Institute of Public Health

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Informing public policy to support healthier populations in Ireland and Northern Ireland is our core purpose.

We do this by:

  • research and evidence review;
  • policy analysis and evaluation;
  • partnership working;
  • specialist training and public communications.

We focus on promoting health and wellbeing, improving health equity, and reducing health inequalities throughout the life course.

The Institute has researchers and policy specialists from a range of disciplines based in offices in Dublin and Belfast and is jointly funded by the Departments of Health in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

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    IPH response to a consultation on a new Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 14 January 2022) Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    The Institute of Public Health responded to a consultation on the proposed content of the new Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland to 2030, launched by the Department for Infrastructure in November 2021. Key Observations The Institute made a series of recommendations on the proposed new Road Safety Strategy for Northern Ireland, including the following: • Commit to reduce inequalities in injuries and deaths on our roads through targets and specified actions addressing socially disadvantaged and/or vulnerable road users. • Commit to a five-year programme of legislative review and reform to stimulate and maintain a modal shift in road travel and enhance road safety. • Establish a research workstream to agree priorities for the evaluation of road safety interventions. • Enhance the recognition of air pollution as a road safety consideration within the strategy and the responsibility held by this sector to respond to the climate crisis. • Prioritise the reduction of vehicle speed on 30mph roads and mandate for 20mph speed limits outside all schools. • Include public health expertise on the proposed Road Safety Forum and engage public health stakeholders in strategy development and implementation. • Include strategic collaboration with Great Britain and Ireland as a core component of the action plan, particularly in terms of research and data sharing. • Convene a task and finish group to enhance public transport by addressing barriers that may exist; for example, regarding personal safety and accessibility.
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    Blog: Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of people living on the island of Ireland
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 16 February 2022) O'Connor, L.
    The impact of the pandemic on mental health has been a topic of concern for public health leaders, politicians, service providers and carers, as well as people living with mental illness (1-3). Increased feelings of isolation, economic uncertainty, and fear of illness, paired with a disruption to the delivery of mental health services, has changed the landscape for both developing, detecting and managing, mental ill health.
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    Setting health targets for the National Anti-Poverty Strategy: a background research paper
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-01-08) Burke, S. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    A background research paper. This document was prepared for the National Anti-Poverty Strategy and Health Working Group to inform its work. It draws together research on the links between poverty, income inequality and health and target setting.
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    Partnership Framework: a model for partnerships in health
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-01-09) Boydell, L. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This paper provides a framework to guide the development and evaluation of multi-sectoral partnerships for health. It is based on a story dialogue workshop held in December 1999.
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    Implications of European Public Health
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-03-01) Metcalfe, O. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This report outlines work undertaken by the Institute of Public Health to improve knowledge about developments in European public health, and strengthen links for public health across Ireland. Recommendations for this process are set out in the report.
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    Report of the Working Group on the National Anti-Poverty Strategy
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-04-08) Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    As part of the review of the National Anti-Poverty Strategy, a NAPS and Health Working Group was established by the Department of Health and Children to develop health targets and an associated implementation and monitoring framework. In order to support this work a wide ranging consultation process was carried out. Summary Poverty and Health • The link between poverty and health is strong and well established in Ireland and other countries. • Poverty contributes to poor health directly through, for example, inadequate housing or dangerous environments and indirectly, for example, through poor diet. • Being poor or socially excluded makes it more difficult to access or afford health services. • In Ireland, the gap in health between rich and poor is substantial. Mortality rates in the lowest socio-economic groups are over 100% higher than in the highest socio- economic groups for all the major causes of death. • As well as the huge gap in mortality between poorest and richest, the risk of poor health increases as one goes down the socio-economic scale. This gradient has been demonstrated in Ireland.
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    Inequalities in Mortality 1989-1998
