Biography

Hi,

My name is Myles. I'm a Senior Lecturer in Medical Sociology in UCC. I teach on all aspects of the undergraduate and postgraduate programme in Sociology. 

My research and teaching covers three thematic areas. The first of these is using Sociological concepts to understand the experience of living with illness, particularly chronic illness. The second is understanding why health professionals and researchers sometimes engage in, and are incentivized to engage in, unethical behaviours. And the third is understanding how societal arrangements and health systems, and the contexts that those arrangements and systems are nested within (such as capitalism, democracy and autocracy), influence individual and population health. Underlying all of these strands is a fundamental interest in how social structures drive health. 

My work is based in Sociology; however I work closely with researchers and lecturers in the Health Sciences.

If you are a student or a health professional who is interested in studying health, illness and medicine through Sociology, please feel free to contact me. I am particularly interested at the moment in privatization within the Irish health system; management of chronic illness; illness narratives, and representations of illness, in popular culture; and neurodiversity.



     

Research Interests

Violence; stigma; technology; chronic illness (especially type 1 diabetes); medical deviance; trust; risk; standardisation; bureaucracy; professionalisation; social networks.

Research Grants

  Project Funding
Body 		Start Date End Date Award
What factors influence the self-care practices of young adults with type 1 diabetes in Ireland? Health Research Board 03-SEP-12 21-JAN-14 €75,000.00
The use of the internet for deviant activities Irish Research Council €200,000.00

