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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    2nd Interim Report of the Irish Partners on the EU CHRODIS JA (Joint Action) Project
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2017-02-07) Jennings, S. ; Bennett, T. ; Health Service Executive ; McAvoy, H. ; Cleary, O. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland ; Maguire, P. ; Cusack, M. ; European Institute of Women’s Health
    The purpose of this report is to document the work undertaken to date by the Irish Partners on the CHRODIS project with a particular focus on the outputs of Work Package 5 on health promotion and activities in the last year (2015 to 2016) of the Joint Action (JA)-CHRODIS project. JA-CHRODIS is a European collaboration that brings together over 60 associated and collaborating partners from national and regional departments of health and research institutions, from 26 Member States. These partners work together to identify, validate, exchange and disseminate good practice on chronic diseases and healthy ageing across the life cycle in EU Member States and to facilitate its uptake across local, regional and national borders.
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    A Health Impact Assessment of Traffic and Transport in Ballyfermot
    (Eastern RegionalHealth Authority, 2004-12-01) Eastern RegionalHealth Authority ; Health Impact Assessment Steering Group
    The World Health Organisation defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease". Using this broad definition of health, a wide range of economic, social and environmental policies as well as access to health services influence the health of communities. A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a means of looking at the potential health effects, both positive and negative, of these policies for example public transport policy. HIA can be undertaken in varying levels of detail, as a rapid process or as a more in-depth study and it can be applied to programmes or projects as well as policies. Ideally HIA should be applied before the policy, programme or project is carried out to ensure that steps are take at the planning stage to maximise the positive and minimise the negative effects, particularly in those most likely to experience the negative effects. In 2003 the Department of Public Health at the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) obtained funding from URBAN II in Ballyfermot to carry out an in-depth "Health Impact Assessment of Traffic and Transport in Ballyfermot". This was against a background of public perception that levels of air pollution, which had been a problem in the 1980s due to the burning of smoky coal, had risen again, this time most likely due to increased traffic in the area. The project was managed by a Steering Committee, which included representation from ERHA and the South Western Area Health Board (SWAHB) which serves Ballyfermot, Dublin City Council (DCC), URBAN II with representatives from the local community, the Institute of Public Health in Ireland, and an external consultant. The project aimed to conduct a HIA on transport initiatives in the Ballyfermot area, and to use the findings and recommendations of the HIA to: - Influence the implementation of future transport policy including road safety initiatives in the Ballyfermot area. - Inform a review of the DCC Road Safety Plan. - Provide a health focus to an Air Quality and Noise Monitoring Project being carried out at the same time by DCC and funded by URBAN II. - Influence future health service development and delivery in the Ballyfermot area. It was expected that the project would also: - Stimulate co-operation across the different sectors around initiatives which promote activity, such as cycling and walking. - Engage the community to actively participate in decision-making by working in partnership with the statutory sector to influence planning and service development in the Ballyfermot area. - Promote understanding of the relationship between transport and health. - Develop learning around the practice of HIA.
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    A healthier future: A 20 year vision for health and wellbeing
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2005-03-17) Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    The Institute of Public Health in Ireland aims to promote cooperation for public health between Northern Ireland and Ireland, to tackle inequalities in health and influence public polices in favour of health. In its work, the Institute emphasises a holistic model of health which recognises the interplay of a wide range of health determinants, including economic, social and environmental factors as well as health and social services.
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    A longitudinal, observational study of women who persisted in smoking in successive pregnancies
    (Journal of Public Health. 2020 Feb 28;42(1):e18-25., 2020-02-28) Reynolds, C.M.E. ; Egan, B. ; O’Malley, E.G. ; Kennedy, R.A. ; Sheehan, S.R. ; Turner, M.J.
    This longitudinal study examined the profile and pregnancy-related behaviours of women who reported smoking in two successive pregnancies when they presented for prenatal care in a large maternity hospital.
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    A New Concept of Interprofessional Education in Planning Programmes: Reflections on Healthy Urban Planning Project
    (Journal for Education in the Built Environment, 2015-12-15) Ellis, G. ; Morison, S. ; Purdy, J.
    Although widely debated, some of the defining professional characteristics of planners appear to be competencies in co-ordination, mediation and multidisciplinary working. Despite this, there is little pedagogical reflection on how interprofessional skills are promoted in planning programmes. This paper reflects on the experience of bringing together undergraduate students from medicine and planning to explore the concept of Healthy Urban Planning in a real life context of an urban motorway extension. This reveals a number of unexpected outcomes of such collaboration and points to the value of promoting interprofessional education, both as a way of increasing interest in some of the key challenges now facing society and in order to induce greater professional reflection amongst our students.
