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CARDI Data Mining Programme

 

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In 2011 CARDI funded six new research projects based on the theme of improving health and quality of life of older people on the island of Ireland. Unlike other research funded by CARDI to date, these projects are concentrating on ‘data-mining’ - exploring statistics that have already been published but have not been exploited to the full. In this way CARDI plans to gain maximum benefit by bringing together top researchers and the wealth of data collected by statistical agencies, government departments and researchers across the island of Ireland.

The research projects will examine issues including disability, poverty, social exclusion, nutrition, mental health and risk factors in dementia. 
Summary of the six research projects
Poverty and malnutritionpoverty and malnutrition
Malnutrition affects a large part of the population of Ireland, especially older people and there is a clear link between malnutrition, poverty and government spending on health services. Eleanor Bantry White, research associate and lecturer in applied social studies in University College Cork and four other researchers will study age, income and food. They will analyse data on how much older people spend on food and its nutritional quality with a view to improving the diet and quality of life of older people.  
Risk factors in dementia
Risk factors in dementiaDr Suzanne Barrett, lecturer in psychology and geriatric medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, is teaming up with researchers in TCD and NUI Galway to carry out a cross-border study of people with dementia. They will focus on the demographic and clinical characteristic of the people involved and how these have changed over time. This should throw light on the risk factors in people with dementia and on any differences in the management of dementia north and south.
Causes of death                                            
Dr Declan French, research fellow in the Centre for Excellence in Public Health at Queen’s University, supported by Professor Michael Moore, Professor of Finance at QUB, will examine the factors driving the future of mortality in Ireland north and south. This will help us to understand the big increase in longevity over the past 50 years and provide realistic predictions for the future. In this way it can promote understanding of the factors that contribute directly to longer and healthier lives.           
Poverty, inclusion and the recession   Poverty, inclusion and the recession
This project, led by Professor Paddy Hillyard, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy, plans to develop an index of the changing living standards of older people in Northern Ireland and the Republic which can be used by policy makers and organisations representing older people. It will cover five domains: household possessions, participation in social activities, economising behaviours, serious financial difficulties and subjective views on living standards. The data will highlight inequalities before and after the recession.
Physical activity and mental health
Physical activity and mental healthOne of most underused ways to reduce depression is physical activity but levels of activity among older Irish adults are low. Dr Karen Morgan, lecturer in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, along with two colleagues, will examine the link between an active lifestyle and depressive moods and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) in order to examine how the physical and mental health of older people can be improved through changes in public health and other services, such as transport.

You can read the full report at the following link: Physical activity and core depressive symptoms in the older Irish adult population

CARDI has also prepared a research brief including findings from this project and two other CARDI funded projects. Download the briefing paper here: Physical activity and mental health in ageing

Multimorbidity and disabilityMultimorbidity and disability
If a person has more than one chronic condition it is known as multimorbidity. Dr George Savva and colleagues at Trinity College Dublin will map the distribution of these multiple conditions across Ireland and test whether socio-economic conditions and living arrangements affect the link between multimorbidity and disability. They will try to explain the differences in levels of reported disability north and south. The findings will help to plan health services and hopefully reduce health inequalities for a target group that has been neglected in research.
For more information on all CARDI funded projects click here

 

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