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Prescribing Patterns Of Myopia Control Contact Lenses Among Optometrists In Ireland, Michael Moore, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman

Articles

Purpose

This retrospective analysis of electronic medical record (EMR) data investigated the prescribing patterns of soft myopia control contact lens (MCCL) treatments since their introduction in Ireland in 2017.

Methods

Anonymised EMR data were sourced from 33 optometry practices in Ireland from 2017 to 2021 to determine the number of practices prescribing MCCLs to myopic children 5–18 years old. In MCCL-prescribing practices, the proportion of contact lens wearing children fitted with MCCLs and the proportion of progressive (≤−0.25 D/year) myopic children fitted with MCCLs were determined. Logistic regression was used to determine which factors influenced the likelihood of being prescribed …

Identifying Novel Data-Driven Dietary Patterns Via Dimensionality Reduction And Associations With Socioeconomic Profile And Health Outcomes In Ireland, Daniel Burke, Annemarie E. Bennett, Paul Hynds, Anushree Priyadarshini

Articles

Dietary patterns and body mass index (BMI) play a significant role in the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, including Ireland. A cross-sectional survey was conducted across Ireland to collate respondents’ socioeconomic profiles, health status, and dietary patterns with a representative sample size of 957 adult respondents. Principal component analysis (PCA) and statistical analyses were subsequently employed. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to use recent (2021) nationally representative data to characterise dietary patterns in Ireland via dimensionality reduction. Five distinct dietary patterns (“meat-focused”, “dairy/ovo-focused”, “vegetable-focused”, “seafood-focused”, and “potatofocused”) were …

Using Electronic Medical Record Data To Establish And Monitor The Distribution Of Refractive Errors, Sean Longwill, Michael Moore, Daniel Ian Flitcroft, James Loughman

Articles

Objective

To establish the baseline distribution of refractive errors and associated factors amongst a population that attended primary care optometry clinics.

Design

Retrospective cross sectional cohort study of electronic medical records (EMR).

Methods

Electronic medical record data was extracted from forty optometry clinics, representing a mix of urban and rural areas in Ireland. The analysis was confined to demographic and clinical data gathered over a sixty-month period between 2015 and 2019. Distribution rates were calculated using the absolute and relative frequencies of refractive error in the dataset, stratified for age and gender using the following definitions: high myopia ≤ -6.00 …

Childminding Professionalism And Professionalisation In Ireland: A Different Story, Miriam O'Regan, Ann Marie Halpenny, Noirin Hayes

Articles

This research focussed on documenting the praxis and paedagogy of paid, professional childminding (family childcare/day care) in Ireland. It explored professionalism and professionalisation among childminders in the context of the evolving understanding of professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) nationally and internationally. The research was conducted within the framework of Ecocultural Theory (ECT) on the eve of mandatory regulation of childminding against the backdrop of Irish ECEC policy. A mixed method approach was adopted, using the Ecocultural Family Interview for Childminders (EFICh), including participants’ photographs, case study surveys, researcher field notes and holistic ratings. We present findings related …

Will Treating Progressive Myopia Overwhelm The Eye Care Workforce? A Workforce Modelling Study, Gareth Lingham, James Loughman, Stella Kuzmenko, Matilda Biba, Daniel Ian Flitcroft

Articles

Purpose

Treatments for myopia progression are now available, but implementing these into clinical practice will place a burden on the eye care workforce. This study estimated the full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce required to implement myopia control treatments in the UK and Ireland.

