Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Revitalisation, Rigour And Relevance: The Citizen-Client And Planning In The Health Services., Vivienne Byers

Conference Papers

Whereas, in many OECD countries strategic planning in health care has been in evidence since the 1970s, in Ireland the emergence of strategic management processes in health care planning didn’t occur until the 1990s.

This paper reports on part of a comparative study of health services planning in Ireland and in Canada. How can the strategic management of the Irish health services in the form of service planning be implemented? The focus of this paper is the identification of two key stumbling blocks to success in this endeavour. These include the limitations of the control mechanism, the legislation, underpinning service …

Strategic Change In The Irish Health Services: Comparative Case Studies In Planning, Vivienne Byers

Conference Papers

This paper reports on a study of the implementation of service planning in the Irish health services in the context of significant organisational change. One of the central mechanisms of the Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) is the devolution of accountability and responsibility from the centre to executive agencies. Service planning in the Irish health care sector is seen as part of this strategic planning ethos.

This study in examining the function and implementation of the service plan in the Irish health care system drew comparisons with the Canadian experience. A multiple case study design was utilised. Key research questions were …

Archetype Alignment: A Two-Level Driven Semantic Matching Approach To Interoperability In The Clinical Domain, Damon Berry, Jesus Bisbal

Conference Papers

Semantic interoperability between electronic health record systems and other information systems in the health domain implies agreement about the structure and the meaning of the information that is communicated. There are still a number of similar but different EHR system approaches. Some of the newer approaches adopt the two-layer model approach where a generic reference model is constrained by archetypes into valid clinical concepts which can be exchanged. The meaning of the concepts that are represented by an archetype can be conveyed by embedding codes from a commonly recognised terminology at appropriate points in the archetype. However, as the number …

Factors Associated With Breastfeeding Among A Sample Of Chinese Mothers Who Gave Birth In Ireland, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: The factors influencing breastfeeding rates are complex, and the socio-cultural environment has an important influence on how women choose to feed their infants. The present study sought to determine factors affecting breastfeeding practices of Chinese mothers who gave birth in Ireland. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey (written in Chinese). Questionnaires were distributed to Chinese mothers in Chinese markets and language schools in Ireland. Results & Findings: Analyses was conducted on 236 completed questionnaires from Chinese mothers who had given birth in Ireland. Breastfeeding prevalence among the participants was 71%. Univariate analyses indicated that mothers who lived …

Attitudes Towards Breastfeeding Among A Sample Of Chinese Mothers Living In Ireland, Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Conference Papers

In recent years, breastfeeding has become the focus of public health in Ireland. Previous research has reported significant differences in breastfeeding initiation rates among Irish mothers (47.1%) and non-Irish mothers (79.6%) living in Ireland(1). While attitudes towards breastfeeding among Irish mothers have been previously described(2), such information on non-nationals is lacking, particularly among Chinese residing in Ireland. This study was undertaken to fill this information gap, describing the maternal attitudes towards breastfeeding among Chinese mothers living in Ireland. A cross-sectional self-administrated survey was conducted. Questionnaires (written in Chinese) were distributed to the Chinese mothers, mainly via Chinese supermarkets and Chinese …

Breastfeeding Practices In China And Ireland: The Chinese Mothers In Ireland Survey., Qianling Zhou, Katherine Younger, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: Migration to another country may contribute to some changes in breastfeeding practices. This study explored the breastfeeding practices of immigrant Chinese mothers in China and following migration to Ireland, where breastfeeding is far less prevalent (43% initiation).

Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey involving Chinese mothers who had given birth in Ireland (CMI) or in China (CMC).

Results & Findings: Analyses was conducted on 285 completed questionnaires. 72 % of the sample breastfed their infants with no differences between CMI (71%) and CMC (78%) (P>0.05). However, breastfeeding rates at three months (62%) and six months (32%) …

Macular Pigment And Its Contribution To Spatial Vision, James Loughman, Peter Davison, Grainne Scanlon, Veronica O'Dwyer

Conference Papers

Purpose:The optical properties and anatomic distribution of macular pigment (MP) are such that it may theoretically contribute to visual performance by attenuating the effects of chromatic aberration and light scatter. The Collaborative Optical Macular Pigment Assessment (COMPASS) study is a placebo-controlled, randomized and double-blind clinical trial designed to assess whether MP optical density (MPOD) influences spatial vision by attenuating short wavelength light. Preliminary analysis of baseline findings, prior to supplementation, is presented here. Methods:119 young (mean=29+/-6 years) healthy subjects were recruited. The spatial profile of MPOD was assessed by customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Visual performance was assessed by psychophysical tests …

Perception Of Dietary Change And Attitudes Towards The Irish Diet Among Non-Nationals In Ireland., Qianling Zhou, Phensiri Asawasirisap, John Kearney

Conference Papers

Rationale & Objectives: Cross-cultural attitudes to diet differ significantly. This study examined attitudes towards the Irish diet and their perceived dietary change among a random sample of non-nationals living in Ireland. Materials & Methods: A self-administered cross-sectional survey was distributed to a randomly selected sample of English language students in Dublin. Results & Findings: 473 students from four geographical regions (Asia, Africa, South & Central American, and Europe) (response rate: 84%) completed the survey. Marked cultural differences between geographical regions were found with South & Central Americans being the most likely to indicate a decrease in fruit and vegetable intakes …