My name is David Comer and I’m a SPHeRE Scholar based in the University of Galway, Ireland. My health psychology PhD focuses on the delivery of a medication called HIV PrEP – short for pre-exposure prophylaxis – that can be taken by people who don’t have HIV to prevent the […]
SPHeRE Blog
Enhancing Collaboration: Using a Design Sprint to maximise stakeholder engagement at a Symposium – by Geraldine O’Callaghan, Patricia Hall, Deirdre McCartan, Clare Fitzgerald, PhD Scholars, iPASTAR CDA
The annual iPASTAR (improving Pathways for Acute Stroke and Rehabilitation) Symposium offers the iPASTAR CDA scholars and their supervisors the opportunity to learn from field leaders in Irish stroke research while also showcasing the scholars’ research outputs and future research goals to interdisciplinary colleagues similarly interested in improving patient care, […]
Implementation of Menu Labelling Policies: Opportunities & Challenges – by Dr. Claire Kerins
The rationale for menu labelling Prevention of obesity is a public health priority both globally and in Ireland. While the causes of obesity are complex and multifaceted, poor diet is a leading risk factor. Foods prepared outside the home (e.g., fast food outlets, restaurants, worksite canteens) represent increasing proportions of […]
Developing Guidance for Patient and Public Involvement in the Collaborative Doctoral Programme for Chronic Disease Prevention (CDP-CDP)
What is the CDP-CDP? The Collaborative Doctoral Programme in Chronic Disease Prevention (CDP-CDP) is a structured doctoral programme training six SPHeRE scholars to become future leaders in chronic disease research, implementation, and policy development. We are Eanna (Health Psychologist), Pauline (Dietitian), Irene (Nurse), Márcia (Health Psychologist), Clair (Physiotherapist), and Edel […]
Networking at the European Stroke Organisation Conference
Geraldine O’Callaghan, Clare Fitzgerald and Patricia Hall, three second year SPHeRE PhD scholars, who are part of the iPASTAR (improving pathways for acute stroke and rehabilitation) CDA, were delighted to represent Irish Stroke Research at this year’s European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) in beautiful Lyon, France. This was a hybrid […]
A Pharmacist Amongst Paramedics – by Edel Burton
An account of a SPHeRE national placement in the National Ambulance Service Clinical Directorate Edel Burton is a second year SPHeRE Scholar and Clinical Pharmacist who carried out her SPHeRE national placement in the National Ambulance Service (NAS) Clinical Directorate, in Dooradoyle, Limerick from March-May 2022. Edel’s placement supervisor was […]
Making Healthcare Accessible for Populations Experiencing Homelessness, by Dr Rikke Siersbaek
There is ample evidence which shows that populations who experience social exclusion and deprivation have poorer health outcomes than populations who do not. We also know that there is a gradient in health where wealthy populations experience significantly better health than those at the other end of the spectrum. This […]
Diabetes and undiagnosed depression in the over 50s in Ireland, England and the USA, by Niamh McGrath
Diabetes is estimated as posing a 24 – 33% increased risk of new depression cases (1,2). This is thought due to shared underlying biological mechanisms (3–6) as well as the psychosocial burden of living with diabetes, due to unhelpful cognitions and beliefs related to diabetes (7) and/or poor access to […]
National Public Engagement on Health Information in Ireland, by Dr Sarah Jane Flaherty
Health information relates to information on a person’s health; care that is being, has been or may be provided; and any other information required for the provision of care. Health information is invaluable both for managing direct patient care and also for reasons beyond direct care, such as health services […]
Health Technology Assessment of Medicines in Ireland, by Dr Caroline Walsh
The role of the NCPE, the HTA process and European collaborations Dr Caroline Walsh, SPHeRE cohort 2016-2020 Health Technology Assessor, National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (NCPE) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) involves the assessment of evidence of comparative effectiveness, safety, cost-effectiveness and potential budget impact of health technologies for use by […]