Epidemiology & Modelling
 Research Group


We conduct research in the following areas:
• pharmacoepidemiology using large electronic health record datasets and disease registers
• identification and prevention of adverse drug events
• adherence to medication and related to health outcome
• disease epidemiology (breast cancer, cardiovascular disease)
• population health and health services research
• health behaviour change methods

We work with healthcare professionals, regulatory authorities, decision makers, researchers and patient representatives to address research questions and evidence of most relevance at the population level. Our backgrounds are in pharmacy, statistics, psychology, epidemiology, health service research and translational medicine.

Our research is currently funded by the Health Research Board, Research Leaders Award (RL-15-1579), KEDs award (KED-17-012) and an Applied Partnership Award (APA-2017-0015).

About EMeRGe and our Mission

EMeRGe is an epidemiology research group led by Prof Kathleen Bennett at RCSI, Dublin.

The main pillars of research within EMeRGe include:

Safe and Quality Medicines

Adherence

Cancer epidemiology

Other disease modelling

Here at EMeRGe, our mission is to improve population health outcomes through research evidence and to translate the evidence into effective decision making for policy and practice. In particular, to: promote safe, quality and effective medicines management and model disease epidemiology in cancer and cardiovascular disease.

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Our Research

There are four main pillars of research within the EMeRGe  research group.

Click on the icons to find our more about our research areas.

Safe & Quality Medicines

Prescribing of medicines is the most common healthcare intervention. Our research provides data and evidence on population based estimates and risk prediction of adverse drug events (ADEs) in the primary and secondary care settings. It includes the ADAPT study which is a prospective study examining the prevalence of ADRs in hospital admissions following an adverse drug event. It also includes research using large epidemiological studies of high risk medicines and associated outcomes.

Adherence

Medication adherence is the process by which patients consume their medications as prescribed by healthcare providers consisting of three distinct, yet inter-related phases; initiation, implementation and discontinuation.

Cancer Epidemiology

Cancer Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of the likelihood of cancer development. The research group have a particular focus on determinants and interventions in breast cancer, but also colorectal disease.

Other Disease Modelling

Modelling the underlying disease process and associated outcomes can help inform policy and practice by providing evidence on the potential effectiveness of interventions, or projected long term trends for planning. Previous research in this area has been in coronary heart disease (CHD IMPACT model) and the impact of health policies on influencing health determinants.

Publications 2023

Hughes JE, Buckley N, Looney Y, Kirwan G, Mullooly M, Bennett KE. Evaluating awareness, knowledge and practice of healthcare professionals following implementation of a revised pregnancy prevention programme for isotretinoin in Ireland: A multi-stakeholder cross-sectional study. Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety. 2023;32(2):137-47.

Link to Paper

Publications 2022

Waldron C, Hughes J, Wallace E, Cahir C, Bennett K. Contexts and mechanisms relevant to General Practitioner (GP) based interventions to reduce adverse drug events (ADE) in community dwelling older adults: a rapid realist review [version 1; peer review: 1 approved]. 2022;5(53).

Link to Paper

Power S, Biondi A, Saatci I, Bennett K, Mahadevan J, Januel AC, et al. Women in neurointervention, a gender gap? Results of a prospective online survey. 2022;28(3):311-22.

Link to Paper

Patterson SM, Cadogan C, Barry HE, Bennett KE, Hughes C. Cross-sectional questionnaire study of the experiences of community pharmacists in Northern Ireland during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: preparation, experience and response. 2022;12(9):e064545.

Link to Paper

Orlik W, Aleo G, Kearns T, Briody J, Wray J, Mahon P, et al. Economic evaluation of CPD activities for healthcare professionals: A scoping review. 2022;56(10):972-82.

Link to Paper

O’Donovan B, Kirke C, Pate M, Mc Hugh SM, Bennett KE, Cahir CM. ‘Everyone should know what they’re on’: a qualitative study of attitudes towards and use of patient held lists of medicines among patients, carers and healthcare professionals in primary and secondary care settings in Ireland. 2022;12(7):e064484.

Link to Paper

Murphy M, Bennett K, Ryan S, Hughes CM, Lavan AH, Cadogan CA. A systematic scoping review of interventions to optimise medication prescribing and adherence in older adults with cancer. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. 2022;18(3):2392-402.

Link to Paper

Moriarty F, Bennett K, Fahey T. Opioid and analgesic utilization in Ireland in 2000 and 2015: A repeated cross-sectional study. 2022;10(1):e00899.

Link to Paper

Lynn E, Cousins G, Lyons S, Bennett KE. Comparing characteristics of suicide to non-suicide drug poisoning deaths, by sex, in Ireland. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2022;306:80-9.

