Factors Associated With Cocaine Use at 17 and 20 Years Old: A Longitudinal Analysis of a Nationally Representative Cohort.

Purpose: Despite growing concerns about trends in cocaine use, there is a shortage of longitudinal research that prospectively examines risk and protective factors associated with cocaine initiation and use in general youth populations. This study addresses this gap.

Methods: Growing Up in Ireland is a nationally representative cohort.

Magnusiomyces capitatus, an Unusual Cause of Invasive Fungal Infections in Neutropenic Patients: Case Reports and Outbreak Investigation.

Magnusiomyces capitatus is an environmental fungus found in soil, water, air, plants, and dairy products which may cause opportunistic infections in patients with haematological disorders resulting in high mortality rates. This series of the first reported cases in Ireland discusses investigation of two patients with underlying haematological disorders, hospitalised in the Irish National Adult Stem Cell Transplant Unit (NASCTU), who developed line-related fungaemias with M. capitatus within a three-month period.

Validation and implementation of whole-genome sequencing-based analytical methods for molecular surveillance and relatedness analysis of complex isolates at a national reference laboratory.

Whole genome sequencing-based methodologies have become extremely relevant for the molecular surveillance of human pathogens and are being increasingly introduced into national reference laboratory services. In this study, we describe the validation and implementation of core-genome Multi-Locus Sequence Typing (cgMLST) and whole genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (wgSNP) analysis at the Irish Mycobacteria Reference Laboratory, as a replacement for Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Unit-Variable Number Tandem Repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing. Concordance of clustering, discriminatory power, and ease-of-use of both WGS analytical methods were evaluated.

The clinical pathway in ADMiRE, Ireland's first public specialist service for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder occurring in approximately one in twenty young people in Ireland, and in one-third of those attending Irish Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It is important to treat ADHD, as un/poorly treated ADHD is associated with a raft of negative health and socio-economic outcomes. Effective interventions for ADHD are available, and the use of standardised, evidence-based pathways for assessment and management of ADHD optimises outcomes.

Genotypic and phenotypic antimicrobial resistance of Irish Clostridioides difficile isolates, 2022.

Objectives: Infection with Clostridioides difficile usually occurs after antibiotic treatment for other infections and can cause gastro-intestinal disorders of variable severity. C. difficile can be resistant to a wide spectrum of antimicrobials.

Predicting community acquired bloodstream infection in infants using full blood count parameters and C-reactive protein; a machine learning study.

Early recognition of bloodstream infection (BSI) in infants can be difficult, as symptoms may be non-specific, and culture can take up to 48 h. As a result, many infants receive unneeded antibiotic treatment while awaiting the culture results. In this study, we aimed to develop a model that can reliably identify infants who do not have positive blood cultures (and, by extension, BSI) based on the full blood count (FBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP) values.

'No one else understands', 'I wouldn't want to pity myself over something that's not really my problem': siblings' experiences of their adolescent brothers and sisters' inpatient treatment for mental health difficulties.

Background: Family life is disrupted when a child experiences mental health difficulties. This can have long-standing effects on sibling relationships. This study explores the lived experiences of young people who have an adolescent sibling hospitalised for treatment of a mental health difficulty.

Prevalence and correlates of restrictive interventions in an Irish child and adolescent psychiatric unit: a 4-year retrospective study.

Background: There has been a global effort to reduce the use of restrictive interventions (RIs) in healthcare settings. In order to reduce unnecessary RIs, it is essential to understand their use in mental health settings. To date, there have been few studies examining the use of RIs in child and adolescent mental health settings, with no such studies in Ireland.

CRISIS AFAR: an international collaborative study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and service access in youth with autism and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Background: Heterogeneous mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic are documented in the general population. Such heterogeneity has not been systematically assessed in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). To identify distinct patterns of the pandemic impact and their predictors in ASD/NDD youth, we focused on pandemic-related changes in symptoms and access to services.

Shiga toxin-producing clonal complex 32, including serotype O145:H28, in the UK and Ireland.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) O157:H7 has been the most clinically significant STEC serotype in the UK for over four decades. Over the last 10 years we have observed a decrease in STEC O157:H7 and an increase in non-O157 STEC serotypes, such as O145:H28. Little is known about the microbiology and epidemiology of STEC belonging to CC32 (including O145:H28) in the UK.

