OECD health at a glance report 2013

A major overview of health in Ireland published today shows that the Irish are still near the top of the international league table for smoking and drinking and have a greater propensity towards obesity than people in many other countries.  

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Health at a Glance 2013 report confirms the serious impact of the recession on health spending which had been growing in Ireland at 7 per cent annually during the boom years between 2000 and 2009. 

The report says that the fall in Irish spending reflects the substantial reforms undertaken, including cuts to cost of health care, such as wages and pharmaceuticals.

But the report also confirms the encouraging progress made in combating serious illnesses in the last two decades. Deaths due to cancer fell by 21 per cent, ischemic heart disease by 59 per cent and cerebrovascular disease by 54 per cent between 1990 and 2011. In all three instances, the rate of decline was greater than the OECD average.

However, the smoking data comes from 2007 and therefore may not give a completely accurate picture of current trends.

Click here for link to full article in the Irish Times

Pivotal Pharmacology Title

Some students may consider BNF refers to British Nuclear Fuels.
However, for Pharmacology students it refers to British National Formulary and is pivotal to their research studies.
Along with holding hard copies of this title which appear every Spring and Autumn,
James Hardiman Library provides online access both to registered students and staff.

Please click below:

BNF 66

NUI Galway promotes Worldwide Stop Pressure Ulcer Day

NUI Galway researchers Professor Caroline McIntosh and Dr Georgina Gethin are linking up with the Western Branch of the Wound Management Association of Ireland, UCHG, Community nursing services HSE West to raise awareness of pressure ulcers and their prevention. As part of ‘Worldwide Stop Pressure Ulcer Day’ on Thursday, 21 November, information sessions and workshops will be available in Áras Moyola, NUI Galway from 1-2pm and in the foyer of UCHG all day.

Students of NUI Galway’s School of Nursing and Midwifery and Discipline of Podiatry along with the Wound Management Association of Ireland western branch have been awarded a grant from EXPLORE grant scheme in NUI Galway to develop information leaflets for patients, families and carers to raise awareness and help in prevention. This project will run over the next year and will be of strategic importance as it engages future generations of health professionals, researchers, and voluntary organisations and will tap into the creativity and enthusiasm of these students for the benefit of all.

View more information here

Health of Dementia Caregivers Focus of New Trinity Research

The health and well-being of partners who care for people with dementia is the subject of a three-year study being undertaken by researchers at Trinity College Dublin’s Institute for Neuroscience.

Researchers at Trinity are looking to recruit 300 participants for its De-Stress project which will study the stress levels and cognitive function of Irish dementia caregivers. The study, being conducted by Trinity’s NEIL (Neuro-Enhancement for Independent Lives) programme, will provide information on the determinants of the health of carers of people with dementia.

The study is funded by the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and the Health Research Board under the Medical Research Charities Group funding scheme.

Professor Brian Lawlor, Clinical Director of NEIL and Conolly Norman Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Trinity, commented: “You can’t treat the person with dementia without taking the caregiver into consideration. By understanding the effects of caregiving on cognitive functioning, we can think about how to develop novel interventions that will benefit the caregiver but also will have a knock on benefit for the person with dementia. Ultimately, we want to improve the quality of life of the person with dementia and their caregiver, allowing the person with dementia to be able to stay at home with a good quality of life for as long as possible.”

view full article and more information here

See also:  Creating Excellence in Dementia Care: A research review for Ireland's National Dementia Strategy. Cahill, S., O'Shea, E., & Pierce, M. (2012).DSIDC’s Living with Dementia Research Programme. Dublin: Trinity College School of Social Work and Social Policy; Irish Centre for Social Gerontology; National University of Ireland, Galway

ESRI Statistics show Ireland's birth rate continues to decline

ESRI Perinatal statistics for 2012 put the number of births in Ireland at just under 72,000 - down 3.2% on 2011.  The number of babies born in Ireland each year has been declining since 2009 when 76,000 babies were born.

Ireland's birth rate is the highest in Europe versus the EU average of 10.4.  It has dropped from a high ot 16.8 per 1,000 population in 2008 to 16.2 per 1,000 in 2011 and 15.6 per 1,000 in 2012.

The countries with the next highest birth rates are the UK at 12.8 and France at 12.6.  Germany had the lowest birth rate in Europe last year at 8.4.

Perinatal mortality rates in Ireland continue to decline at 5.9 per 1,000 live and still births last year.  In 2003 the rate was 8.6 per 1,000 live and still births.  The highest mortality rates were among babies born to mothers aged 40 to 44.

Breast feeding levels remain low, with 40% of babies born to Irish women being breast fed compared to 75% for babies born to mothers from Europe and America.

The average age of women having babies was just under 32 last year up from 30.6 years a decade ago.  The number of women aged under 20 giving birth has fallen to 2% compared to 5% in 2003.