Link to Paper

Kelleher CC, Kelly GE, Segurado R, Briody J, Sellers AM, McCalman JS. Epidemiological transition in Australia: An analysis of immigration patterns in relation to circulatory system diseases and all-cause mortality in the mid-twentieth century. 2022:2022.12.11.22282585.

Link to Paper

Hughes JE, Buckley N, Looney Y, Curran S, Mullooly M, Bennett K. Valproate utilisation trends among women of childbearing potential in Ireland between 2014 and 2019: A drug utilisation study using interrupted time series. 2022;31(6):661-9.

Link to Paper

Duffy MJ, Mullooly M, Bennett K, Crown J. Vitamin D Supplementation: Does It Have a Preventative or Therapeutic Role in Cancer? Nutrition and Cancer. 2022:1-11.

Link to Paper

Cousins G, Bennett KE. Mortality in people who use illicit opioids in England. The Lancet Public Health. 2022;7(2):e96-e7.

Link to Paper

Algeo N, Bennett K, Connolly D. Prioritising the content and delivery of a work-focused intervention for women with breast cancer using the nominal group technique. Work. 2022;73:1337-45.

Link to Paper

Publications 2021

Walsh CA, Cahir C, Bennett KE. Longitudinal Medication Adherence in Older Adults With Multimorbidity and Association With Health Care Utilization: Results From the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing. 2021;55(1):5-14.

Link to Paper

Sexton E, Hickey A, Williams D, Horgan F, Byrne E, Macey C, Cuffe P, Timmons S, Collins R, Bennett K. Identifying priority interventions for stroke in Ireland through stakeholder engagement to inform population-based modelling: a mixed methods protocol. 2021;4(109).

Link to Paper

Sexton E, Donnelly N-A, Merriman NA, Hickey A, Wren M-A, O’Flaherty M, Bandosz P, Guzman-Castillo M, Williams DJ, Horgan F, Pender N, Feeney J, de Looze C, Kenny RA, Kelly P, Bennett K. StrokeCog Markov Model: Projected Prevalent and Incident Cases of Stroke and Poststroke Cognitive Impairment to 2035 in Ireland. 2021;52(12):3961-9.

Link to Paper

Mullooly M, White G, Bennett K, O’Doherty A, Flanagan F, Healy O. Retrospective radiological review and classification of interval breast cancers within population-based breast screening programmes for the purposes of open disclosure: A systematic review. European Journal of Radiology. 2021;138.

Link to Paper

Moriarty F, Savva GM, Grossi CM, Bennett K, Fox C, Maidment I, Loke, YK, Steel N, Kenny RA, Richardson K. Cognitive decline associated with anticholinergics, benzodiazepines and Z-drugs: Findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). 2021;87(7):2818-29.

Link to Paper

Merriman NA, Gillan D, Pender N, Williams DJ, Horgan F, Sexton E, Johnston M, Bennett KE, Donnelly NA, Wren MA, Hickey A. The StrokeCog study: development and description of a cognition-focused psychological intervention to address cognitive impairment following stroke. Psychology & Health. 2021;36(7):792-809.

Link to Paper

Menditto E, Cahir C, Malo S, Aguilar-Palacio I, Almada M, Costa E, Giardini A, Gil Peinado M, Massot Mesquida M, Mucherino S, Orlando V, Parra-Calderón CL, Pepiol Salom E, Kardas P, Vrijens B. Persistence as a Robust Indicator of Medication Adherence-Related Quality and Performance. 2021;18(9):4872.

Link to Paper

Mee B, Kirwan M, Clarke N, Tanaka A, Manaloto L, Halpin E, Gibbons U, Cullen A, McGarrigle S, Connolly EM, Bennett K, Gaffney E, Flanagan C, Tier L, Flavin R, McElvaney NG. What GDPR and the Health Research Regulations (HRRs) mean for Ireland: a research perspective. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -). 2021;190(2):505-14.

Link to Paper

Lynn E, Cousins G, Lyons S, Bennett KE. Trends in drug poisoning deaths, by sex, in Ireland: a repeated cross-sectional study from 2004 to 2017. 2021;11(9):e048000.

Link to Paper

Kirwan M, Mee B, Clarke N, Tanaka A, Manaloto L, Halpin E, Gibbons U, Cullen A, McGarrigle S, Connolly EM, Bennett K, Gaffney E, Flanagan C, Tier L, Flavin R, McElvaney NG What GDPR and the Health Research Regulations (HRRs) mean for Ireland: “explicit consent”—a legal analysis. Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -). 2021;190(2):515-21.

Link to Paper

Hughes JE, Russo V, Walsh C, Menditto E, Bennett K, Cahir C. Prevalence and Factors Associated with Potential Drug-Drug Interactions in Older Community-Dwelling Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study. Drugs & Aging. 2021;38(11):1025-37.

