Medicine

Chronic Disease and Multimorbidity

Research into aspects of chronic disease management and multimorbidity are ongoing in the department.  Below are examples of published work in these areas.

Chronic Disease

Does sharing across the Primary-Specialty Interface improve outcomes in chronic disease? A systematic review. Susan Smith, Shane Allwright, Tom O'Dowd Am J Manag Care. 2008; 14(4): 213-224  
Chronic disease management in Irish General Practice: results from a national study. Catherine Darker, Carmel Martin, Tom O’Dowd, Fergus O’Kelly, Mark O’Kelly, & Brendan O’Shea Report published by Public Health & Primary Care Further Information
Improving outcomes in type 2 diabetes across the primary/specialty care interface: a brief family intervention. Susan Smith, Karen Keogh, Tom O’Dowd, Patricia White, James Gibney (AMNCH), Sinead McGilloway (NUI Maynooth) Keogh KM, White P, Smith SM, McGilloway S, O'Dowd T, Gibney J. Changing illness perceptions in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, a randomised controlled trial of a family-based intervention: protocol and pilot study. BMC Family Practice 2007; 8 (36) doi:10.1186/1471-2296-8-36 Further Information
Peer support in type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial in primary care with parallel economic and qualitative analyses. Susan Smith, Gillian Paul, Tom O’Dowd, David Whitford (RCSI), Eamon O’Shea (NUIG) Paul GM, Smith SM, Whitford DL, O'Shea E, O'Kelly F, O'Dowd T. Peer support in type 2 diabetes: a randomised controlled trial in primary care with parallel economic and qualitative analyses: pilot study and protocol, BMC Family Practice 2007; 8 (45) doi:10.1186/1471-2296-8-45 Further Information
The SPHERE Study – secondary prevention of heart disease in general practice: randomised controlled trial. Susan Smith (In partnership with National University of Ireland, Galway, and The Queen’s University, Belfast) Byrne M, Cupples ME, Smith SM, Leathem C, Corrigan M, Byrne MC, Murphy AW. Development of a complex intervention for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease in primary care using the UK Medical Research Council Framework. The American Journal of Managed Care 2006; 12(5):261-266. Further Information

Multimorbidity

Multimorbidity in younger deprived patients: An exploratory study of research and service implications in general practice. Susan Smith, Atakelet Ferede and Tom O'Dowd BMC Family Practice 2008, 9:6 doi:10.1186/1471-2296-9-6 Further Information
GPs' and pharmacists' experiences of managing multimorbidity: a 'Pandora's box' Susan Smith, Siobhan O'Kelly and Tom O'Dowd Br J Gen Prac 2010, 60:501-503 doi:10.3399/bjgp10X514756 Further Information
Managing patients with multimorbidity : systematic review of interventions in primary care and community settings Smith SS, Soubhi H, Fortin M, Hudon C, O'Dowd T British Medical Journal, 345, (e5205), 2012, p1 – 10 Further Information
Cochrane review of Interventions to improve outcomes for patients with multimorbidity Smith SM, Soubhi H, Fortin M, Hudon C, O’Dowd T Cochrane database of systematic reviewsApr 18, (4), 2012 Further Information
Multimorbidity in children; analysis of the Growing Up in Ireland 9 year old cohort.   Ongoing