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    A preliminary qualitative study of nurses’ and dietitians’ views on malnutrition management and oral nutritional supplementation prescription in the community
    (Cambridge University Press, 2020) Castro, P.D. ; Kennelly, S. ; Murrin, C. ; Bradley, C. ; Clyne, B. ; Bury, G, ; Finnigan, K. ; McCullagh, L. ; Barry, M. ; Browne, S. ; Reynolds, C.M.E.
    Protein-energy malnutrition, or undernutrition, arising from a deficiency of energy and protein intake, can occur in developed countries both in hospitalised patients and in the primary care/community setting. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are an effective method of managing malnutrition if prescribed for patients who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Pooled data of older adults at risk of malnutrition indicate that ONS combined with dietary counselling is the most effective intervention. Previous Irish research has demonstrated that management of patients ‘at risk’ of malnutrition in the primary care/community setting is sub-optimal, with low awareness of the condition and its management among non-dietetic health care professionals. Therefore, the aim of this qualitative study is to explore community nurses’ and dietitians’ experiences and opinions on the management of malnutrition and the prescription of ONS in the primary care/community setting in Ireland. Three focus groups were conducted with primary care dietitians (n = 17) and one focus group with community nurses (n = 5), one of the nurses had prescribing rights. The focus groups explored the following domains; the term malnutrition and patient population presenting as malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, barriers and facilitators in the management of malnutrition, ONS prescribing in the primary care/community setting, and future directions in the management of malnutrition and ONS prescribing. Recorded focus groups were transcribed and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Both professional groups showed similar perspectives, and three preliminary main themes were identified; i) Malnutrition is a misunderstood term, ii) Delayed treatment of malnutrition, iii) Challenges with ONS prescription in the primary care/community setting. Both dietitians and community nurses agreed that the term malnutrition had negative connotations for patients and preferred not to use it with them. Dietitians identified the need for a multidisciplinary approach to manage patients at risk of malnutrition in the community, and community nurses agreed on their pivotal role identifying the risk of malnutrition and providing first line advice to clients. However, community nurses expressed the urgent need for training to provide first line advice to patients to improve their nutritional status to prevent malnutrition. Both groups also agreed on the need for access to more dietitians in the community, and suggested that giving dietitians prescribing rights would improve appropriate ONS prescribing. Community nurses identified a gap in their knowledge of the different ONS products, and the need to receive independent generic education on nutritional supplements.
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    A prospective evaluation of point-of-care measurements of maternal glucose for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus
    (Clinical Chemistry, 2020-02-01) O’Malley, E.G. ; Reynolds, C.M.E. ; O’Kelly, R. ; Killalea, A. ; Sheehan, S.R. ; Turner, M.J.
    Point-of-care (POC) measurement of glucose is currently recommended only for the monitoring of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This prospective observational study evaluated the use of POC measurements of maternal glucose to diagnose GDM in women being screened selectively with a 1-step 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).
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    A prospective, observational study investigating the use of carbon monoxide screening to identify maternal smoking in a large university hospital in Ireland
    (BMJ Open, 2018-06-01) Reynolds, C.M.E. ; Egan, B. ; Kennedy, R.A. ; O’Malley, E.G. ; Sheehan, S.R. ; Turner, M.J.
    This study evaluated breath carbon monoxide (BCO) testing in identifying maternal smokers as well as the difference between disclosers and non-disclosers of smoking status. We also investigated if other extrinsic factors affected the women’s BCO levels in pregnancy.
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    A review of economic evaluation methodologies for the assessment of arts and creativity interventions for improving health and wellbeing in older adults
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2021-09) Crealey, G. ; O’Neill, C. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Arts and creativity has an important role to play in health and wellbeing in later life and can help improve physical, psychological, and social health and wellbeing in older adults, a new report published by the Institute of Public Health (IPH) has found. The report, ‘Arts and Creativity in Later Life: Implications for Public Health and Older People’ reviewed more than 70 international studies investigating the potential health and wellbeing benefits of dancing, music and singing, visual and creative arts, and drama and theatre. The research carried out by the Institute of Public Health found: Dance is particularly beneficial for improving balance, mobility, strength, flexibility, physical activity, as well as improving cognitive function. Music and singing can provide improvements in cognitive function and improved emotions. Music and singing and visual arts can help improve quality of life, social connections, and a sense of wellbeing.
