Successful research capacity building in academic nursing and midwifery in Ireland: An exemplar.

Nursing and midwifery education have comparatively recently moved into academia in Ireland. In 2002, nurse tutors who were qualified to Master\u27s degree level assimilated into the third-level sector. Only 11 of the 35 staff (31%) in one university School held, or were undertaking, a PhD. In 2006, children\u27s nursing and midwifery tutors also moved into third-level institutions. The culture of all assimilating tutors was focussed on teaching, rather than research. The School set ambitious plans to develop the research abilities of all academics, setting the goal that 75% of academic staff would either hold, or be undertaking, a PhD by 2010. Objectives were also set to increase external research funding, peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations

Meeting the information needs of children in hospital.

The provision of information is an individual entitlement and a prerequisite to enabling children to understand their illness, make choices about their health care and be involved in decision-making processes around these choices. However, limited evidence exists on children?s perspectives of information provision while an inpatient in hospital. The aim of this paper is to describe the process of information exchange between health professionals and children in hospital. Informed by an ethnographic design, data were collected using multiple methods, including semi-participant observations, interviews and participatory activities. Forty-nine children aged six to 16 years, with a variety of medical and surgical conditions, admitted to one children?s ward at one children?s hos- pital participated in the research. Findings revealed that children encountered a variety of informa- tion management experiences. The key message for health professionals is that there is a need to develop child- and family-focussed strategies for assessing children?s information needs in order to determine their preferences for information (amount, format, from whom, etc.), to develop a method for gaining an appreciation of parents? and health professionals? beliefs about the optimal amount and type of information to relay to children, and to achieve consensus about who is best placed to transmit this information to children

An exploration of the bone health of older adults with an intellectual disability in Ireland

Background: Many risk factors have been confirmed for poor bone health among the general population including age, gender and corticosteroid use. There is a paucity of investigation among people with intellectual disability; however, research points to differing risks namely anti-epileptic medication use, Down syndrome and poor behaviour lifestyle. Methods: Data was extracted from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing in Ireland. In total, 753 participants took part, and data was gathered on participants\u27 health status, behavioural health, health screenings and activities of daily living. The prevalence of osteoporosis and related risk factors were specifically examined. Results: Overall, 8.1% reported a doctor\u27s diagnosis of osteoporosis with over 20% reporting history of fracture. Risk identified included older age (P < 0.0001), female gender (P < 0.0001), difficulty walking (P < 0.0001) with older age and being female the stronger predictors for osteoporosis, odds ratio = 6.53; 95% confidence interval 2.82?15.11 and odds ratio = 4.58; 95% confidence interval 2.29?9.17, respectively. There was no gender difference regarding the level of fractures; however, epilepsy and anti-epileptic medication were strong predictors. Overall, 11.1% attended for bone screening diagnostics. Conclusion: Despite low levels of reported doctor\u27s diagnosis of osteoporosis risk factor prevalence was high. Considering the insidious nature of osteoporosis and the low levels of diagnostic screening, prevalence could be possibly higher

Visible Lives Identifying the experiences and needs of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland

Huge progress has been made in recognising and supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Ireland. In the space of twenty years we have seen the decriminalisation of homosexuality and the introduction of a sophisticated equality infrastructure, with the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000 having been at the forefront internationally in naming sexual orientation as a specific equality ground and in extending its scope outside the field of employment. More recently, in 2010 comprehensive Civil Partnership legislation was introduced and the Government is determined to bring forward legislation later this year to provide for the recognition of the acquired gender of transgender people, on the basis of the recommendations of the Gender Recognition Advisory Group published in June. This report is the first comprehensive study of the lives of older LGBT people in Ireland. It offers unique insights into the lives of those people who have lived through and been most personally affected by these changes in Irish society. It shows the negative consequences for LGBT people of living through a period where a fundamental aspect of their identity - to be themselves and to live openly and securely with the person they love - was stigmatised, criminalised or even viewed as an illness

Association of Anticholinergic burden with adverse effects in older people with Intellectual Disabilities in Ireland: An observational cross-sectional study

Background:Older people with intellectual disabilities (ID) receive anticholinergic drugs but no studies to date have investigated cumulative anticholinergic exposure and its effects in adults with ID. Aim: To determine the cumulative exposure to anticholinergics and the factors associated with high exposure. Methods A modified Anticholinergic Cognitive Burden scale (ACB) was calculated for a representative cohort of 736 people over 40 years with intellectual disabilities, and associations with demographic and clinical factors assessed. Results Age over 65 years was associated with higher exposure (ACB 1-4- OR 3?28; 95% CI 1?49-7?28, ACB 5+- OR 3?08; 95% CI 1?20-7?63), as was a mental health condition (ACB 1-4- OR 9?79; 95% CI 5?63-17?02, ACB 5+- OR 23?74; 95% CI 12?29-45?83). Day time drowsiness was associated with higher ACB (p<0?001) and chronic constipation reported more frequently (26?6% ACB 5+ vs 7?5% ACB 0) (p<0?001). Conclusions Older people with intellectual disabilities and with mental health conditions were exposed to high anticholinergic burden. This was associated with daytime dozing and constipation