About
Debra Sandford holds an affiliate appointment as a senior clinical psychologist research fellow at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and runs a private clinical psychology practice in the Ashford Specialist Centre.
Debra returned to The University of Adelaide to undertake a PhD in the Disciplines of Psychiatry and Respiratory Medicine. Her research topic for her PhD investigates the psychological impact of IPF on the patient and their caregivers before and after a psychologically based 6-week group intervention. The aim of the intervention programme is to improve patient and caregiver perceptions on their health-related quality of life.
Debra’s motivation to research this topic and to develop a programme to increase psychological well-being, came about after an IPF patient referred to her private psychology clinic related the significant impact this disease had on his and his wife’s mental health. Currently, there are 3 hospitals, The Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia, The Austin and The Royal Melbourne Hospitals in Melbourne, Victoria involved with recruiting participants for this research.