with HIV. Brain Sci. 2019;9(2)

Alford K, Vera JH. Cognitive Impairment in people living with HIV in the ART era: A Review. Br Med Bull. 2018;127(1):55-68.

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