Efficacy of facemasks in preventing transmission of COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings: A scoping review.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an abundance of literature relating to the efficacy of face masks on reducing transmission of COVID-19 in non-healthcare settings emerged.

Aim/objective: The aim of this scoping review was to allow the identification of: types of evidence conducted in this area; knowledge gaps and common concepts relating to mask efficacy in non-healthcare settings.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase and the Irish Management Institute bibliographic database on December 15th, 2021.

The effectiveness of interventions to improve the seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among nurses: A systematic review.

Background: Seasonal influenza is a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Despite annual recommendations, influenza vaccination uptake rates are disproportionately lower among nurses compared to other health care professionals, especially when compared to physicians. Nurses have an additional risk of exposure to influenza infection due to the nature of their work.

Mandatory vaccination for seasonal influenza: what are nurses' views?

Background: Preventing seasonal influenza is a public health priority but, although the benefits of vaccinating healthcare workers (HCWs) are emphasised, seasonal influenza vaccine uptake rates remain low. Voluntary vaccination policies have been less successful in achieving high vaccine uptake when compared to mandatory policies and the persistently low vaccine uptake among HCWs has fuelled debate on whether mandatory vaccination programmes should be implemented in the interest of patient safety.

Aim: This study explored nurses' views on mandatory vaccination policy for seasonal influenza.

Barriers and facilitators to seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among nurses: A mixed methods study.

Aim: To identify the barriers and facilitators to seasonal influenza vaccination uptake among nurses.

Background: Seasonal influenza causes significant mortality and morbidity among older people and high-risk groups. Vaccinating nurses against influenza is an essential public health measure to reduce the burden of disease.

Sexual transmission of Hepatitis C Virus infection in a heterosexual population: A systematic review.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an important cause of liver disease worldwide. Identification of risk factors can guide screening and prevention. Sexual transmission in monogamous heterosexual relationships is rare but it is uncertain which sexual behaviours are linked to HCV transmission.

Disease outcomes in a cohort of women in Ireland infected by hepatitis C-contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin during 1970s.

Background & Aim: In the mid-1990s, a group of Rh negative women was diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection, following administration of contaminated anti-D immunoglobulin in 1977-79. We aimed to describe their disease history and estimate the effect of selected host and treatment factors on disease progression.

Methods: We conducted a cohort study on the women infected with HCV.

Tuberculosis contact investigations associated with air travel in Ireland, September 2011 to November 2014.

The risk of communicable disease transmission during air travel is of public health concern and has received much attention over the years. We retrospectively reviewed information from nine flights (≥ 8 hours) associated with infectious tuberculosis (TB) cases in Ireland between September 2011 and November 2014 to investigate whether possible transmission had occurred. Twenty-four flights notified in Ireland associated with sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB cases with a history of air travel were reviewed.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine in an Irish cohort of people with an iatrogenic hepatitis C infection: results from a health and lifestyle survey.

Introduction: A cohort of people with iatrogenic HCV infection, current or resolved, in Ireland have access to primary and secondary health care services, including specified complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) services, free of charge.

Objectives: Information about their pattern of CAM usage and its association with various demographic and lifestyle factors, and current HCV status, was sought as part of a health and lifestyle survey, in order to provide information for health service planning.

Design And Methods: The survey was carried out by self-administered postal questionnaire.

Epidemiology, clinical characteristics and resource implications of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in intensive care units in Ireland.

Objective: To describe the incidence, clinical characteristics and outcomes of critically ill patients in Ireland with pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection, and to provide a dynamic assessment of the burden of such cases on Irish intensive care units.

Design, Setting And Participants: Multicentre prospective observational study of all adult patients admitted to any of the 30 ICUs in the Republic of Ireland between 15 July 2009 and 30 May 2010.

Main Outcome Measures: Patient demographics, clinical characteristics and ICU mortality; ICU admissions, bed-days, bed occupancy rates and distribution.