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    A Tobacco-Free Future – an all-island report on tobacco, inequalities and childhood
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2013-11-25) McAvoy, H. ; Kabir, Z. ; Reulbach, U. ; McDaid, O. ; Metcalfe, O. ; Clancy, L. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland ; TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland
    A Tobacco-Free Future – An all-island report on tobacco, inequalities and childhood 2013 reveals declines in smoking rates among both children and pregnant women over the past decade, both North and South of the border. This report published by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) and the TobaccoFree Research Institute Ireland (TFRI), shows that while tobacco control measures are being successful, disadvantaged children are at particular risk of tobacco-related harms.
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    A unified approach to loneliness
    (The Lancet, 2020-01-11) Fried, L. ; Prohaska, T. ; Burholt, V. ; Burns, A. ; Golden, J. ; Hawkley, L. ; Lawlor, B. ; Leavey, G. ; Lubben, J. ; O’Sullivan, R. ; Perissinotto, C. ; van Tilburg, T. ; Tully, M. ; Victor, C.
    Globally, there are growing concerns about rates and consequences of loneliness, especially among older adults. In response, 2018 saw the launch of a UK loneliness strategy and the first minister for loneliness in the world appointed. In the USA, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine set up a special committee to examine the problem.1 Demographic shifts suggest that the numbers experiencing loneliness are likely to increase.
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    A web-based dietary intervention in early pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a randomized controlled trial
    (Journal of Public Health, 2019-05-01) Kennedy, R.A. ; Reynolds, C.M.E. ; Cawley, S. ; O’Malley, E.G. ; McCartney, D.M. ; Turner, M.J.
    Maternal nutrition is a determinant of pregnancy outcomes. Few studies have evaluated the potential of online nutrition resources to modify behaviour. This randomized controlled trial aimed to determine whether access to a customized evidence-based nutrition website in pregnancy improved neonatal outcomes.
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    A whole systems approach to obesity prevention: a rapid synthesis of evidence to inform the Northern Ireland Obesity Prevention Strategy Policy Project Board
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2023-01-26) G. Breslin ; W. Wills ; L. McGowan ; J.B. Mack ; C.M.E. Reynolds ; H. McAvoy
    A holistic or ‘whole systems approach’ to obesity prevention could offer a more effective means of tackling high, unequal and increasing levels of obesity in Northern Ireland. That’s according to a new report examining best international evidence and case studies of this approach, developed by researchers at the Institute of Public Health, Ulster University, Queen’s University Belfast, and University of Hertfordshire for the Department of Health. The report comes as the Department of Health prepares to draft a new obesity prevention strategy this year to replace its predecessor, ‘A Fitter Future for All 2012-22’. The latest data shows that one in four adults (27%) and around one in 16 children (6%) are living with obesity in Northern Ireland. Official data further shows that the development of obesity is strongly linked to deprivation status. Between 2011/12 and 2018/19, one in three (36%) Primary Year 1 children living in the most deprived areas were more likely to have overweight or obesity compared to those living in the least deprived areas, representing a 12% increase since 2011/12 (24%). Obesity increases the risk of developing chronic disease, such as colon cancer, high blood pressure, or type 2 diabetes, and is linked to substantial direct and indirect costs – estimated to be of the order of £370 million in Northern Ireland in 2009.
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    Active travel – healthy lives
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2011-01-13) Lavin, T. ; Metcalfe, O. ; Higgins, C. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Active travel refers to journeys that use physical activity, such as walking and cycling, instead of motorised means to move between locations.These journeys are generally understood as travel for purposes such as going to work, the shops or visiting friends as opposed to recreational walking or cycling. Across Ireland, there is considerable scope to replace many short car journeys with walking and cycling which would bring about a range of benefits to health as well as saving money for individuals and society. ‘Active travel, healthy lives’ presents a summary of international evidence on the health and economic benefits of active travel and makes recommendations on how active travel can become a viable, safe and attractive alternative to car use.
