Publications by authors named "Thomas O'Dowd"
Purpose: In July 2015, all children aged younger than 6 years gained free access to daytime and out-of-hours general practice services in the Republic of Ireland. Although 30% previously had free access, 70% did not.
Methods: To examine subsequent changes in service use, we retrospectively analyzed anonymized visitation data from 8 general practices in North Dublin providing daytime service and their local out-of-hours service, comparing the 1 year before and the 1 year after introduction of free care.
Article Synopsis
- Children often do not report being bullied, which can lead to negative health outcomes, highlighting the importance of early identification by healthcare professionals.
- The study analyzed data from 8,568 9-year-olds in the Irish National Longitudinal Study, finding higher healthcare utilization among bullied children, particularly increased visits to general practitioners and mental health practitioners, though not emergency department usage or hospital stays.
- Gender differences were evident, with victimized girls visiting GPs and spending more nights in the hospital, while victimized boys were more likely to reach out to mental health professionals; these findings could inform clinical guidelines for the care of bullied children.
Understanding type 2 diabetes: including the family member's perspective.
Diabetes Educ
December 2009
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological and social factors and diabetes outcomes in people with type 2 diabetes and their family members.
Methods: A total of 153 patients with type 2 diabetes were assessed at a diabetes outpatient clinic and postal questionnaires were sent to nominated family members. The measures examined were diabetes knowledge, social support, well-being, and illness perceptions.
Objective: General practice co-operatives have led to significant improvements in quality of life for general practitioners. Little is known about general practitioners' own experiences with the working arrangements and governance of co-operatives. This study investigates GP satisfaction, the working environment, governance and future developments in co-operatives.
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