Autism spectrum disorders: current issues and future directions.

This edition of Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine is a Special Themed Issue on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Mental health services are not currently meeting the needs of autistic people across the lifespan. We have limited evidence based treatments for core symptoms and comorbidities and there is lack of awareness and under-recognition of ASD, particularly in adults and certain groups of individuals.

National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders: a pragmatic review of a new national eating disorder service in Ireland.

Objective: The Health Service Executive National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders (NCPED) launched a Model of Care for Eating Disorder Services in Ireland in 2018. Currently, one adult and two child and adolescent eating disorder services are operational out of a total of sixteen recommended. The three objectives of this paper are to describe the early (1) referral pattern, (2) level of service activity and (3) the level of service user satisfaction.

Service user satisfaction with care in a specialist service for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Objectives: Consumer satisfaction is considered one of the most important measures of service quality in child mental health; however, there is limited understanding of factors that influence satisfaction. The objective of this study was to investigate key factors influencing satisfaction with care (SWC) in ADMiRE, a specialist service for young people (YP) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods: Parents/carers ( = 67) and YP > 9 years ( = 44) attending ADMiRE completed an anonymous Experience of Service Questionnaire (ESQ), a quantitative/qualitative measure of service user satisfaction.

The management of delirium in the older adult in advanced nursing practice.

Delirium is a term used to describe an array of symptoms that indicate a disruption in cerebral metabolism, a condition that is often under-recognised, leading to delayed interventions. The condition is a common cause of older adults presenting in hospital, with significant morbidity and mortality associated with increased length of stay. A case study is used to illustrate the use of a diagnostic algorithm for older adults presenting with delirium to an advanced nurse practitioner (ANP)-led service.

Decider Life Skills training as a method of promoting resilience with mental health student nurses on clinical placement.

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore mental health student nurses' perceptions and application of a CBT-orientated training programme - the Decider Life Skills programme.

Background: The undergraduate nursing degree programme is a challenging one and places high demands both professionally and personally on students. Mental health nursing students are faced with particular stressors including working with people in significant psychological distress, which can result in students feeling overwhelmed and emotionally burdened.

Parental stress and adjustment in the context of rare genetic syndromes: A scoping review.

Chromosomal abnormalities are now considered a common cause of intellectual disability. With increased genetic testing, phenotyping and technological advancements, many new syndromes have been identified. This review sought to explore parental stress and adjustment in the context of rare genetic syndromes to evaluate their clinical impact.

Antipsychotic prescribing in GMS paediatric and young adult population in Ireland 2005-2015: repeated cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To examine the rates of antipsychotic prescribing in the Irish paediatric and young adult population enrolled in the Irish General Medical Services Scheme pharmacy claims database from the Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Services database, with a focus on age and sex differences. To examine concomitant prescribing of certain other related medicines in this population.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Irish General Medical Services (GMS) scheme pharmacy claims database from the Health Service Executive (HSE) - Primary Care Reimbursement Services (PCRS).

'More than a box of puzzles': Understanding the parental experience of having a child with a rare genetic condition".

Background: Chromosomal microarray (CMA) testing has been adopted as the first-tier diagnostic test for developmental disabilities. However, determining the clinical significance of the results is often complex. This qualitative study seeks to explore parental interpretation, adaption and coping in the context of ambiguous rare genetic findings in order to support parental adjustment and wellbeing.

Verocytotoxin Escherichia coli-Associated Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome.

Aims To describe laboratory data on clinical human Verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) strains causing haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) and to characterise the VTEC strains, thus contributing to risk mitigation to decrease HUS incidence in Ireland. Methods Laboratory characterisation was performed on isolates from 52 VTEC-associated HUS cases identified in the National clinical VTEC Reference Laboratory (NRL-VTEC) for the years 2012-2014.

Families under pressure: stress and quality of life in parents of children with an intellectual disability.

Objective: To evaluate stress and quality of life in parents of children with an intellectual disability (moderate-severe-profound), who attend a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Intellectual Disability Service (CAMHS ID), and to estimate the perceived levels of challenging behaviour and satisfaction with supports.

Methods: Data from children attending the service from 2014 to 2017, along with clinician and parent rating scales were collected.

Results: Most children had medical comorbidities, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and challenging behaviours.