People with mental health difficulties are more likely to smoke and to have smoking-related diseases (1). These diseases represent a major cause of the premature mortality experienced by this group (2-4), who die on average ten to twenty years younger than the general population (5-9). However, we now have good […]
SPHeRE Blog
Exploring intervention fidelity in trials of interventions to change infant feeding behaviours – are we testing what we think we’re testing?
The first two years of life represent an important stage in a child’s development. In particular, how and what a child is fed during this time has an important influence on their subsequent development. For example, infant feeding behaviours such as the early or inappropriate introduction of solid foods […]
Prevention and intervention of childhood obesity needed before school entry – longitudinal findings from Ireland
Despite the almost constant news coverage, obesity remains a top five killer both globally (1) and in Ireland (2) with no solution to this omnipresent challenge yet identified to date. Considering that obesity, once present, is likely to track into later life (3), early prevention in the youngest children, before […]
Medication Screening of Older Hospitalised Patients: The Cost-Effective Way Forward
Older people often have multiple comorbidities and as a result, are commonly prescribed several drugs. This increases their risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).(1) A recent randomised controlled trial conducted in an Irish University teaching hospital that evaluated a physician-implemented medication screening tool, demonstrated positive outcomes in terms of a […]
Optimising exercise prescription to support muscle function in healthy ageing
We are currently in the midst of unprecedented shifts in population age profile, which underscore the need for strategies that promote healthy ageing. For instance, the number of people aged over 60 years has tripled since 1950, reaching 605 million in 2000, and will double that to 1.2 billion in […]
Participants’ Perspectives and Preferences on Clinical Trial Result Dissemination: The TRUST Thyroid Trial Experience.
The results of clinical trials are not traditionally disseminated to clinical trial participants. While there is a growing awareness that participants should receive study results, little is known about the most appropriate methods of doing so. The Thyroid Hormone Replacement for Subclinical Hypothyroidism Trial (TRUST) was a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised, […]
Patients, Placebos, and Clinical Research: Making much ado about nothing
Researchers are required to furnish patients with information to enable them to make informed decisions. In medical research participants need to know: “What are the risks of participating? What are the risks of not participating? What are the possible benefits?” Providing this information is an ethical imperative. Studies show that […]
Lifestyle Approaches to Cholesterol Management
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of premature death and disability worldwide [1]. In Ireland, approximately 10,000 people die each year from CVD – including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and other circulatory diseases. While it is not possible to change the non-modifiable risk factors for CVD (such as age, ethnic background and […]
Prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing in a subpopulation of older European clinical trial participants: a cross-sectional study
Older people often have multiple comorbidities and as a consequence are frequently prescribed multiple drugs. This increases their risk of adverse drug events (ADEs), extended hospital stays and mortality 1. Potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) describes any drug that has the potential to cause an adverse event which can outweigh its […]
Cognitive impairment and medication adherence in stroke
Up to a third of all strokes are recurrent events, which tend to be more severe and lead to increased levels of disability. Medications to control cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia and atrial fibrillation, are essential for secondary prevention. However, medication adherence is often poor, with up to […]