Link to Paper

Hughes JE, Buckley N, Looney Y, Kirwan G, Curran S, Doherty CP, Mullooly M, Bennett K. Awareness, knowledge and practice of healthcare professionals following implementation of a Pregnancy Prevention Program for sodium valproate in Ireland: a multi-stakeholder cross-sectional study. Expert Opinion on Drug Safety. 2021;20(8):965-77.

Link to Paper

González Vázquez AG, Blokpoel Ferreras LA, Bennett KE, Casey SM, Brama PA, O’Brien FJ. Systematic Comparison of Biomaterials-Based Strategies for Osteochondral and Chondral Repair in Large Animal Models. 2021;10(20):2100878.

Link to Paper

Gajewska KA, Biesma R, Bennett K, Sreenan S. Barriers and facilitators to accessing insulin pump therapy by adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative study. Acta Diabetologica. 2021;58(1):93-105.

Link to Paper

Durand L, Boland F, O’Driscoll D, Bennett K, Barry J, Keenan E, Fahey T, Cousins G. Factors associated with early and later dropout from methadone maintenance treatment in specialist addiction clinics: a six-year cohort study using proportional hazards frailty models for recurrent treatment episodes. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2021;219:108466.

Link to Paper

Conlan K, McGrath J, Teeling M, MacAvin MJ, Bennett K, Gallagher L. Antipsychotic prescribing in GMS paediatric and young adult population in Ireland 2005–2015: repeated cross-sectional study. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2021:1-10.

Link to Paper

Cadogan CA, Murphy M, McLean S, Bennett K, Hughes CM. Development of criteria for identifying potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults with cancer receiving palliative care (PIP-CPC). Journal of Geriatric Oncology. 2021;12(8):1193-9.

Link to Paper

Cadogan CA, Bradley CP, Bennett K. Impact of changes in controlled drugs legislation on benzodiazepine receptor agonist prescribing in Ireland: a repeated cross-sectional study. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2021;77(6):903-12.

Link to Paper

Briody J. Parental unemployment during the Great Recession and childhood adiposity. Social Science & Medicine. 2021;275:113798.

Link to Paper

Bennett KE, Mullooly M, O’Loughlin M, Fitzgerald M, O’Donnell J, O’Connor L, Oza A, Cuddihy J. Underlying conditions and risk of hospitalisation, ICU admission and mortality among those with COVID-19 in Ireland: A national surveillance study. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. 2021;5:100097.

Link to Paper

Algeo N, Bennett K, Connolly D. Rehabilitation interventions to support return to work for women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2021;21(1):895

Link to Paper

Meet Our Team

Meet our Team, Collaborators,  Partners and Intenational Advsiory Committee.

Our PartnersOur CollaboratorsIntenational Advsiory Committee

Prof. Kathleen Bennett

Associate Professor in Biostatistics

Head of RCSI Data Science Centre

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Dr Caitriona Cahir

Lecturer in RCSI Data Science Centre

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Prof. Anne Hickey

Professor of Psychology

Deputy Dean for Positive Education

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Dr Maeve Mullooly

Senior Research Fellow

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Dr Bernadine O’Donovan

Postdoctoral researcher

Dr Jonathan Briody

Postdoctoral researcher

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Dr Mengyang Zhang

Postdoctoral researcher

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John Hughes

PhD Student

Jessica O’Driscoll

PhD Student

Aileen Burke

PhD Student

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New publication!

Only 12 days from submission to publication! Mapping the use of Group-Based Trajectory Modelling in medication adherence research: A scoping review protocol Caroline A. Walsh et al., published by Health[…]

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May 21, 2020 0

Caroline Walsh MPSI Research Brief

MEDICATION NON-ADHERENCE AND ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES IN AGEING POPULATIONS: AN ISSUE WORTH TACKLING? https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bcp.14075

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September 23, 2019 0

Professor Rachel Elliott

Professor Rachel Elliott, Professor of Health Economics at University of Manchester giving a seminar on ‘Using health economics to optimise medicines-taking in people with chronic illness’ in the Division of[…]

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September 23, 2019 0

‘Know Check Ask’ campaign – invitation to participate in research

‘Know Check Ask’ campaign – invitation to participate in research   The WHO has a Global Patient Safety Challenge ‘Medication without harm’ to reduce harm associated with medicines by 50%[…]

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September 30, 2020 0

The International Journal of Cardiology

Explaining the fall in Coronary Heart Disease mortality in the Republic of Ireland between 2000 and 2015 – IMPACT modelling study. Read more – https://www.internationaljournalofcardiology.com/article/S0167-5273(19)34157-9/pdf

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May 11, 2020 0