Children and Young Peoplehttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6319132024-03-23T03:29:41Z2024-03-23T03:29:41ZNational women and infants health programme: annual report 2022Health Service Executive (HSE)McGrane, Killianhttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6410552024-03-05T04:57:37Z2023-05-25T00:00:00ZNational women and infants health programme: annual report 2022
Health Service Executive (HSE); McGrane, Killian
In 2022 services began to return to normal, as the Covid impact lessened. This allowed NWIHP to continue our work programmes, and in collaboration with our colleagues in the six maternity networks, to make significant progress across maternity, gynaecology, neonatology, quality and safety and sexual and reproductive health services around the country.
In 2022, the national birth rate decreased by just under 10%, following the first increase in 12 years in 2021. Although the birth rates have returned to the 2020 levels, maternity services continue to deal with increasing levels of complex presentations driven by older maternal ages and increasing co-morbidities.
Increased funding in 2022 (€16.09m from budget 2022 plus €2.68m from the Women’s Health Taskforce) was vital in progressing the further rollout of the National maternity Strategy, continuing to improve access to gynaecology services and establishing fertility services. We wish to acknowledge the commitment of the Minister to women’s health, which has been underpinned by additional funding and which has also helped to prioritise women’s health, allowing for greater engagement in all sectors.
2023-05-25T00:00:00ZReview of the implications of the Cass Report for the provision of Gender Identity Services for children and young people in IrelandNational Quality and Patient Safety Directoratehttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6407012024-02-15T02:24:10Z2023-03-01T00:00:00ZReview of the implications of the Cass Report for the provision of Gender Identity Services for children and young people in Ireland
National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate
In 2021 NHS England commissioned a Review of Gender Identity Development Service for Children and Adolescents chaired by Dr Hilary Cass.
Following publication of the Interim Cass Report, the HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer (CCO) requested the National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate to review the interim Cass report and how it applies to clinical pathways from Ireland.
The HSE will establish a group during 2023 to develop an updated model of care for the treatment of gender dysphoria. The group will be led by an expert clinician from a relevant specialty who will oversee this process and ensure widespread stakeholder engagement.
The HSE's goal is to develop a person-centred model of care and invest in an integrated service that meets the needs of transgender people in Ireland.
2023-03-01T00:00:00ZSocial Connectedness and Smoking among Adolescents in Ireland: An Analysis of the Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren StudyEvans, DavidO'Farrell, AnneSheridan, AishlingKavanagh, Paulhttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6355002023-04-29T03:02:11Z2023-04-27T00:00:00ZSocial Connectedness and Smoking among Adolescents in Ireland: An Analysis of the Health Behaviour in Schoolchildren Study
Evans, David; O'Farrell, Anne; Sheridan, Aishling; Kavanagh, Paul
Continuing progress with preventing smoking initiation is a key to the tobacco endgame.
Home- and school-based social networks shape the health behaviour of children and adolescents.
This study described the relationship between social connectedness and smoking behaviour in schoolaged
children in Ireland. The 2014 Irish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveyed
self-reported smoking status and measured perceptions of social connectedness and support with
validated and reliable questions across a random stratified sample of 9623 schoolchildren (aged 10–19).
Overall, 8% of school-aged children reported smoking, in the last 30 days 52% reported smoking daily,
and prevalence increased with age (p < 0.001). Compared with schoolchildren who did not smoke,
perceptions of social connectedness and perceptions of support at home, from peers, and at school
were significantly poorer for schoolchildren who smoked across all measures examined (p < 0.001).
The poorest rated measures were for school connectedness and teacher support for smokers. Policies
and practices that build and support positive environments for schoolchildren must continue to be
prioritised if progress on preventing smoking initiation is to be sustained.
2023-04-27T00:00:00ZInformed consent and assent guide for paediatric clinical trials in Europe.Health Service Executive (HSE)Lepola, PirkkoKindred, MaxineGiannuzzi, VivianaGlosli, HeidiDehlinger-Kremer, MartineDalrymple, HarrisNeubauer, DavidBoylan, Geraldine BConway, JeanDewhurst, JoHoffman, Dianehttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6350022023-02-02T04:04:38Z2021-12-01T00:00:00ZInformed consent and assent guide for paediatric clinical trials in Europe.
Health Service Executive (HSE); Lepola, Pirkko; Kindred, Maxine; Giannuzzi, Viviana; Glosli, Heidi; Dehlinger-Kremer, Martine; Dalrymple, Harris; Neubauer, David; Boylan, Geraldine B; Conway, Jean; Dewhurst, Jo; Hoffman, Diane
Objective
Clinical trial sponsors spend considerable resources preparing informed consent (IC) and assent documentation for multinational paediatric clinical trial applications in Europe due to the limited and dispersed patient populations, the variation of national legal and ethical requirements, and the lack of detailed guidance. The aim of this study was to design new easy-to-use guide publicly available on European Medicines Agency’s, Enpr-EMA website for all stakeholders.