Methods

To estimate the number of 6- to 21-year-olds with myopia, two models utilising separate data sources were developed. The examination-based model used: (1) the number of primary care eye examinations conducted annually and (2) the proportion of these that are for myopic young people. The prevalence-based model used epidemiological data on the age-specific prevalence of myopia. The …

Vitamin D Status And Mortality From Sars Cov-2: A Prospective Study Of Unvaccinated Caucasian Adults, Robert Barrett, Modar Youssef, Irfan Shah, Julia Ioana, Abdullah Al Lawati, Abdullah Bukhari, Suzanne Hegarty, Liam J. Cormican, Eoin Judge, Conor M. Burke, Catriona Cody, Joseph Feely, Katrina Hutchinson, William Tormey, Eoghan O’ Neill, Aoife O'Shea, Meabh Connolly, Daniel Mccartney, John L. Faul

Articles

COVID-19 and a low vitamin D state share common risk factors, which might explain why vitamin D deficiency has been linked with higher COVID-19 mortality. Moreover, measures of serum vitamin D may become lower during systemic inflammatory responses, further confounding the association via reverse causality. In this prospective study (recruited over 12 months), we examined whether the association between a low vitamin D state and in-hospital mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia in unvaccinated subjects is explained by (i) the presence of shared risk factors (e.g., obesity, advanced age) or (ii) a reduction in serum 25(OH)D due to COVID-19 (i.e., reverse …

Friends And Family Matter Most: A Trend Analysis Of Increasing E-Cigarette Use Among Irish Teenagers And Sociodemographic, Personal, Peer And Familial Associations, Joan Hanafin, Salome Sunday, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background

E-cigarette ever-use and current-use among teenagers has increased worldwide, including in Ireland.

Methods

We use data from two Irish waves (2015, 2019) of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD) to investigate gender and teenage e-cigarette use (n = 3421 16-year-olds). Using chi-square analyses, we report changes in e-cigarette ever-use, current-use, and associated variables. Using multivariable logistic regression, we analyse the increase in e-cigarette use and socio-demographic, personal, peer and familial associations, focusing on gender differences.

Results

E-cigarette ever-use increased from 23% in 2015 to 37% in 2019, and current-use from 10 to …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics Of Sporadic Shiga Toxin–Producing Escherichia Coli Enteritis, Ireland, 2013–2017, Eiimear Cleary, Patricia Garvey, Paul Mckeown, Jean O'Dwyer, Coilin Oh Aiseadha, Paul Mckeown, Paul Hynds

Articles

The Republic of Ireland regularly reports the highest annual crude incidence rates of Shiga toxin–producing Escherichia coli (STEC) enteritis in the European Union, ≈10 times the average. We investigated spatiotemporal patterns of STEC enteritis in Ireland using multiple statistical tools. Overall, we georeferenced 2,755 cases of infection during January 2013–December 2017; we found >1 case notified in 2,340 (12.6%) of 18,641 Census Small Areas. We encountered the highest case numbers in children 0–5 years of age (n = 1,101, 39.6%) and associated with serogroups O26 (n = 800, 29%) and O157 (n = 638, 23.2%). Overall, we identified 17 space-time …

How To Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding In Ireland: A Qualitative Study On Views Of Chinese Immigrant Mothers, Haoyue Chen, Qianling Zhou, Tanya M. Cassidy, Katherine Younger, Siao Shen, John M. Kearney

Articles

Background The exclusive breastfeeding rate in Ireland is very low with extremely slow annual growth.The population of immigrants in Ireland is increasing. Improving exclusive breastfeeding practice amongimmigrants may contribute to the overall improvement of exclusive breastfeeding rates in Ireland. Thisstudy was conducted to elicit recommendations on improving exclusive breastfeeding rate for six monthsamong Chinese immigrants in Ireland. Methods Fourteen semi-structured in-depth individual interviewswere conducted with Chinese immigrant mothers resident in Ireland, who breastfed exclusively for four to six months.