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    Ageing and Public Health - an overview of key statistics in Ireland and Northern Ireland (Executive Summary)
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2020) Sheehan, A. ; O’Sullivan, R. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    People worldwide are living longer than ever before and this is also true on the island of Ireland. Over the last 100 years, average life expectancy at birth in Ireland and Northern Ireland, has risen by several decades. Life expectancy at birth in ROI is 80.4 years for men and 84.0 for women (Eurostat, 2017a) while in Northern Ireland (NI) it is 78.7 years for men and 82.4 years for women (DOH NI, 2019a). Population ageing can be seen as one of the greatest successes of public health. However, a key challenge is not only the extension of life expectancy but to ensure those extra years are healthy and disability-free for as long as possible. All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.
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    Ageing and Public Health – an overview of key statistics in Ireland and Northern Ireland
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2020) Sheehan, A. ; O’Sullivan, R. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    People worldwide are living longer than ever before and this is also true on the island of Ireland. Over the last 100 years, average life expectancy at birth in Ireland and Northern Ireland, has risen by several decades. Life expectancy at birth in ROI is 80.4 years for men and 84.0 for women (Eurostat, 2017a) while in Northern Ireland (NI) it is 78.7 years for men and 82.4 years for women (DOH NI, 2019a). Population ageing can be seen as one of the greatest successes of public health. However, a key challenge is not only the extension of life expectancy but to ensure those extra years are healthy and disability-free for as long as possible. All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.
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    Ageing and Public Health: An overview of key statistics in Ireland and Northern Ireland (Presentation)
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2020) Sheehan, A. ; O’Sullivan, R. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    People worldwide are living longer than ever before and this is also true on the island of Ireland. Over the last 100 years, average life expectancy at birth in Ireland and Northern Ireland, has risen by several decades. Life expectancy at birth in ROI is 80.4 years for men and 84.0 for women (Eurostat, 2017a) while in Northern Ireland (NI) it is 78.7 years for men and 82.4 years for women (DOH NI, 2019a). Population ageing can be seen as one of the greatest successes of public health. However, a key challenge is not only the extension of life expectancy but to ensure those extra years are healthy and disability-free for as long as possible. All countries face major challenges to ensure that their health and social systems are ready to make the most of this demographic shift.
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    Alcohol deaths in Ireland and Northern Ireland – an aid to interpretation
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2020-06) Purdy, J. ; McAvoy, H. ; Lynn, E. ; O'Dwyer, C. ; Stewart, B. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    The Institute has published a new technical resource – Alcohol deaths in Ireland and Northern Ireland: an aid to interpretation – to inform policy on this issue. The technical resource aims to support individuals and organisations who are interpreting data on alcohol-related deaths on the island. Following a UK wide consultation in 2017, ‘alcohol-specific deaths’ is the definition now used in Northern Ireland, whereas ‘alcohol-related deaths’ is used In Ireland. The resource lists the specific medical conditions included within each definition and reports how alcohol deaths are recorded.
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    Alcohol marketing in Ireland: Monitoring the Public Health (Alcohol) Act Briefing paper one: First follow-up survey and the impact of COVID-19
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2021-11-17) Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    Ireland is introducing new controls on alcohol marketing through the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, which saw the first phase of restrictions being introduced in November 2019, followed by additional controls in November this year. This briefing paper summarises the first set of findings from research funded by the Institute of Public Health, the Society for the Study of Addiction (SSA), and the University of Stirling, which is monitoring the impact of Ireland’s new marketing controls. The research was led by Dr Nathan Critchlow, SSA Academic Fellow, Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling and Dr Crawford Moodie, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Social Marketing and Health, University of Stirling. This paper specifically examines changes in alcohol marketing awareness one-year after the initial advertising restrictions were implemented in November 2019. This research also examines to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic, including closure of some public spaces and mandated social distancing, impacted on alcohol marketing awareness.
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    Alcohol-related Harms in Nightlife Settings on the Island of Ireland
    (Institute of Public Health in Ireland, 2021-04) O’Brien, O. ; Purdy, J. ; McAvoy, H. ; Institute of Public Health in Ireland
    A Knowledge Exchange hosted by the North South Alcohol Policy Advisory Group. In December 2020 the North South Alcohol Policy Advisory Group hosted a Knowledge Exchange to share evidence and policy developments relevant to reducing alcohol harm in night-life settings. Evidence is emerging on how to balance the pleasures and benefits of night life in our towns and cities with the need for a safe environment where the risk of harm, and sometimes tragedy, is minimised. This report provides a summary of the presentations made on the day, and the core points of discussion which ensued.