Methods
Current EU legal, ethical and regulatory guidance for paediatric clinical trials were collated, analysed and divided into 30 subject elements in two tables. The European Network of Young Person’s Advisory Group reviewed the data and provided specific comments. A three-level recommendation using ‘traffic light’ symbols was designed for four age groups of children, according to relevance and the requirements.
Results
A single guide document includes two tables: (1) general information and (2) trial-specific information. In the age group of 6–9 years old, 92% of the trial-specific subject elements can be or should be included in the IC discussion. Even in the youngest possible age group (2–5 years old children), the number of elements considered was, on average, 52%.
Conclusion
The EU Clinical Trial Regulation (2014) does not contain specific requirements exclusively for paediatric clinical trials. This work is the first to extensively collate all the current legal, regulatory and ethical documentation on the IC process, together with input from adolescents. This guide may increase the ethical standards in paediatric clinical trials.
2021-12-01T00:00:00ZInformed consent and assent guide for paediatric clinical trials in Europe.Health Service Executive (HSE)Lepola, PirkkoKindred, MaxineGiannuzzi, VivianaGlosli, HeidiDehlinger-Kremer, MartineDalrymple, HarrisNeubauer, DavidBoylan, Geraldine BConway, JeanDewhurst, JoHoffman, Dianehttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6349972023-02-02T04:04:09Z2021-12-01T00:00:00ZInformed consent and assent guide for paediatric clinical trials in Europe.
Health Service Executive (HSE); Lepola, Pirkko; Kindred, Maxine; Giannuzzi, Viviana; Glosli, Heidi; Dehlinger-Kremer, Martine; Dalrymple, Harris; Neubauer, David; Boylan, Geraldine B; Conway, Jean; Dewhurst, Jo; Hoffman, Diane
Objective
Clinical trial sponsors spend considerable resources preparing informed consent (IC) and assent documentation for multinational paediatric clinical trial applications in Europe due to the limited and dispersed patient populations, the variation of national legal and ethical requirements, and the lack of detailed guidance. The aim of this study was to design new easy-to-use guide publicly available on European Medicines Agency’s, Enpr-EMA website for all stakeholders.
Methods
Current EU legal, ethical and regulatory guidance for paediatric clinical trials were collated, analysed and divided into 30 subject elements in two tables. The European Network of Young Person’s Advisory Group reviewed the data and provided specific comments. A three-level recommendation using ‘traffic light’ symbols was designed for four age groups of children, according to relevance and the requirements.
Results
A single guide document includes two tables: (1) general information and (2) trial-specific information. In the age group of 6–9 years old, 92% of the trial-specific subject elements can be or should be included in the IC discussion. Even in the youngest possible age group (2–5 years old children), the number of elements considered was, on average, 52%.
Conclusion
The EU Clinical Trial Regulation (2014) does not contain specific requirements exclusively for paediatric clinical trials. This work is the first to extensively collate all the current legal, regulatory and ethical documentation on the IC process, together with input from adolescents. This guide may increase the ethical standards in paediatric clinical trials.
2021-12-01T00:00:00ZWhat Underpins Good Child-centred Practices in Children’s Social Services?McLoughlin, CarolConnolly, DeirdreMcCarthy, ShaunaWeir, LindaO'Rourke, NiamhFlynn, Rachelhttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6348712023-01-17T02:03:04Z2020-03-01T00:00:00ZWhat Underpins Good Child-centred Practices in Children’s Social Services?
McLoughlin, Carol; Connolly, Deirdre; McCarthy, Shauna; Weir, Linda; O'Rourke, Niamh; Flynn, Rachel
The children who engage with children’s social services are some of those who are at most risk of harm and abuse in society (Health Information and Quality Authority, 2012). The aim of the study was to identify what underpins good child-centred practice in children’s social services. This study was conducted to inform the development of National Standards for Children's Social Services. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) undertook a public scoping consultation to consult with people who have experience of children’s social services. Also a literature review was conducted as part of a review and synthesis of literature and evidence. Findings show that all children’s individual needs should be assessed and each child requires an approach tailored to their individual strengths and needs in order to keep them safe and promote their wellbeing. Although standardisation of certain processes can be helpful, both staff and children benefit from a degree of flexibility in the provision of services. Relationships with staff and having meaningful social connections are significant for children, in order for them to understand how their views can shape their care and support. The findings also indicate that accountable children's social services have strong leadership at both a national and local level to ensure that plans are carried out effectively across children’s social services.