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2016) 'Using social media to reach and engage a hard-to-reach population'
Hackett, S., Masson, H., Balfe, M.,Phillips, J.hillips, J. (2016) 'Using social media to reach and engage a hard-to-reach population' In: Innovations in social work research. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. [Details]
(2010) 'Diets and discipline. The narratives of practice of university students with diabetes'
Balfe, M. and Brugha, R. (2010) 'Diets and discipline. The narratives of practice of university students with diabetes' In: Researching young people: fundamentals of applied research. London: Sage. [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2024) 'Standardisation and medicine'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Standardisation and medicine'. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine, 117 (5):165-168 [Details]
(2024) 'Actor-network theory for psychiatric and mental health nursing'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Actor-network theory for psychiatric and mental health nursing'. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 31 (2):152-157 [Details]
(2024) 'Risk, medicine and pandemics'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Risk, medicine and pandemics'. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine, 117 (4):128-130 [Details]
(2024) 'Capitalism and health'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Capitalism and health'. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine, 117 (3):96-99 [Details]
(2024) 'Medical Conspiracy Theories'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Medical Conspiracy Theories'. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine, 117 (6):197-199 [Details]
(2024) 'Collective-level Edgework, Healing and Destruction: The Case of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Collective-level Edgework, Healing and Destruction: The Case of the Bolsheviks in the Russian Revolution'. Deviant Behavior, [Details]
(2024) 'Accounting for enhanced interrogation'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Accounting for enhanced interrogation'. Deviant Behavior, 44 (3):421-437 [Details]
(2024) 'Lifecourse outcomes and developmental pathways for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour'
Hackett, S., Darling, A., Balfe, M. and Masson, H. (2024) 'Lifecourse outcomes and developmental pathways for children and young people with harmful sexual behaviour'. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 30 (2):145-165 [Details]
(2024) 'Making it in medical sociology'
Balfe, M. (2024) 'Making it in medical sociology'. Irish Journal of Sociology, 32 :115-127 [Details]
(2023) 'Autocracy, medicine and health in the 21st century'
Balfe, M. (2023) 'Autocracy, medicine and health in the 21st century'. Journal of The Royal Society of Medicine, [Details]
(2022) 'The sociological imagination for mental health nursing: A framework and some reflections'
Balfe, M. (2022) 'The sociological imagination for mental health nursing: A framework and some reflections'. Journal of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 29 (2):374-380 [Details]
(2022) 'Edgework, institutions and enhanced interrogation'
Balfe, M. (2022) 'Edgework, institutions and enhanced interrogation'. Sociology of health & illness, 44 (6):936-952 [Details]
(2021) 'Young men with harmful sexual behaviour problems: a qualitative exploration of the nature and characteristics of their violence'
Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H., Phillips, J. (2021) 'Young men with harmful sexual behaviour problems: a qualitative exploration of the nature and characteristics of their violence'. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 27 (2):139-152 [Details]
(2021) 'Violence and violations: Perspectives of non-professional audiences on enhanced interrogation'
Balfe, M. (2021) 'Violence and violations: Perspectives of non-professional audiences on enhanced interrogation'. Ethics, Medicine And Public Health, 19 [Details]
(2021) 'Horror, Experimentation and Enhanced Interrogation'
Balfe, M. (2021) 'Horror, Experimentation and Enhanced Interrogation'. Deviant Behavior, 42 (12):1628-1644 [Details]
(2020) 'Survival strategies while engaging in deviant behaviors: The case of amateur waterboarding torture'
Balfe, M. (2020) 'Survival strategies while engaging in deviant behaviors: The case of amateur waterboarding torture'. Deviant Behavior, 41 (4):444-457 [Details]
(2019) 'Experiences of young people with harmful sexual behaviours in services: A qualitative study'
Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H., Phillips, J. (2019) 'Experiences of young people with harmful sexual behaviours in services: A qualitative study'. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 28 (6):649-666 [Details]