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-06-08) Balanda, K. ; Wilde, J. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This is the first all Ireland mortality report for 80 years and provides information on patterns of mortality by age, gender, geography and socio-economic class. The Institute of Public Health in Ireland has been set up to promote co-operation for public health between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Its priority is to reduce inequalities in health. This report on mortality and mortality data has been produced by the Institute to add to understanding and promote dialogue about what could be done to protect and promote health. It is based on nearly half a million deaths which occurred on the island of Ireland during 1989-1998. It describes mortality from sixty five causes of death for the whole island, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and draws comparisons with the (combined) fifteen countries of the European Union. The report describes age, gender, region and occupational class variations in mortality. The report is in three sections: Part One includes a brief outline of the key themes and areas for future action, as well as a summary of the methods used and results.Part Two presents, with the aid of figures, tables and maps, directly standardised mortality rates and rate ratios for each of the sixty five causes of death. Part Three makes recommendations about data issues.This report shows that mortality rates in Ireland, North and South, compare unfavourably to those of our EU neighbours. It highlights profound inequalities in health that pervade the island. These are often overlooked in debate. By outlining common challenges to Public Health, the report makes the case for greater North-South co-operation.
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    Equity of Access to Health Services: Some relevant issues in an Irish context
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-06-08) Harkin, A.M. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This document was prepared for the National Anti-Poverty Strategy and Health Working Group to inform its work. It provides a picture of the current issues in relation to health service access in Ireland. This paper, prepared as background material for the Sub-group on Equity of Access to Health Services of the Working Group on the National Anti-Poverty Strategy (NAPS)and Health, seeks to provide an overview of some of the issues relevant to equity of access to health and personal social services in an Irish context. The paper first addresses the question of the contribution of health services to health status. Drawing on the work of Davey Smith, it proposes that, while many factors other than health services affect health, improvements in recent years in treatment following the onset of disease, mean that equity in access to services has increasing potential to reduce health inequalities.
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    Health Impact Assessment: an introductory paper
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-09-08) Elliott, I. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is ‘a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, programme or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of a population and the distribution of those effects within the population’[World Health Organisation Regional Office for Europe 1999 4]. Its purposes are minimising health loss and maximising health gain [Winters 1997]. In Ireland, the term ‘health proofing’ is sometimes used interchangeably with HIA. HIA generally assesses the health effects of interventions that are not primarily aimed at effecting health [Boothroyd 1995 in Burney 1999]. A formal HIA should be considered when there is uncertainty or concern about possible health risks of a proposal, or possible opportunities to increase health gain [Scottish Needs Assessment Programme 2000]. HIA is developing globally as a significant opportunity to make policies, programmes and projects ‘health conscious’ [Milner 1999 54].
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    Mortality in the CAWT region: Comparison with the rest of the island 1989 – 1998
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-11-08) Balanda, K. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Based on the methodology used in ‘Inequalities in Mortality 1989-1998. A report on All-Ireland mortality data’ this report compares mortality in the cross-border CAWT region with the rest of the island. The Institute of Public Health in Ireland has been set up to promote co-operation for public health between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Its priority is to reduce inequalities in health. The Institute recently produced a report on mortality and mortality data on the island of Ireland (1) to promote dialogue about what could be done to protect and promote health. Further to this, the institute was asked to undertake a small study comparing the CAWT region and the rest of the island, as part of a CAWT Health Profile which is currently being developed. The CAWT region comprises the health and social services boards that share the North/South border. These are the Southern Health and Social Services Board and the Western Health and Social Services Board in Northern Ireland, and the North Eastern Health Board and North Western Health Board in the Republic of Ireland. Like the main report, this report is based on nearly half a million deaths which occurred on the island of Ireland during 1989-1998. It describes mortality from sixty five causes of death for the whole island, the CAWT region and the rest of the island. Results presented here can be compared directly with those in the main report, including those for Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the (combined) fifteen countries of the European Union.
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    Health Impact Assessment: a baseline report for Ireland and Northern Ireland
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2001-12-08) Institute of Public Health in Ireland ; Elliott, I.
    This paper reports the findings of the Institute’s Health Impact Assessment (HIA) work programme in 2001, in order to (a) record the baseline of HIA awareness, activity and thinking in Ireland and Northern Ireland and (b) identify the issues around its implementation.
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    Giving people a say on poverty and health
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2002-03) Burke, S. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This document outlines the learning from the National Anti-Poverty Strategy and Health consultation process. It details what was learnt from the different strands of the consultation process and the emerging priorities.
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    Spironolactone therapy in older patients - The impact of renal dysfunction
    ( 2002-07) Butler, J.V. ; McAvoy, H. ; McEnroy, E. ; Mulkerrin, E.C.
