Understanding uptake of the COVID-19 vaccination among the homeless: A mixed methods evaluation.

Background: Ensuring effective access to vaccinations for people experiencing homelessness is crucial to protecting the health of a vulnerable, yet often overlooked population. Reaching this goal takes more than a one size fits all approach. This study evaluates how a dedicated health team collaborated with multiple agencies to register and deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to people experiencing homelessness.

Prescriber Adherence to Antihypertensive Prescription Guidelines and the Impact of Patient Socioeconomic Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Data From the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

Purpose: Uncontrolled hypertension causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Several prescribing guidelines have been created to address this, however, prescriber adherence to guidelines is influenced by various sociodemographic patient factors. This study aims to determine the effects of these patient factors on prescriber adherence to antihypertensive prescription guidelines.

The impact of social deprivation on development and progression of diabetic kidney disease.

Introduction: Diabetes is one of the leading causes of chronic kidney disease. Social deprivation is recognised as a risk factor for complications of diabetes, including diabetic kidney disease. The effect of deprivation on rate of decline in renal function has not been explored in the Irish Health System to date.

Opportunistic atrial fibrillation screening in primary care in Ireland: results of a pilot screening programme.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF), a common, frequently asymptomatic cardiac arrhythmia, is a major risk factor for stroke. Identification of AF enables effective preventive treatment to be offered, potentially reducing stroke risk by up to two-thirds. There is international consensus that opportunistic AF screening is valuable though uncertainty remains about the optimum screening location and method.

Healthcare workers' perspectives on barriers and facilitators to referral and recruitment to diabetes prevention programmes: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Diabetes is a growing global health problem. International guidelines recommend identification, screening, and referral to behavioural programmes for those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes prevention programmes (DPPs) can prevent type 2 diabetes in those at high risk, however many eligible participants are not referred to these programmes.

Temporal trends of ambulance time intervals for suspected stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland: a quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: Time is a fundamental component of acute stroke and transient ischaemic attack (TIA) care, thus minimising prehospital delays is a crucial part of the stroke chain of survival. COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in Ireland in response to the pandemic, which resulted in major societal changes. However, current research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on prehospital care for stroke/TIA is limited to early COVID-19 waves.

Health care utilization and the associated costs attributable to cardiovascular disease in Ireland: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality and disability globally. We examined healthcare service utilization and costs attributable to CVD in Ireland in the period before the introduction of a major healthcare reform in 2016.

Methods: Secondary analysis of data from 8 113 participants of the first wave of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing.

Social deprivation and diabetic kidney disease: A European view.

There is a large body of literature demonstrating a social gradient in health and increasing evidence of an association between social deprivation and diabetes complications. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) increases mortality in people with diabetes. Socioeconomic deprivation is increasingly recognized as a modifier of risk factors for kidney disease but also an independent risk factor itself for kidney disease.

Factors influencing participation in an online national diabetes prevention programme: A qualitative study with attenders and educators.

Aim: To explore factors affecting participation in the pilot of the synchronous online national diabetes prevention programme (NDPP) in Ireland from the perspectives of those who attended and the educators who recruited for and delivered the programme.

Methods: A qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups with NDPP attenders (attended the assessment and at least one session) and educators (dietitians) on the programme. The Framework Method using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) guided the analysis.

Prenatal maternal cortisol, stress and anxiety, and childhood obesity at 5 years: a nested case-control study.

Background: Paediatric obesity is a global public health issue. Prenatal maternal mental health is potentially implicated in the development of childhood obesity. This study examined associations between prenatal maternal cortisol, self-reported stress, anxiety and depression in the second trimester, and childhood overweight and obesity at 5 years of age.

Childhood socioeconomic position and sex-specific trajectories of metabolic traits across early life: prospective cohort study.

Background: Socioeconomic inequalities in cardiovascular disease risk begin early in life and are more pronounced in females than males later in life. Causal atherogenic traits explaining this are not well understood. We explored sex-specific associations between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) and molecular measures of systemic metabolism across early life.

Implementing an integrated diabetic foot care programme in Ireland: podiatrists' experience.

Background: International evidence suggests that an integrated multidisciplinary approach to diabetic foot management is necessary to prevent ulceration and progression to amputation. Many health systems have introduced policies or models of care supporting the introduction of this evidence into practice, but little is known about the experiences of those involved in implementation. This study addresses this gap by examining the experiences of podiatrists providing integrated diabetic foot care.