What’S In A Name? Applying The Syndemic Perspective To Covid-19 In Ireland, Chris O'Ralaigh

Articles

The term pandemic, pro-offers a vision of COVID-19 abstracted from its social, economic, and political context, suggesting a socially neutral phenomena framed within a medicalised discourse. An etymological and theoretical re-conceptualisation of COVID-19 as a syndemic re-situates the virus within these contexts, allowing an interrogation of the oft-stated claim, discussed in this journal (Nolan, 2020) that ‘we are all in this together’ and a deeper analysis of the viruses impact on particular social groupings. Several recent articles have posited that the syndemic label applies to COVID-19 at an international level (Bambra et al., 2020; Hill et al., 2020; Horton, 2020) …

Optimisation Of Vitamin D Status For Enhanced Immuno-Protection Against Covid-19, Daniel Mccartney, Declan G. Byrne

Articles

Abstract

Background

Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25(OH)D<50nmol/l) is common in Ireland, particularly amongst older adults, hospital inpatients and nursing home residents. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of acute viral respiratory infection and community acquired pneumonia, with several molecular mechanisms proposed to explain this association. Vitamin D supplementation has also been shown to reduce the risk of respiratory infection.

Vitamin D and Covid-19

Correction of vitamin D deficiency is thought to suppress CD26, a putative adhesion molecule for Covid-19 host cell invasion. Vitamin D may also attenuate interferon gamma (IFNγ) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) inflammatory responses, both potent predictors of poorer outcome in critically-ill ventilated patients including those with Covid-19.

Vitamin D Requirements

Irish adults require 25-30μg/d of vitamin D3, an intake not achievable by diet alone, to reliably maintain serum 25(OH)D levels >50nmol/l. Supplementation with doses up to 100μg/d has been shown to be safe for adults, and many agencies and expert …

Does Smoke-Free Legislation Work For Teens Too?: A Logistic Regression Analysis Of Smoking Prevalence And Gender Among Sixteen Years Old In Ireland Using The 1995-2015 Espad School Surveys, Shasha Li, Sheila Keogan, Luke Clancy

Articles

Objectives: To assess the role of tobacco control legislation (TCL) in youth smoking in Ireland. To examine the effects of smoke-free legislation in youth. To consider whether TCL contributed to the gender equalisation in prevalence in 16 years old seen between 2003 and 2015.

Setting Data are from the 4 yearly European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs from 1995 to 2015. Total sample size was 12.394. A logistic regression model on grouped data was used. Dependent variable is whether a student was a smoker in last 30 days. Independent variables are time, gender and the policy indicators, …

Prevalence Of Colour Vision Deficiency In The Republic Of Ireland Schoolchildren And Associated Socio-Demographic Factors, Síofra Harrington, Peter Davison, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Clinical relevance: Early screening is essential to counsel schoolchildren with congenital colour vision deficiency (CVD) in determining their future career path and to advise teachers of the impact of CVD on classroom difficulties.

Background: Congenital CVD is an X-linked genetic abnormality relatively commonplace in humans. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of congenital CVD in the Republic of Ireland schoolchildren and associated socio-demographic factors.

Methods: A total of 1,626 schoolchildren (882 boys and 744 girls), in two age groups (728 aged 6–7 years and 898 aged 12–13 years) were examined from randomly selected schools. Colour vision …

I Was Determined To Breastfeed, And I Always Found A Solution: Successful Experiences Of Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Chinese Mothers In Ireland, John Kearney, Qianling Zhou, Haoyue Chen, Katherine Younger, Tanya M. Cassidy

Articles

Background: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding for at least 4 months was previously found to be very low among Chinese immigrants in Ireland, at 5.8% (Zhou et al., Front Public Health 6:351, 2018). This study investigates the successful experiences of Chinese mothers living in Ireland who exclusively breastfeed for between four and 6 months.

Methods: Participants were recruited from the sample of the Ireland Chinese Mother Survey. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with fourteen participants in their homes or public places.

Results: A content analysis revealed that various factors contributed to a successful experience of exclusive breastfeeding among the group …

Ocular Biometry, Refraction And Time Spent Outdoors During Daylight In Irish Schoolchildren, Síofra Harrington, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Background: Previous studies have investigated the relationship between ocular biometry and spherical equivalent refraction in children. This is the first such study in Ireland. The effect of time spent outdoors was also investigated.