ESRI - Perinatal Statistics Report - 2012

click here to view news article

Galway University Hospitals to mark World COPD Day on 20 November

World COPD Awareness Day takes place on Wednesday 20 November and to support this event the Respiratory Services at Galway University Hospitals (GUH) are holding an information day from 10:00am to 4:00pm in the main foyer of University Hospital Galway. 

COPD is a general term for a number of chronic lung disorders including bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airway disease. It is estimated that 440,000 people in Ireland suffer from COPD and the most common cause of COPD is smoking. If COPD is detected early, treatments are available to prevent further deterioration of lung function.

The theme for this year’s World COPD Day is ‘It’s not too late'.  GUH Consultant Respiratory Physician Dr Rutherford says “Early detection and intervention is extremely important in order to improve symptoms and increase the patient’s quality of life and slow down the damage to the lungs".

Click here to view HSE press release

Roscommon Hospital in association with Galway University Hospitals wins 2013 Healthcare Award for the Rheumatology Telemedicine Service

The Rheumatology Telemedicine Service at Roscommon Hospital in association with Galway University Hospitals won the “Best use of Health Technology” award at the Irish Medical Times 2013 Healthcare Awards.

(l-r) Dr John Carey, Consultant Rheumatologist, Galway University Hospitals; Marie Doorly, Patient Services Manager, Roscommon Hospital; Pauline Conroy, IT Department, Roscommon Hospital; and Dr Robert Coughlan, Consultant Rheumatologist, Galway University Hospitals. 

The Rheumatology Telemedicine Service started in October 2011 and involves a computer link-up between patients in Roscommon Hospital and Dr Robert Coughlan and Dr John Carey, Consultant Rheumatologists in Merlin Park University Hospital, Galway who are able to discuss and review patients’ conditions with them and they no longer need to travel to Galway for their outpatient appointments.

Feedback from patients using the Rheumatology Telemedicine Service has been very positive with one patient commenting that the experience was similar to “skyping” her family, which she is familiar with, so therefore felt very comfortable about the whole experience.

Elaine Prendergast, General Manager, Roscommon County Hospital, said; “I am delighted for the staff involved in this project and for the patients that this initiative has been recognised at the IMT Healthcare Awards. The service makes it easier and quicker for patients from Roscommon to have access to Rheumatology outpatient services and it is an example where we have embraced change for the benefit of the hospital and all our patients”

Brain Care Ireland issues call for Mental Health Therapists to use Central Nervous System Software

Brain Care Ireland (BCI), located in the Research and Innovation Centre in NUI Galway, invites Pharmacists and suitably qualified Health Care Professionals to become Brain Care Training Consultants using BCI’s Telemedicine products for Central Nervous System Disorders including Alzheimer’s in Ireland today

BCI’s new technology approach is to bring Mental Health therapies to the community. The  increased incidence of Central Nervous System Disorders including Alzheimer’s, Stroke, Depression, TBI, PTSD, Meningitis, Senior Ageing has led BCI to launch a county wide home care package initiative in the Republic, Northern Ireland and Great Britain following a trial rollout in Galway.

James Lee, Chief Scientific Officer of Brain Care Ireland, explains: “A person with mild cognitive impairment is at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's or another dementia; Brain Care Ireland’s 3 minute memory screening can help detect participants with mild cognitive impairment and brings with it all the benefits of early detection for remediation or rehabilitation.”

BCI is also looking at enabling a laptop, iPads or apps to be able to detect user’s temperature, pulse, BP, Cholesterol, Depressive feelings etc at home with dashboard management alerting an ambulance. Motion detector technologies can also be incorporated. BCI view these solutions as key to keeping long-stay care to a minimum and avoiding the cost of in-home care.

Click here to view article in full

Essential Text - 2013 Has Arrived!

Essential Med Notes 2013 (Formerly Toronto Notes)

This text provides a comprehensive review of the basics in Medicine and Surgery.

Book details:
ISBN: 9781927363010


It is particularly designed for students who are preparing for
- The MCCEE Examination (Canada)
- The USMLE - Step 2 (USA)

It may be consulted at 616 MOO, Medical Library (CSI)

Linking Social Sciences and Medical Research

Social Science and Medicine studies are supported through online resources which  illustrate the value of interdisciplinary team research:

Social Science and Medicine is available through the ScienceDirect Database





Social History of Medicine  - Oxford University
Publishes work on the social history of medicine through a variety of disciplines:



The Discovery of Insulin in 1922 may be viewed through the The Journal of Biological Chemistry Discovery of Insulin - published in 1923.

Canadian, Frederick Banting (1891-1941), received the Nobel Prize for his research work which permitted the discovery of insulin
see  http://link.library.utoronto.ca/insulin/