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Integrative review on place-based and other geographically defined responses to drug-related threats in communities

Place-based initiatives emerged originally in the field of health, guided by new ideas relating to the social determinants of health, the role of the socioecological context, implementation science, and the importance of community empowerment. Although there are considerable variations, it is possible to identify an underlying model which focuses on providing universal, structural interventions that […]

Safety and effectiveness of remote pre-hospital triage for appropriate emergency department attendances and service use

The purpose of this systematic review was to provide evidence on the safety and effectiveness of remote pre-hospital triage for reducing unnecessary emergency department (ED) attendances among adults. Remote pre-hospital triage for unscheduled care, sorts patients into appropriate categories or triage dispositions based on how critically ill they are and can be done via telephone, […]

The efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis in adult populations: An evidence review

The Medical Cannabis Access Programme in Ireland currently provides access to cannabis to patients with one of three conditions when other treatments have not been successful. The three conditions are spasticity (stiff and/or rigid muscles) associated with multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, and severe epilepsy.   This evidence review was conducted to […]

Independent programme of evaluation of the State’s investment in The Irish LongituDinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) – Main Report

This report utilises a mixed-methods approach comprising both quantitative and qualitative tools to assess the outputs, outcomes and impacts of the TILDA programme. The methods used to collect data involved desk research (including bibliometric analysis), individual and focus group qualitative interviews, an in-depth organisational case study, and narrative analysis of TILDA’s outputs in various media. In […]

Cost, safety, and environmental impact of reprocessing single-use medical devices. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Since May 2021, European Union member states were required to adopt a legislative stance on single use medical device (SUD) reprocessing i.e. a process including cleaning, disinfection, sterilisation and related procedures, as well as testing and restoring the technical and functional safety of the used device. The main objective of this review was to determine […]