Suzanne Dunne

University of Limerick | UL · GEMS

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a debilitating inflammatory bowel condition of unknown aetiology that is growing in prevalence globally. Large-scale studies have determined associations between female obesity or low body mass index (BMI) with risk of CD at all ages or 8– < 40 years, respectively. For males, low BMI entering adult life is associated with in...

Impact of the intestinal microbiome on human health has become increasingly apparent. A plethora of studies have focused on dietary influence, in addition to antimicrobial use and other therapeutic interventions, on microbial diversity. Despite this increased emphasis on elucidating microbiota of the healthy or diseased gut, very few data are avail...

Background Delirium is a common neuropsychiatric disorder associated with prolonged hospital stays, and increased morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is frequently missed due to varying disease presentation and lack of standardized testing. We examined biomarkers as diagnostic or prognostic indicators of delirium, and provide a rational basis for fu...

Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) devices are an important element of the management of cystic fibrosis, and other respiratory diseases. While there have been reports in the literature of contamination of airway clearance devices and their surfaces by microbial pathogens, there is little evidence available regarding such contamination and its cont...

Breast cancer is amongst the most common forms of cancer, is predominantly a woman’s illness, and is the most frequently reported invasive cancer in women worldwide [1]. Varying risk factors have been identified, including genetics, family history, lifestyle, age and the use of hormone replacement therapy. Mastitis, also predominantly a woman’s ill...

Background Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is associated with relatively high risk of complications and high levels of mortality. Internationally, SAB management guidelines lack consensus and especially so regarding oncology patients. This is likely a reflection of insufficient randomised control trials (RCT) and the diversity of SAB patien...

Background: Nepal continues to struggle to increase its population access to healthcare, especially in rural and isolated villages where primary healthcare is offered through local health outposts. However, people often prefer to consult initially with traditional healers for minor issues as this is more aligned with their cultural beliefs and prac...

Recognized issues with poor hand hygiene compliance among healthcare workers, and reports of re-contamination of previously chemically disinfected surfaces through hand contact, emphasize need for novel hygiene methods in addition to those currently available. One such approach involves antimicrobial (nano)-coatings (AMC), whereby integrated active...

Background: There is increasing emphasis on understanding the rate, and avoidable costs, of inappropriate laboratory testing in hospitals, especially associated with duplication of tests following transfer of patients from one hospital to another. While studies of inappropriate testing have been reported previously, there are no published data rel...

Aim: To evaluate published trials examining oral post-operative protein supplementation in patients having undergone gastrointestinal surgery and assessment of reported results. Methods: Database searches (MEDLINE, BIOSIS, EMBASE, Cochrane Trials, Cinahl, and CAB), searches of reference lists of relevant papers, and expert referral were used to...

Background and objective: Considerable emphasis is placed on the use of generic medicines because of the potential economic benefits associated with their use. The objective of this systematic review is to compile and collate published research regarding patient/consumer perceptions and attitudes in relation to generic medicines, aiming to describ...

Background The regulatory body responsible for the registration of Irish pre-hospital practitioners, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), identified the need to implement a continuing professional competence (CPC) framework. The first cycle of CPC (focused on emergency medical technicians) commenced in November 2013 creating for the fir...

In November 2013, the Irish Regulator for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) introduced the first mandatory requirement for registrants to demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development (CPD)/continuous professional competence (CPC). This qualitative study assessed the experience of practitioners with CPC-related materials provided t...

Considerable emphasis is presently being placed on usage of generic medicines by governments focussed on the potential economic benefits associated with their use. Concurrently, there is increasing discussion in the lay media of perceived doubts regarding the quality and equivalence of generic medicines. The objective of this paper is to report the...

Background Use of generic medicines in Ireland has historically been low. New legislation, in 2013, introduced reference pricing and generic substitution in Ireland for the first time. Also, as patents have recently expired for many familiar medicines, Irish patients are more likely than ever to receive a generic medicine. Objective As the Interne...

Background: Following the enactment of legislation in June 2013, generic substitution and reference pricing of medicines has been introduced, for the first time, in Ireland. This novel study is the first assessment of the perceptions of community pharmacists in Ireland towards generic medicines completed in the period immediately prior to the intr...

Background: To benefit from cost-savings associated with generic medicine use; in June 2013, Ireland introduced generic substitution and reference pricing. The attitudes and behaviours of health care professionals may influence successful implementation of such changes. Objectives: To assess perceptions of GPs in Ireland regarding generic medici...

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health challenge. In 2012, young people (20-29 years) represented 59.1 % of STI notifications in Ireland. In studying awareness and knowledge of STIs, methods of protection, and sexual practices of young people, many researchers have accessed university students. Survey of 419 university stu...

In an attempt to benefit from the cost-savings associated with use of generic medicines, in June 2013 Ireland introduced generic substitution and reference pricing for the first time. However, perceptions of Irish patients towards generic medicines have not been published previously. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess how generic...

Internationally, generic medicines are increasingly seen as a key strategy to reduce healthcare expenditure, therefore awareness and knowledge transfer regarding generic medicines are valid areas of research. Although the Internet is a frequently used source of medical information, the accuracy of material found online is variable. The aim of this...

The Internet is a widely used source of information for patients searching for medical/health care information. While many studies have assessed existing medical/health care information on the Internet, relatively few have examined methods for design and delivery of such websites, particularly those aimed at the general public. This study describes...

Background Since the UK Abortion Act (1967), women have travelled from Ireland to the UK for legal abortion. In 2011 >4000 women did so. Knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards abortion have been published, however, this is the first such report from Ireland. Objective To investigate medical students' attitudes towards abortion in Irela...

Since the UK Abortion Act (1967), women have travelled from Ireland to the UK for legal abortion. In 2011 >4000 women did so. Knowledge and attitudes of medical students towards abortion have been published, however, this is the first such report from Ireland. To investigate medical students' attitudes towards abortion in Ireland. All medical stude...

Background As healthcare and longevity improve and fertility rates decline, we see a demographic shift towards a predominantly elderly population. Because ageing brings its own physiological changes and complications, the need arises for practical and feasible approaches in providing the healthcare required by this population. With government strat...

Generic medicines are those where patent protection has expired, and which may be produced by manufacturers other than the innovator company. Use of generic medicines has been increasing in recent years, primarily as a cost saving measure in healthcare provision. Generic medicines are typically 20 to 90% cheaper than originator equivalents. Our obj...