2020-03-01T00:00:00ZPreventing and treating childhood overweight and obesity in children up to 5 years old: A systematic review by intervention setting.Flynn, Angela CSuleiman, FatmaWindsor-Aubrey, HazelWolfe, IngridO'Keeffe, MajellaPoston, LucillaDalrymple, Kathryn Vhttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6348432023-01-14T02:49:24Z2022-03-25T00:00:00ZPreventing and treating childhood overweight and obesity in children up to 5 years old: A systematic review by intervention setting.
Flynn, Angela C; Suleiman, Fatma; Windsor-Aubrey, Hazel; Wolfe, Ingrid; O'Keeffe, Majella; Poston, Lucilla; Dalrymple, Kathryn V
The prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide with long-term health consequences. Effective strategies to stem the rising childhood obesity rates are needed but systematic reviews of interventions have reported inconsistent effects. Evaluation of interventions could provide more practically relevant information when considered in the context of the setting in which the intervention was delivered. This systematic review has evaluated diet and physical activity interventions aimed at reducing obesity in children, from birth to 5 years old, by intervention setting. A systematic review of the literature, consistent with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, was performed. Three electronic databases were searched from 2010 up to December 2020 for randomised controlled trials aiming to prevent or treat childhood obesity in children up to 5 years old. The studies were stratified according to the setting in which the intervention was conducted. Twenty-eight studies were identified and included interventions in childcare/school (n = 11), home (n = 5), community (n = 5), hospital (n = 4), e-health (n = 2) and mixed (n = 1) settings. Thirteen (46%) interventions led to improvements in childhood obesity measures, including body mass index z-score and body fat percentage, 12 of which included both parental/family-based interventions in conjunction with modifying the child's diet and physical activity behaviours. Home-based interventions were identified as the most effective setting as four out of five studies reported significant changes in the child's weight outcomes. Interventions conducted in the home setting and those which included parents/families were effective in preventing childhood obesity. These findings should be considered when developing optimal strategies for the prevention of childhood obesity.
2022-03-25T00:00:00ZCOVID-19 infection and Down syndrome-challenges and future directions for care in children.Chauhan, KaushambiAlkhaldi, RamaChatterjee, Surobhihttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6348092023-01-06T02:58:39Z2022-06-29T00:00:00ZCOVID-19 infection and Down syndrome-challenges and future directions for care in children.
Chauhan, Kaushambi; Alkhaldi, Rama; Chatterjee, Surobhi
We have read with immense interest the article entitled “COVID-19 in patients with Down Syndrome” by Emami et al. We thank the authors for their valuable contributions regarding directing more care to those with Down syndrome. However, the article fails to provide insight on how we can specifically help children in the post-lockdown era.
Down syndrome (trisomy 21) is one of the commonest genetic disorders worldwide with a prevalence of around 3.3–6.7 per 100,000 population. Children with Down syndrome (DS) are more susceptible to infectious diseases increasing their chances of being infected with COVID-19. Though there is a huge amount of work done on children, studies understanding the impact of this infection on the population of intellectually disabled children and particularly on DS children are limited. In this article, we will present the unique challenges this population faces and provide suggestions for families, friends, caregivers and healthcare workers to improve their well-being.
2022-06-29T00:00:00ZThe experiences and needs of supporting individuals of young people who self-harm: A systematic review and thematic synthesis.Health Service Executive (HSE)Mughal, FarazTroya, M IsabelaDikomitis, LisaTierney, StephanieCorp, NadiaEvans, NicolaTownsend, EllenChew-Graham, Carolyn Ahttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6347942023-01-05T01:54:06Z2022-05-09T00:00:00ZThe experiences and needs of supporting individuals of young people who self-harm: A systematic review and thematic synthesis.
Health Service Executive (HSE); Mughal, Faraz; Troya, M Isabela; Dikomitis, Lisa; Tierney, Stephanie; Corp, Nadia; Evans, Nicola; Townsend, Ellen; Chew-Graham, Carolyn A
Self-harm in young people is a serious international health concern that impacts on those providing informal support: the supporting individuals of young people. We aimed to highlight the experiences, views, and needs of these supporting individuals of young people. We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis: PROSPERO CRD42020168527. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, ASSIA, and Web of Science were searched from inception to 6 May 2020 with citation tracking of eligible studies done on 1 Oct 2021. Primary outcomes were experiences, perspectives, and needs of parents, carers, or other family members of young people aged 12–25. Searches found 6167 citations, of which 22 papers were included in synthesis. Supporting individuals seek an explanation for and were personally affected by self-harm in young people. It is important that these individuals are themselves supported, especially as they negotiate new identities when handling self-harm in young people, as they attempt to offer support. The GRADE-CERQual confidence in findings is moderate. Recommendations informed by the synthesis findings are made for the future development of interventions. Clinicians and health service providers who manage self-harm in young people should incorporate these identified unmet needs of supporting individuals in a holistic approach to self-harm care. Future research must co-produce and evaluate interventions for supporting individuals.
