Use of a Living Lab Approach to Implement a Smoke-Free Campus Policy.

While universities have increasingly become tobacco-/smoke-free, to our knowledge, no campus has reported 100% policy compliance. Innovative approaches to encourage compliance and ongoing data collection are needed. This paper describes actions undertaken, framed within a Living Lab (LL) approach, to implement smoke-free campus policies in an Irish university.

Development and proposed evaluation of an eHealth learning tool for undergraduate university students in Ireland.

Undergraduate university students are at a critical stage of development in terms of their academic, social, psychological and behavioural health. Patterns established during these formative years can last a lifetime. eHealth tools have the potential to be engaging, convenient and accessible to a wide range of students by providing health information and enhancing the uptake of positive health behaviours.

A multi-faceted intervention to reduce alcohol misuse and harm amongst sports people in Ireland: A controlled trial.

Introduction And Aims: Alcohol misuse and harm are more prevalent amongst sports people than non-sports people. Few studies have trialled interventions to address alcohol misuse for this group. The study aimed to test the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce alcohol misuse and related harms amongst amateur sports people in Ireland.

Shared care across the interface between primary and specialty care in management of long term conditions.

Background: Shared care has been used in the management of many chronic conditions with the assumption that it delivers better care than primary or specialty care alone; however, little is known about the effectiveness of shared care.

Objectives: To determine the effectiveness of shared care health service interventions designed to improve the management of chronic disease across the primary/specialty care interface. This is an update of a previously published review.

Trends and socioeconomic differences in policy triggers for thinking about quitting smoking: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Europe Surveys.

Introduction: The aim of the current study is to investigate trends and socioeconomic differences in policy triggers for thinking about quitting in six European countries.

Methods: Data were derived from all available survey waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Europe Surveys (2003-2013). France conducted three survey waves (n=1420-1735), Germany three waves (n=515-1515), The Netherlands seven waves (n=1420-1668), Ireland three waves (n=582-1071), Scotland two waves (n=461-507), and the rest of the United Kingdom conducted seven survey waves (n=861-1737).

Socioeconomic and country variations in cross-border cigarette purchasing as tobacco tax avoidance strategy. Findings from the ITC Europe Surveys.

Background: Legal tobacco tax avoidance strategies such as cross-border cigarette purchasing may attenuate the impact of tax increases on tobacco consumption. Little is known about socioeconomic and country variations in cross-border purchasing.

Objective: To describe socioeconomic and country variations in cross-border cigarette purchasing in six European countries.

Attitudes of women from five European countries regarding tobacco control policies.

Aims: Tobacco-related cancers and, in particular, lung cancer still represents a substantial public health epidemic across Europe as a result of high rates of smoking prevalence. Countries in Europe have proposed and implemented tobacco control policies to reduce smoking prevalence, with some countries being more progressive than others. The aim of this study was to examine factors that influenced women's attitudes across five European countries relative to comprehensive smokefree laws in their countries.

Impact of national smoke-free legislation on home smoking bans: findings from the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project Europe Surveys.

Objectives: To measure changes in prevalence and predictors of home smoking bans (HSBs) among smokers in four European countries after the implementation of national smoke-free legislation.

Design: Two waves of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project Europe Surveys, which is a prospective panel study. Pre- and post-legislation data were used from Ireland, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Comparative impact of smoke-free legislation on smoking cessation in three European countries.

Background: Little is known about the differential impact of comprehensive and partial smoke-free legislation on smoking cessation. This study aimed to examine the impact of comprehensive smoke-free workplace legislation in Ireland and England, and partial hospitality industry legislation in the Netherlands on quit attempts and quit success.

Methods: Nationally representative samples of 2,219 adult smokers were interviewed in three countries as part of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Europe Surveys.

Prevalence and predictors of smoking in "smoke-free" bars. Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Europe Surveys.

National level smoke-free legislation is implemented to protect the public from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke (SHS). The first aim of this study was to investigate how successful the smoke-free hospitality industry legislation in Ireland (March 2004), France (January 2008), the Netherlands (July 2008), and Germany (between August 2007 and July 2008) was in reducing smoking in bars. The second aim was to assess individual smokers' predictors of smoking in bars post-ban.