(2019) 'The Nun study and Alzheimer's disease: Quality of vocation as a potential protective factor?'
Keohane, K., Balfe, M. (2019) 'The Nun study and Alzheimer's disease: Quality of vocation as a potential protective factor?'. Dementia, 18 (5):1651-1662 [Details]
(2019) 'The disrupted sociologies of young people with harmful sexual behaviours'
Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Masson, H., Phillips, J. (2019) 'The disrupted sociologies of young people with harmful sexual behaviours'. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 25 (2):177-192 [Details]
(2018) 'The chiral nature of the Enhanced Interrogation programme'
Balfe, M. (2018) 'The chiral nature of the Enhanced Interrogation programme'. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 41 :32-47 [Details]
(2018) 'Idiots, ideologues and just plain interested: the individuals who engage in amateur waterboarding on the internet'
Balfe, M. (2018) 'Idiots, ideologues and just plain interested: the individuals who engage in amateur waterboarding on the internet'. Deviant Behavior, [Details]
(2018) 'Post-traumatic growth in head and neck cancer survivors: is it possible and what are the correlates?'
Sharp, L., Redfern, D., Timmons, A., Balfe, M. and Patterson, J. (2018) 'Post-traumatic growth in head and neck cancer survivors: is it possible and what are the correlates?'. Psycho-Oncology, (doi:10.1002/pon.4682) [Details]
(2017) 'The nun study and Alzheimer’s disease: quality of vocation as a potential protective factor?'
Keohane, K. and Balfe, M. (2017) 'The nun study and Alzheimer’s disease: quality of vocation as a potential protective factor?'. Dementia, [Details]
(2017) 'In a bad place: Carers of patients with head and neck cancer experiences of travelling for cancer treatment'
Balfe, M., Keohane, K., O' Brien, K., Gooberman-Hill, R., Maguire, R., Hanly, P., O' Sullivan, E., Sharp, L. (2017) 'In a bad place: Carers of patients with head and neck cancer experiences of travelling for cancer treatment'. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 30 :29-34 [Details]
(2017) 'Social support, social negativity and social networks: the case of head and neck cancer caregivers'
Balfe, M., O’ Brien, K., Keohane, K. and Sharp L. (2017) 'Social support, social negativity and social networks: the case of head and neck cancer caregivers'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 26 (6) [Details]
(2017) 'Worry in head and neck cancer caregivers: the role of survivor factors, care-related stressors and loneliness in predicting fear of recurrence'
Maguire, R., Hanly, P., Balfe, M., Timmons, A., Hyland, P., O’ Sullivan, R, Butown, P. and Sharp, L. (2017) 'Worry in head and neck cancer caregivers: the role of survivor factors, care-related stressors and loneliness in predicting fear of recurrence'. Nursing Research, 66 :295-303 [Details]
(2017) 'Making implicit assumptions explicit in the costing of informal care: the case of head and neck cancer in Ireland'
Hanly, P., Maguire, R., Balfe, M., O’ Sullivan, E. and Sharp, L. (2017) 'Making implicit assumptions explicit in the costing of informal care: the case of head and neck cancer in Ireland'. Pharmacoeconomics, 35 (5):581-560 [Details]
(2017) 'Associations between neighbourhood support and financial burden with unmet needs of head and neck cancer survivors'
O’ Brien, K., Timmons, A., Butow, P., Gooberman-Hill, R., O’ Sullivan, E., Balfe, M. and Sharp, L. (2017) 'Associations between neighbourhood support and financial burden with unmet needs of head and neck cancer survivors'. Oral Oncology, 65 (1):57-64 [Details]
(2016) 'Standardising psycho-medical torture during the War on Terror: why it happened, how it happened, and why it didn’t work'
Balfe, M. (2016) 'Standardising psycho-medical torture during the War on Terror: why it happened, how it happened, and why it didn’t work'. Social Science and Medicine, 171 (1):1-8 [Details]
(2016) 'Why did U.S. healthcare professionals become involved in torture during the War on Terror?'
Balfe, M. (2016) 'Why did U.S. healthcare professionals become involved in torture during the War on Terror?'. Journal Of Bioethical Inquiry, 13 :449-460 [Details]
(2016) 'The financial impact of head and neck cancer caregiving: a qualitative study'
Balfe, M., Butow, P., O’ Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., Timmons, A. and Sharp, L. (2016) 'The financial impact of head and neck cancer caregiving: a qualitative study'. Psycho-Oncology, 25 :1441-1447 [Details]
(2016) 'Informal caregiving in head and neck cancer: a quantitative survey of caregiving activities and psychological wellbeing'
Balfe, M., O’ Brien, K, Timmons, A., Butow, P., O’ Sullivan P., O’ Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., and Sharp, L. (2016) 'Informal caregiving in head and neck cancer: a quantitative survey of caregiving activities and psychological wellbeing'. European Journal of Cancer Care, (doi:10.1111/ecc.1) [Details]