Methods: Examination included cycloplegic autorefraction and non-contact ocular biometric measures of axial length, corneal radius and anterior chamber depth from 1,626 children in two age groups: six to seven years and 12 to 13 years, from 37 schools. Parents/guardians completed a participant questionnaire detailing time spent outdoors during daylight in summer and winter.

Results: Ocular biometric data were correlated with spherical equivalent refraction (axial …

Risk Factors Associated With Myopia In Schoolchildren In Ireland, Síofra Harrington, Jim Stack, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Aim To examine the demographic and social factors associated with myopia in schoolchildren in Ireland.

Methods Thirty-seven schools participated, representing a mix of urban and rural schools and schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged areas in Ireland. Examination included cyclopleged autorefraction (1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride). Height and weight of participants were measured. Parents filled in a participant’s lifestyle questionnaire, including questions on daily screen time use and daylight exposure. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent ≤−0.50 D.

Results Data from 1626 participants (881 boys, 745 girls) in two age groups, 6–7 years (728) and 12–13 years (898), were examined. Myopia prevalence …

Risk Factors Associated With Myopia In Schoolchildren In Ireland, Síofra Harrington, Jim Stack, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Aim To examine the demographic and social factors associated with myopia in schoolchildren in Ireland.

Methods Thirty-seven schools participated, representing a mix of urban and rural schools and schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged areas in Ireland. Examination included cyclopleged autorefraction (1% cyclopentolate hydrochloride). Height and weight of participants were measured. Parents filled in a participant’s lifestyle questionnaire, including questions on daily screen time use and daylight exposure. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent ≤−0.50 D.

Results Data from 1626 participants (881 boys, 745 girls) in two age groups, 6–7 years (728) and 12–13 years (898), were examined. Myopia prevalence …

Comparison Of Amblyopia In Schoolchildren In Ireland And Northern Ireland: A Population-Based Observational Cross-Sectional Analysis Of A Treatable Childhood Visual Deficit, Síofra Harrington, Karen Breslin, Veronica O'Dwyer, Kathryn Saunders

Articles

Objectives This study reports the prevalence of persistent amblyopia (post-traditional treatment age) in schoolchildren in the Republic of Ireland (henceforth Ireland) and Northern Ireland (NI), UK; populations with broadly similar refractive and genetic profiles but different eye-care systems.

Design This is a population-based observational study of amblyopia and refractive error.

Setting Recruitment and testing in primary and post-primary schools in Ireland and NI.

Participants Two groups identified through random cluster sampling to represent the underlying population; Ireland 898 participants (12–13 years old) and NI 723 participants (295 aged 9–10 years old, 428 aged 15–16 years old).

Main outcome measures Monocular …

Refractive Error And Visual Impairment In Ireland Schoolchildren, Síofra Harrington, Jim Stack, Kathryn Saunders, Veronica O'Dwyer

Articles

Aim To report refractive error prevalence and visual impairment in Republic of Ireland (henceforth 'Ireland') schoolchildren.

Methods The Ireland Eye Study examined 1626 participants (881 boys, 745 girls) in two age groups, 6–7 years (728) and 12–13 years (898), in Ireland between June 2016 and January 2018. Participating schools were selected by stratified random sampling, representing a mix of school type (primary/postprimary), location (urban/rural) and socioeconomic status (disadvantaged/advantaged). Examination included monocular logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) presenting visual acuity (with spectacles if worn) and cycloplegic autorefraction (1% Cyclopentolate Hydrochloride). Parents completed a questionnaire to ascertain participants’ lifestyle. …

It’S Not All About Price: Factors Associated With Roll-Your-Own Tobacco Use Among Young People - A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Breslin, Joan Hanafin, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background: Smoking prevalence in Ireland is falling in all age groups, but the prevalence of roll-your-own (RYO) tobacco use is rising among young people. This qualitative study aims to explore and understand the factors associated with young people's use of RYO products. Methods: Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were conducted with young people aged 16-22 years. Participants were recruited from a higher education institution and youth organisations working with early school leavers across Dublin. In total, there were 62 participants in the study, consisting of 22 individual interviews and eight focus group interviews with 40 participants. Categoric and thematic …