    Low dose spironolactone reduces the risk of death from heart failure. We examined the effects of spironolactone on potassium homeostasis in a cohort of elderly patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Eighteen patients >70 years, mean 80.5 (+/- SD 6.3) with New York Heart Association CHF Grade II-IV were enrolled. All patients were commenced on 25 mg spironolactone daily. The dose was reduced to 12.5 mg daily when hyperkalemia (potassium>5.0) occurred. A serum creatinine of >150 micromol/l was defined as indicating renal impairment (RI). Blood pressure, pulse rate, urea, creatinine, Na+ and K+ were measured at baseline, day 2-5, day 28 and more often if clinically indicated. Nine of those recruited had RI. Baseline serum potassium was significantly higher in those with RI, mean 4.56 (+/- 0.30) vs. 4.04 (+/- 0.30) mmol/l (P<0.01). Six patients with RI developed hyperkalemia versus one of those with serum creatinine <150 micromol/l (P<0.05). Serum K+ returned to normal in all patients when the dose of spironolactone was reduced to 12.5 mg daily with one exception in whom the medication was withdrawn. When spironolactone is prescribed to older patients with CHF, hyperkalemia appears more likely in those with RI. Halving the dose to 12.5 mg daily results in normalisation of serum potassium. Older patients commencing spironolactone therapy should have serum potassium monitored frequently, particularly in the presence of RI.
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    Wraparound (Summary Report)
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2002-08-08) Elliott, I. ; Farrell, B. ; Ison, E. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    This report describes the process, findings and recommendations of the Health Impact Assessment of the All-Inclusive Wraparound Scheme. The scheme is a three year multi-agency and multi-professional programme delivering services to children with disabilities and their families and carers in the Southern Health and Social Services Board, Northern Ireland.
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    Inequalities in Perceived Health
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2003-04-08) Balanda, K. ; Wilde, J. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    The concept of social capital and the ways in which social capital may be an important determinant of health is receiving increased attention from policy-makers. The Institute produced a report in 2004 based on its All Ireland Social Capital and Health Survey. The report explores how people feel about their health and highlights how this is linked with perceptions of the local social environment as well as to demographic and socio-economic circumstances and lifestyle behaviours.
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    Health Impact Assessment – a practical guidance manual (2003)
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2003-06-08) Doyle, C. ; Metcalfe, O. ; Devlin, J. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland ; Department of Health and Children
    Developed by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland on behalf of the Department of Health and Children. This document describes Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and the steps involved in HIA. It gives advice based on the experience of HIA practitioners and provides tools to help carry out these steps and adapt HIA to local circumstances. It aims to provide a user friendly and practical framework to guide policy makers through the HIA process and to enable them to undertake a HIA. This is the first detailed methodology for HIA in Ireland. The development of methodology is an iterative process and this document will be reviewed in the light of feedback from users and ongoing developments in HIA.
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    All-Ireland Men’s Health Directory
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2004) Metcalfe, O. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland ; Kavanagh, P. ; Men’s Health Forum Ireland
    This directory will be useful to those wishing to make contact with men’s health activities as well as policy makers, health professionals and people working in the area of men’s health. There is a considerably higher number of entries in this directory compared with the 2004 edition but it is understood that it still does not cover all areas of activity in the areas of men’s health in Ireland.
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    Design of the Travellers’ All-Ireland Health Study
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2004-02-08) The Travellers’ All-Ireland Health Study Group
    This document covers five areas: - the principles and aims of the study; - the topics and subjects to be explored; - how the study will be managed; - how the information will be collected, analysed and interpreted; and = other issues for the study.
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    Youth suicide prevention – an evidence briefing
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2004-04-08) Crowley, P. ; Kilroe, J. ; Burke, S. ; Health Development Agency ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Youth Suicide Prevention – an evidence briefing, is a joint venture between the Health Development Agency (HDA) in England, the Institute of Public Health in Ireland and programme for Action for Children in Ireland and aims to identify all systematic reviews in this field, and to analyse and combine the evidence to highlight what measures work to prevent youth suicide. Author: Philip Crowley, Jean Kilroe and Sara Burke in conjunction with the Health Development Agency on behalf of the UK and Ireland Public Health Evidence Group.
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    Policy Health Impact Assessment for the European Union: Final Project Report
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2004-08-17) Abrahams, D. ; Scott-Samuel, A. ; Pennington, A. ; Doyle, C. ; Metcalfe, O. ; den Broeder, L. ; Fher, R. ; Mekel, O. ; Haigh, F. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    A HIA to assess the health impacts of the European Employment Strategy Article 152 of the Treaty of Amsterdam (EC, 1999) made explicit the commitment of the European Union (EU) to ensure that human health is protected in the definition and implementation of all Community policies and activities. Also, the proposal for a decision by the European Parliament and Council in the field of public health (Commission of the European Communities, 2002a) included objectives to ‘support the development of health impact assessment methodologies and other relevant tools’ (Commission of the European Communities, 2002a, objective 4.2) and to ‘support pilot projects on the health impact of Community policies and actions’ (Commission of the European Communities, 2002a, objective 4.3). A call for proposals by the Health and Consumer Protection DG in (2001/c 147/06) sought to develop work on Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the EU. IMPACT (The International Health Impact Assessment Consortium) successfully co-ordinated a bid with partners from Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to develop and test a HIA methodology for use by the European Community and its institutions in EUpolicy development.