(2016) 'Burden and happiness in head and neck cancer carers: the role of supportive care needs'
Hanly, P., Maguire, R., Hyland, P., Balfe, M., Timmons, A. and Sharp, L. (2016) 'Burden and happiness in head and neck cancer carers: the role of supportive care needs'. Supportive Care In Cancer, 24 :4283-4291 [Details]
(2016) 'What factors are associated with posttraumatic growth in head and neck cancer carers'
Balfe, M., O’ Brien, K, Timmons, A., Butow, P., O’ Sullivan P., O’ Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., and Sharp, L. (2016) 'What factors are associated with posttraumatic growth in head and neck cancer carers'. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 21 :31-37 [Details]
(2016) 'Distress in head and neck cancer caregivers: causes, and implications for policy and practice'
Balfe, M., O’ Brien, K, Timmons, A., Butow, P., O’ Sullivan P., O’ Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., and Sharp, L. (2016) 'Distress in head and neck cancer caregivers: causes, and implications for policy and practice'. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25 :2317-2327 [Details]
(2016) 'The unmet care needs of long-term head and neck cancer caregivers in the extended survivorship period'
Balfe, M., O’ Brien, K, Timmons, A., Butow, P., O’ Sullivan P., O’ Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., and Sharp, L. (2016) 'The unmet care needs of long-term head and neck cancer caregivers in the extended survivorship period'. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 25 :1576-1586 [Details]
(2016) 'Informal caregiving in head and neck cancer: caregiving activities and psychological well-being'
Balfe, M., O' Brien, K., Timmons, A., Butow, P., O' Sullivan, E., Gooberman-Hill, R., Sharp, L. (2016) 'Informal caregiving in head and neck cancer: caregiving activities and psychological well-being'. European Journal of Cancer Care, 27 (2) [Details]
(2015) 'Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse- characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes'
Masson, H., Phillips, J., Hackett, S., Balfe, M (2015) 'Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse- characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes'. Child and Family Social Work, 20 :19-29 [Details]
(2014) 'What's difficult about managing type 1 diabetes in the workplace?'
Balfe M, Doyle F, Smith D, Sreenan S, Brugha R, Conroy R (2014) 'What's difficult about managing type 1 diabetes in the workplace?'. Health and Place, [Details]
(2014) 'The use of identity protection technologies by internet child sex offenders'
Balfe, M., Gallagher, B., Balfe, S., Hackett, S., Phillips, J., Mason, H., Brugha, R. (2014) 'The use of identity protection technologies by internet child sex offenders'. Child Abuse Review, [Details]
(2013) 'Dealing with the devil: weight loss concerns in young adult women with type 1 diabetes'
Balfe, M., Brugha, R., Smith, D., Sreenan, S., Conroy, R., Doyle, F. (2013) 'Dealing with the devil: weight loss concerns in young adult women with type 1 diabetes'. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 22 (13):2030-2038 [Details]
(2013) 'Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hardto-Reach Population'
Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. (2013) 'Lost without a Trace? Social Networking and Social Research with a Hardto-Reach Population'. British Journal of Social Work, 43 (1):24-40 [Details]
(2013) 'Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse – characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes'
Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. and Balfe, M. (2013) 'Developmental markers of risk or vulnerability? Young females who sexually abuse – characteristics, backgrounds, behaviours and outcomes'. Child and Family Social Work, [Details]
(2013) 'Individual, Family and Abuse Characteristics of 700 British Child and Adolescent Sexual Abusers'
Hackett, S., Phillips, J., Masson, H. and Balfe, M. (2013) 'Individual, Family and Abuse Characteristics of 700 British Child and Adolescent Sexual Abusers'. Child Abuse Review, 22 (4):232-245 [Details]
(2013) 'Looking Back on the Long-Term Fostering and Adoption of Children with Harmful Sexual Behaviours: Carers' Reflections on Their Experiences'
Masson, H., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. and Balfe, M. (2013) 'Looking Back on the Long-Term Fostering and Adoption of Children with Harmful Sexual Behaviours: Carers' Reflections on Their Experiences'. British Journal of Social Work, [Details]
(2013) 'What’s distressing about having type 1 diabetes? A qualitative study of young adults’ perspectives'