Development Of A Hierarchical Model For Predicting Microbiological Contamination Of Private Groundwater Supplies In A Geologically Heterogeneous Region, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds, Kenneth Byrne, Michael Ryan, Catherine Adley

Articles

Private groundwater sources in the Republic of Ireland provide drinking water to an estimated 750,000 people or 16% of the national population. Consumers of untreated groundwater are at increased risk of infection from pathogenic microorganisms. However, given the volume of private wells in operation, remediation or even quantification of public risk is both costly and time consuming. In this study, a hierarchical logistic regression model was developed to ‘predict’ contamination with E. coli based on the results of groundwater quality analyses of private wells (n = 132) during the period of September 2011 to November 2012. Assessment of potential microbial …

Infant Feeding Practices In China And Ireland - Ireland Chinese Mother, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Articles

Introduction: Migration to another country may induce changes in infant feeding practices especially where such practices differ considerably between the two countries. This study was undertaken to compare the infant feeding practices between Chinese mothers who gave birth in Ireland (CMI) with immigrant Chinese mothers who gave birth in China (CMC), and to examine the factors that influence these practices. Methods: A cross-sectional self-administrated survey was conducted among a convenience sample of 322 Chinese mothers living in Ireland. Data were obtained from mailed questionnaires. Infant feeding practices between CMC and CMI were compared by Chi-square or independent sample t-test. Binary …

Exploring Smoking, Mental Health And Smoking-Related Disease In A Nationally Representative Sample Of Older Adults In Ireland: A Retrospective Secondary Secondary Analysis, Annette Burns, Judith Strawbridge, Luke Clancy, Frank Doyle

Articles

Objective: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death among individuals with mental health difficulties (MHD). The aim of the current study was to determine the impact of smoking on the physical health of older adults with MHD in Ireland and to explore the extent to which smoking mediated or moderated associations between MHD and smoking-related diseases. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a nationally representative sample of 8,175 communitydwelling adults aged 50 and over from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) was undertaken. Multivariate adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess the association between MHD, smoking (current/past/never) and smoking-related …

Evaluation Of Levels Of Antibiotic Resistance In Groundwater-Derived E. Coli Isolates In The Midwest Of Ireland And Elucidation Of Potential Predictors Of Resistance, Jean O'Dwyer, Paul Hynds, Matthieu Pot, Catherine Adley, Michael Ryan

Articles

Antibiotic-resistant (pathogenic and non-pathogenic) organisms and genes are now acknowledged as significant emerging aquatic contaminants with potentially adverse human and ecological health impacts, and thus require monitoring. This study is the first to investigate levels of resistance among Irish groundwater (private wells) samples; Escherichia coli isolates were examined against a panel of commonly prescribed human and veterinary therapeutic antibiotics, followed by determination of the causative factors of resistance. Overall, 42 confirmed E. coli isolates were recovered from a groundwater-sampling cohort. Resistance to the human panel of antibiotics was moderate; nine (21.4%) E. coli isolates demonstrated resistance to one or more …

Cancer Incidence In Ireland—The Possible Role Of Diet, Nutrition And Lifestyle, Daniel Mccartney, Declan Byrne, Marie Cantwell, Michael Turner

Articles

Aim This observational ecological study aims to compare Ireland’s age-specific cancer incidence rates (ASRs) with equivalent European and global data and to highlight possible dietary, nutritional and lifestyle contributors to cancer in Ireland.

Subjects and methods Using the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC) GLOBOCAN database, Irish ASRs for all-site cancer and for "lifestyle-related" cancers such as those of the colo-rectum, oesophagus, breast, lung and prostate were compared with European and global incidence data. Irish dietary and nutrient intake data were reviewed and evaluated in the context of these cancer incidence data and in relation to the established dietary, …

Views Of Fathers In Ireland On The Experience And Challenges Of Having A Breast-Feeding Partner, Annemarie Bennett, Daniel Mccartney, John Kearney

Articles

Objective this study investigated the relationship between fathers and breast feeding in Ireland.