Alcohol use among amateur sportsmen in Ireland.

Background: The objective of this study was to establish baseline data on alcohol consumption patterns, behaviours and harms among amateur sportsmen in the Republic of Ireland.

Findings: The study presents findings from the baseline survey for a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a community intervention programme to reduce problem alcohol use among a representative sample of Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) clubs in two counties in the Republic of Ireland. Self reported alcohol use, prevalence of binge drinking, AUDIT scores and alcohol-related harms were assessed in amateur GAA sportsmen aged 16 years and over.

Knowledge and beliefs about smoking and cancer among women in five European countries.

Background: Lung cancer mortality in women is increasing across Europe, reflecting the alarming increase in smoking prevalence. Understanding women's perception of smoking may help to identify ways to reduce its prevalence and prevent uptake of smoking. The aim of this study was to examine factors associated with knowledge and beliefs about smoking and cancer among European women.

A telephone survey of parental attitudes and behaviours regarding teenage drinking.

Background: Irish teenagers demonstrate high rates of drunkenness and there has been a progressive fall in age of first drinking in recent decades. International research indicates that parents exert substantial influence over their teenager's drinking. We sought to determine the attitudes and behaviours of Irish parents towards drinking by their adolescent children.

Primary medical care in Irish prisons.

Background: An industrial dispute between prison doctors and the Irish Prison Service (IPS) took place in 2004. Part of the resolution of that dispute was that an independent review of prison medical and support services be carried out by a University Department of Primary Care. The review took place in 2008 and we report here on the principal findings of that review.

Determinants of smoking initiation among women in five European countries: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: The rate of smoking and lung cancer among women is rising in Europe. The primary aim of this study was to determine why women begin smoking in five different European countries at different stages of the tobacco epidemic and to determine if smoking is associated with certain characteristics and/or beliefs about smoking.

Methods: A cross-sectional telephone survey on knowledge and beliefs about tobacco was conducted as part of the Women in Europe Against Lung Cancer and Smoking (WELAS) Project.

The effect of the Irish smoke-free workplace legislation on smoking among bar workers.

Background: On 29 March 2004, the Republic of Ireland (ROI) became the first EU country to introduce a nationwide ban on workplace smoking. While the focus of this measure was to protect worker health by reducing exposure to second-hand smoke, other effects such as a greater reduction in smoking prevalence and consumption were likely among bar workers.

Methods: A random sample of bar workers from Cork city were surveyed before (n = 129) and after (n = 107; 82.

The impact of banning smoking in workplaces: what are the early effects?

Smoke-free workplace legislation reduces the exposure of both the general public and the workforce to second-hand smoke (SHS) without evidence of an increased exposure to SHS in children in the home. The reductions in exposure are linked to improved respiratory health in previously heavily exposed occupational groups such as bar, restaurant and casino staff. From some countries, there is evidence suggesting that smoking bans have led to declines in hospital admissions for myocardial infarction.

Does sharing care across the primary-specialty interface improve outcomes in chronic disease? A systematic review.

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of shared care interventions designed to improve the management of chronic disease across the primary-specialty care interface.

Study Design And Methods: Systematic review using the Cochrane Collaboration method.

Results: Twenty studies were identified, 19 of which were randomized controlled trials.

Before and after study of bar workers' perceptions of the impact of smoke-free workplace legislation in the Republic of Ireland.

Objectives: To compare support for, and perceptions of, the impacts of smoke-free workplace legislation among bar workers in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) pre- and post-implementation, and to identify predictors of support for the legislation.

Setting: Public houses (pubs) in three areas of the ROI.

Design: Comparisons pre- and post-implementation of smoke-free workplace legislation.

Legislation for smoke-free workplaces and health of bar workers in Ireland: before and after study.

Objectives: To compare exposure to secondhand smoke and respiratory health in bar staff in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland before and after the introduction of legislation for smoke-free workplaces in the Republic.

Design: Comparisons before and after the legislation in intervention and control regions.

Setting: Public houses in three areas in the Republic (intervention) and one area in Northern Ireland (control).