Professor Stephen Walters BSc, PGCE, MSc, PhD, CStat.
Professor of Medical Statistics and Clinical Trials
ScHARR
The University of Sheffield
Regent Court
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
Tel: (+44) (0)114 222 0730
Fax: (+44) (0)114 272 4095
email : s.j.walters@sheffield.ac.uk
Biography
I graduated with a degree in Mathematics and Economics. This was followed by a PGCE and an MSc in Medical Statistics and Information Technology. My PhD involved using computer intensive statistical methods for estimating sample sizes and analysing quality of life outcomes. I joined ScHARR in January 1995. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2003; Reader in 2008 and to a Personal Chair in 2009.
I have over 18 years´ experience of designing, analysing and reporting the results of a variety of studies including, randomised controlled trials, observational studies and surveys. I have written over 200 publications (including 113 in refereed journals and 3 books). I have been a co-applicant, statistical advisor and collaborator on numerous health services research projects.
Research Interests
My research interests are
- Design, Analysis and Interpretation of studies with Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) outcome measures. See 'Quality of life outcomes in clinical trials and health care evaluation: a practical guide to analysis and interpretation'.
- Computer intensive methods – the bootstrap.
- Health Services Research and Technology Assessment.
- Cluster RCTs and clustering by health professional in individually randomised trials.
- Study design and sample size determination.
Teaching Interests
I have developed several courses on teaching medical statistics to medical and health science students, clinicians and allied health professionals. I have also co-authored two textbooks: 'Medical Statistics: A Textbook for the Health Sciences' and 'How to Display Data'.
I co-ordinate and teach on HAR6035 `An Introduction to Statistics and Critical Appraisal´ module on the Master of Public Health programme. I also teach on several other courses including: HAR6036 Statistics for the Medical & health sciences; HAR674 Randomised Controlled Trials; MAS6062 Bayesian Methods and Clinical Trials and the MBchB degree programme.
Professional activities
- Member of the East Midlands Regional Funding Committee for the NIHR RfPB programme.
- Member of the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Clinical Evaluation and Trials Board.
- Member of the NICE Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee (PHIAC).
- Independent statistician member on several data and safety monitoring committees.
- Member of the International Advisory Board for the journal of Quality of Life Research.
- Member of the Editorial Board for the journal of Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.
- External Examiner for Newcastle University’s MSc in Public Health & Health Services Research.
Current projects
- NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Research Design Services (YHRDS). Co-applicant (PI: Professor R. Akehurst). 2008-2013 £5,000,000
- MRC Lifestyle Matters for maintenance of health and wellbeing. Co-applicant (PI: Professor G. Mountain).
2011-2015 £1,139,934 - NIHR PHR Putting Life in Years (PLINY): Evaluation of the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of an intervention to promote mental wellbeing in community living older people. Co-applicant (PI: Professor G. Mountain). 2011-2015 £706,611
- HTA Sheffield “Booster Activity Trial” (BAT) Project. Co-investigator (PI: Professor Liddy Goyder). (2008-2012) £1,200,000
- NIHR RfPB Programme RCT to assess the long term effectiveness of 40% salicylic acid plasters on corns. Co-investigator (PI: Professor W Vernon). (2008-2011) £250,000
Key publications
- Mutebi A, Brazier JE, Walters SJ. A comparison of the discriminative and evaluative properties of the SF-36 and the SF-6D index. Quality of Life Research 1-10 2011.
- Scott EJ, Dimairo M, Hind D, Goyder E, Copeland RJ, Breckon JD, Crank H, Walters SJ, Loban A, Cooper CL. "Booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods: internal pilot and feasibility study. BMC Public Health 11:129 2011.
- Boyle SE, Jones GL, Walters SJ. Physical activity, weight status and diet in adolescents: are children meeting the guidelines? Health, 2010; Vol.2, No.10, 1142-1149. doi:10.4236/health.2010.210167
- Brugha TS, Morrell CJ, Slade P, Walters SJ. Universal prevention of depression in women postnatally. Cluster randomized trial evidence in primary care. Psychological Medicine, August 2010; doi: 10.1017/S0033291710001467
- Boyle S.E., Jones G.L., Walters S.J. Quality of life, physical activity, weight status and diet in adolescents. Quality of Life Research, 2010; 19(7): 943-954.
- Hutchinson A., Dean J.E., Cooper K.L., McIntosh A., Walters S.J., Bath P.A., Pearson M., Rantell K., Campbell M.J., Nicholl J., Irwin P. Assessing quality of care from hospital case notes: comparison of reliability of two methods. Quality and Safety in Health Care, May 2010; doi:10.1136/qshc.2007.023911
- Collins K., Winslow M., Reed M.W., Walters S.J., Robinson T., Madan J., Green T., Cocker H., Wyld L. The views of older women towards mammographic screening: a qualitative and quantitative study. British Journal of Cancer, 2010; 102(10): 1461-1467.
- Walters S.J. Therapist effects in randomised controlled trials: what to do about them. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2010; 19(7-8): 1102-1112.
- Greenfield D.M., Walters S.J., Coleman R.E., Hancock B.W., Snowden J., Shalet S.M., DeRogatis L.R., Ross R.J.M. Health Related Quality of Life, Self-esteem, Fatigue and Sexual Function in Young Men after Cancer: a Controlled Cross-Sectional Study. Cancer 2010; 116(6) 1592-1601.
- Waterhouse J.C., Walters S.J., Oluboyede Y., Lawson R.A. A randomised 2 x 2 trial of community versus hospital pulmonary rehabilitation, followed by telephone or conventional follow-up. Health Technol Assess 2010; 14(6): 1-140.
- Hind D., Scott E.J., Copeland R., Breckon J.D., Crank H., Walters S.J., Brazier J.E., Nicholl J., Cooper C., and Goyder E. A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods. BMC Public Health 2010; 10(3).
- Hutchinson A., Coster J.E., Cooper K.L., McIntosh A., Walters S.J., Bath P.A., Pearson M., Young T.A., Rantell K., Campbell M.J., Ratcliffe J. Comparison of case note review methods for evaluating quality and safety in health care. Health Technol Assess 2010; 14(10): 1-144.
View full list of Stephen Walters' publications
Section
Stephen Walters is based in Health Services Research (HSR).