The SPHeRE Programme has opened the application process for applications to the 2018/19 PhD Programme. Applications are now open for the SPHeRE PhD Programme; the HRB will fund 3 Scholars in 2018/19, one to be enrolled in each of RCSI, Trinity College and UCC. Self-funded or alternatively-funded Scholars may apply […]
SPHeRE Blog
Patient reported health status and all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease
Patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) typically have reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to those without the disease. Self-rated health (SRH) can provide valuable information about individuals’ current health beyond what might be measured by clinical investigations or biomarkers. While far from perfect, and certainly not a replacement […]
The Cerebrovascular Nature of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects approximately 1 % of the population and approximately 1.5 million people are newly diagnosed each year globally. It is generally characterized by delusions (fixed and false beliefs), hallucinations (visual and auditory), and disorganized thinking and speech and begins in early adulthood and continues […]
Texting patients: what should GPs consider?
Substantial numbers of GPs currently text message their patients, and the number of text messages sent is increasing. The main objectives of this study were to assess the extent, growth, and perceived risks and benefits of text messaging by GPs to communicate with patients, and assess patients’ attitudes towards receiving […]
Dementia, Disclosing the Diagnosis
While numerous works have discussed formulation of a diagnosis of dementia there is little work to date on the practicalities involved in disclosing this diagnosis to a patient. We therefore outlined some of the key aspects of dementia diagnosis disclosure in a recent commentary published in the Quarterly Journal of […]
Emergency Department Overcrowding: When and Who?
While conducting research into the flow of patients through an Emergency Department (ED), we analysed a ten-year dataset of patient ages and waiting times. This analysis gave insight into seasonal and age-related factors in ED overcrowding and the findings were recently published in the Irish Medical Journal available here. To […]
Key discoveries in understanding the immune response to TB
Since 2015 tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from an infectious disease globally, killing more people than HIV/AIDS. Although TB is generally treatable and curable, it is estimated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that one third of the world’s population are infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the […]
Resistant hypertension? One in three cases may be due to non-adherence
Resistant hypertension (RH) is a chronic condition in which blood pressure is persistently elevated, despite concurrent treatment with three or more antihypertensive agents. It is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and its effective treatment is costly and invasive. RH has been a hot topic of late, with more […]
Testing times ahead for the Irish healthcare system? A behaviour change intervention targeting test ordering in primary care
One of the most consistent findings in health services research relates to gaps between ideal (as determined by scientific evidence) and actual care. Shifting care out of hospitals and into the Primary Care, community setting is at the core of a plan to radically transform Irish healthcare. Under an expansion […]
Unmet need for bariatric surgery in Ireland
As a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, obesity poses a significant threat to population health and places substantial burden on health services. It is clear that the treatment of morbid obesity needs to be recognised as a fundamental aspect in tackling the obesity epidemic. The increasing evidence on […]