Incidence and Determinants of Spontaneous Normalization of Subclinical Hypothyroidism in Older Adults.

Context: With age, the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism rises. However, incidence and determinants of spontaneous normalization remain largely unknown.

Objective: To investigate incidence and determinants of spontaneous normalization of TSH levels in older adults with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Cohort profile update: The Cork and Kerry Diabetes and Heart Disease Study.

The Cork and Kerry Diabetes and Heart Disease Study was established to investigate the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease among middle-aged adults in Ireland. The Mitchelstown cohort was recruited from a single large primary care centre between 2010-2011. A rescreen of this cohort was conducted in 2015.

Overtreatment and associated risk factors among multimorbid older patients with diabetes.

Background: In multimorbid older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the intensity of glucose-lowering medication (GLM) should be focused on attaining a suitable level of glycated hemoglobin (HbA ) while avoiding side effects. We aimed at identifying patients with overtreatment of T2DM as well as associated risk factors.

Methods: In a secondary analysis of a multicenter study of multimorbid older patients, we evaluated HbA levels among patients with T2DM.

Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Prehospital Emergency Care for Adults with Stroke and Transient Ischaemic Attack: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: COVID-19 has challenged global health care systems and resulted in prehospital delays for time-sensitive emergencies, like stroke and transient ischemic attacks (TIA). However, there are conflicting international reports on the level of effect of the pandemic on ambulance response intervals and emergency call volumes for these conditions.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to synthesize the international evidence on the effect of COVID-19 on ambulance response intervals and emergency call volume for suspected stroke and TIA.

Trends in incidence of ischaemic stroke in people with and without diabetes in Ireland 2005-2015.

Aims: We aim to describe the epidemiology of ischaemic stroke and in-hospital mortality associated with stroke among men and women with and without diabetes from 2005 to 2015.

Methods: Secondary data analysis of national hospital discharge data from the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry database. Stroke incidence and in-hospital mortality rates in people with and without diabetes were calculated.

Sex-specific trajectories of molecular cardiometabolic traits from childhood to young adulthood.

Background: The changes which typically occur in molecular causal risk factors and predictive biomarkers for cardiometabolic diseases across early life are not well characterised.

Methods: We quantified sex-specific trajectories of 148 metabolic trait concentrations including various lipoprotein subclasses from age 7 years to 25 years. Data were from 7065 to 7626 offspring (11 702 to14 797 repeated measures) of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort study.

What and how do different stakeholders contribute to intervention development? A mixed methods study.

UK Medical Research Council guidelines recommend end-user involvement in intervention development. There is limited evidence on the contributions of different end-users to this process. The aim of this Study Within A Trial (SWAT) was to identify and compare contributions from two groups of end-users - people with diabetes' (PWD) and healthcare professionals' (HCPs), during consensus meetings to inform an intervention to improve retinopathy screening uptake.

Facilitators and barriers to atrial fibrillation screening in primary care: a qualitative descriptive study of GPs in primary care in the Republic of Ireland.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is a major risk factor for stroke. AF is often asymptomatic, making it difficult to diagnose. Globally, stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.

Cross-sectional survey of compliance behaviour, knowledge and attitudes among cases and close contacts during COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: A key public health intervention is self-isolation for cases and restriction of movement for contacts. This study aimed to identify predictors of compliance behaviour and describe knowledge and attitudes among cases and contacts identified by the national Contact Management Programme to inform the global public health response.

Study Design: Secondary data analysis of anonymised cross-sectional survey data on national sample of cases and close contacts.

Facilitators and barriers to the introduction of atrial fibrillation screening in primary care: a qualitative descriptive study of general practitioners in primary care.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia, is a major risk factor for stroke. AF is often asymptomatic and, if identified, treatment can be offered that can reduce stroke risk by up to two thirds. AF screening meets many of the Wilson Jungner criteria for screening.

The role of defensive information processing in population-based colorectal cancer screening uptake.

Background: Internationally, colorectal cancer screening participation remains low despite the availability of home-based testing and numerous interventions to increase uptake. To be effective, interventions should be based on an understanding of what influences individuals' decisions about screening participation. This study investigates the association of defensive information processing (DIP) with fecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based colorectal cancer screening uptake.