Design and method a cross-sectional semi-quantitative questionnaire with closed-ended and open-ended questions was posted to 1398 men with an Irish partner who had given birth 4–7 months previously. Fathers who specified that their partner breast fed their last or only child were questioned about their: influence on the breast feeding decision; ability to assist with breast feeding challenges; preferred type of information on breast feeding; perceived advantages and disadvantages to breast feeding; and views on breastfeeding in public. Data from closed-ended questions on breast feeding were presented …

The Association Of Cold Weather And All-Cause And Cause-Specific Mortality In The Island Of Ireland Between 1984 And 2007, Ariana Zeka, Stephen Browne, Helen Mcavoy, Patrick Goodman

Articles

Background: This study aimed to assess the relationship between cold temperature and daily mortality in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI), and to explore any differences in the population responses between the two jurisdictions. Methods: A time-stratified case-crossover approach was used to examine this relationship in two adult national populations, between 1984 and 2007. Daily mortality risk was examined in association with exposure to daily maximum temperatures on the same day and up to 6 weeks preceding death, during the winter (December-February) and an extended cold period (October-March), using distributed lag models. Model stratification by age and …

Reductions In Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, And Respiratory Mortality Following The National Irish Smoking Ban: Interruped Time-Series Analysis, Sericea Stallings-Smith, Ariana Zeka, Patrick J. Goodman, Zubair Kabir, Luke Clancy

Articles

Background:

Previous studies have shown decreases in cardiovascular mortality following the implementation of comprehensive smoking bans. It is not known whether cerebrovascular or respiratory mortality decreases post-ban. On March 29, 2004, the Republic of Ireland became the first country in the world to implement a national workplace smoking ban. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of this policy on all-cause and cause-specific, non-trauma mortality.

Methods:

A time-series epidemiologic assessment was conducted, utilizing Poisson regression to examine weekly age and gender-standardized rates for 215,878 non-trauma deaths in the Irish population, ages $35 years. The study period was …

Obesity Is An Independent Predictor Of Breastfeeding Initiation When Socioeconomic Status Is Controlled For, Annemarie Bennett, Daniel Mccartney, John Kearney

Articles

Breastfeeding initiation rates vary across Europe, with rates as low as 56%(1) in Ireland and rates in excess of 90%(2) in the Nordic countries. A host of factors, including demographic, social, psychological and physical factors, influence the initiation, intensity and duration of breastfeeding. The extent to which modifiable factors influence breastfeeding initiation should be ascertained in order to prioritise support services for breastfeeding. Obesity is a known modifiable factor which inhibits breastfeeding initiation. This study aimed to determine the extent to which obesity inhibits breastfeeding initiation while controlling for socioeconomic status and other confounding factors. The Infant Cohort dataset from …

Should Any Workplace Be Exempt From Smoke-Free Law: The Irish Experience, M. Mccaffrey, Patrick J. Goodman, A. Gavigan, C. Kenny, C. Hogg, L. Byrne, J. Mcloughlin, L. Clancy

Articles

Background.

In 2004, the Irish Government introduced national legislation banning smoking in workplaces; with exemptions for “a place of residence”. This paper summarises three Irish studies of exempted premises; prisons, psychiatric hospitals and nursing homes. Methods. PM2.5 and nicotine were measured in nursing homes and psychiatric hospitals, in addition to ultrafine particles in the hospitals. In the prisons, officers (n = 30) completed exhaled breath Carbon Monoxide (CO) measurements. Questionnaires determined officers’ opinion on introducing smoking prohibitions in prisons. Nursing home smoking policies were examined and questionnaires completed by staff regarding workplace secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure. Findings. Ultrafine particle concentrations …