2022-05-09T00:00:00ZBasic Motor Competencies of 6- to 8-Year-Old Primary School Children in 10 European Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study on Associations With Age, Sex, Body Mass Index, and Physical Activity.Health Service Executive (HSE)Wälti, MarinaSallen, JeffreyAdamakis, ManolisEnnigkeit, FabienneGerlach, ErinHeim, ChristopherJidovtseff, BorisKossyva, IreneLabudová, JanaMasaryková, DanaMombarg, RemoDe Sousa Morgado, LilianeNiederkofler, BenjaminNiehues, MaikeOnofre, MarcosPühse, UweQuitério, AnaScheuer, ClaudeSeelig, HaraldVlček, PetrVrbas, JaroslavHerrmann, Christianhttp://hdl.handle.net/10147/6347362022-12-02T02:06:03Z2022-04-25T00:00:00ZBasic Motor Competencies of 6- to 8-Year-Old Primary School Children in 10 European Countries: A Cross-Sectional Study on Associations With Age, Sex, Body Mass Index, and Physical Activity.
Health Service Executive (HSE); Wälti, Marina; Sallen, Jeffrey; Adamakis, Manolis; Ennigkeit, Fabienne; Gerlach, Erin; Heim, Christopher; Jidovtseff, Boris; Kossyva, Irene; Labudová, Jana; Masaryková, Dana; Mombarg, Remo; De Sousa Morgado, Liliane; Niederkofler, Benjamin; Niehues, Maike; Onofre, Marcos; Pühse, Uwe; Quitério, Ana; Scheuer, Claude; Seelig, Harald; Vlček, Petr; Vrbas, Jaroslav; Herrmann, Christian
Basic motor competencies (BMC) are a prerequisite for children to be physically active, participate in sports and thus develop a healthy, active lifestyle. The present study provides a broad screening of BMC and associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and extracurricular physical activity (PA) in 10 different European countries. The different country and regional contexts within Europe will offer a novel view on already established BMC associations. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 regions in 10 European countries in 2018. The motor competence areas, object movement (OM) and self-movement (SM), were assessed using the MOBAK-1-2 test instrument in 3758 first and second graders (age: M = 6.86 ± 0.60 years; 50% girls) during Physical Education classes. Children were questioned about their extracurricular PA and age. Their body weight and height were measured in order to calculate BMI. Statistical analyses included variances and correlations. The results showed significant differences in BMC levels between countries (OM: F = 18.74, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.048; SM: F = 73.10, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.163) whereas associations between BMC and correlates were similar. Boys performed significantly better in OM while girls performed better in SM. Age was consistently positively related to OM and SM with older children reaching higher levels of BMC than younger ones. While participation rates for extracurricular PA differed widely, participation in ball sports was correlated with OM and SM. Participation in individual sports showed a significant association with SM. In summary, BMC levels of children seem to depend on where they live and are strongly related to their participation in extracurricular PA. Therefore, education and health policies, in order to enhance motor competence development and PA participation, are recommended. Further research on country-specific Physical Education frameworks and their influence on BMC will provide more insights into structural factors and cultural characteristics of BMC development. On a school level, support tools and educational materials for teachers about BMC may enable children to achieve a basic level of motor competencies through Physical Education, contributing to lifelong participation in PA.
Basic motor competencies (BMC) are a prerequisite for children to be physically active, participate in sports and thus develop a healthy, active lifestyle. The present study provides a broad screening of BMC and associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and extracurricular physical activity (PA) in 10 different European countries. The different country and regional contexts within Europe will offer a novel view on already established BMC associations. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 11 regions in 10 European countries in 2018. The motor competence areas, object movement (OM) and self-movement (SM), were assessed using the MOBAK-1-2 test instrument in 3758 first and second graders (age: M = 6.86 ± 0.60 years; 50% girls) during Physical Education classes. Children were questioned about their extracurricular PA and age. Their body weight and height were measured in order to calculate BMI. Statistical analyses included variances and correlations. The results showed significant differences in BMC levels between countries (OM: F = 18.74, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.048; SM: F = 73.10, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.163) whereas associations between BMC and correlates were similar. Boys performed significantly better in OM while girls performed better in SM. Age was consistently positively related to OM and SM with older children reaching higher levels of BMC than younger ones. While participation rates for extracurricular PA differed widely, participation in ball sports was correlated with OM and SM. Participation in individual sports showed a significant association with SM. In summary, BMC levels of children seem to depend on where they live and are strongly related to their participation in extracurricular PA. Therefore, education and health policies, in order to enhance motor competence development and PA participation, are recommended. Further research on country-specific Physical Education frameworks and their influence on BMC will provide more insights into structural factors and cultural characteristics of BMC development. On a school level, support tools and educational materials for teachers about BMC may enable children to achieve a basic level of motor competencies through Physical Education, contributing to lifelong participation in PA.
2022-04-25T00:00:00Z