Balfe, M., Brugha, R., Smith, D., Sreenan, S., Conroy, R., Doyle, F. (2013) 'What’s distressing about having type 1 diabetes? A qualitative study of young adults’ perspectives'. BMC Endocrine Disorders, 13 (25) [Details]
(2013) 'Considering quality of care for young adults with diabetes in Ireland'
Balfe, M., Brugha, R., Smith, D., Sreenan, S., Conroy, R., Doyle, F. (2013) 'Considering quality of care for young adults with diabetes in Ireland'. BMC Health Services Research, 13 (448) [Details]
(2013) 'Community Reactions to Young People Who Have Sexually Abused and Their Families: A Shotgun Blast, Not a Rifle Shot'
Hackett, S., Balfe, M., Masson, H., Phillips, J. (2013) 'Community Reactions to Young People Who Have Sexually Abused and Their Families: A Shotgun Blast, Not a Rifle Shot'. Children & Society, [Details]
(2012) 'Where do young adults want opportunistic chlamydia screening services to be located?'
Gillespie, P., O’ Neill, C., Adams, E., Turner, K., O’ Donovan, D., Brugha, R., Vaughan, D., O’ Connell, E., Cormican, M., Balfe, M., Coleman, C., Fitzgerald, M., Fleming, C. (2012) 'Where do young adults want opportunistic chlamydia screening services to be located?'. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 88 :222-228 [Details]
(2012) 'Family Responses to Young People Who have Sexually Abused: Anger, Ambivalence and Acceptance'
Hackett, S., Balfe, M., Masson, H., Phillips, J. (2012) 'Family Responses to Young People Who have Sexually Abused: Anger, Ambivalence and Acceptance'. Children & Society, [Details]
(2012) 'Analysing historical case material- the problems of looking back and the implications for service development in relation to research and evaluation activities'
Masson, H., Balfe, M., Hackett, S., Phillips, J. (2012) 'Analysing historical case material- the problems of looking back and the implications for service development in relation to research and evaluation activities'. Journal of Sexual Aggression, 18 (1):112-122 [Details]
(2012) 'Men's attitudes towards chlamydia screening: a narrative review'
Balfe M, Brugha R, O'Connell E, Vaughan D, O'Donovan D. (2012) 'Men's attitudes towards chlamydia screening: a narrative review'. Sexual Health, 9 (2):120-130 [Details]
(2012) 'Using Facebook to Recruit Young Adults for Qualitative Research Projects: How Difficult Is It?'
Balfe, M., Conroy, R., Doyle, F. (2012) 'Using Facebook to Recruit Young Adults for Qualitative Research Projects: How Difficult Is It?'. Cin-Computers Informatics Nursing, [Details]
(2011) 'Where do young adults in Ireland want chlamydia screening services to be located? A cross-sectional survey of 5065 young adults'
Brugha, R., Balfe, M. et al. (2011) 'Where do young adults in Ireland want chlamydia screening services to be located? A cross-sectional survey of 5065 young adults'. Journal of Public Health, 33 (4):571-578 [Details]
(2011) 'What concerns do young adults in Ireland have about attending health services for STI testing?'
Balfe, M., and Brugha, R. (2011) 'What concerns do young adults in Ireland have about attending health services for STI testing?'. Deviant Behavior, 32 (4):320-330 [Details]
(2011) 'How do young adults want to be notified of STI test results? A cross-sectional survey of 5065 young adults'
Brugha, R. Balfe, M. et al. (2011) 'How do young adults want to be notified of STI test results? A cross-sectional survey of 5065 young adults'. International Journal of STD and AIDS, 22 (11):635-639 [Details]
(2010) 'Where do young Irish women want Chlamydia-screening services to be set up? A qualitative study employing Goffman's impression management framework'
Balfe M, Brugha R, O' Connell E, McGee H, O' Donovan D. (2010) 'Where do young Irish women want Chlamydia-screening services to be set up? A qualitative study employing Goffman's impression management framework'. Health and Place, 16 (1):16-24 [Details]
(2010) 'Young women’s decisions to accept chlamydia screening: influences of stigma and doctor-patient interactions'
Balfe, M., Brugha, R., et al. (2010) 'Young women’s decisions to accept chlamydia screening: influences of stigma and doctor-patient interactions'. BMC Public Health, 10 (425) [Details]
(2010) '‘Pee-in-a-pot’: acceptability and uptake of on-site chlamydia screening in a student population in the Republic of Ireland'
Vaughan, D., O’ Connell, E., Cormican, M., Brugha, R., Faherty, C., Balfe, M., O’ Donovan, D. (2010) '‘Pee-in-a-pot’: acceptability and uptake of on-site chlamydia screening in a student population in the Republic of Ireland'. BMC Infectious Diseases, 10 (325) [Details]
(2010) 'Disclosure of STI testing practices by young adults: influence of emotions and social networks'
Balfe, M. and Brugha, R. (2010) 'Disclosure of STI testing practices by young adults: influence of emotions and social networks'. Sociology of health & illness, 32 (7) [Details]
(2010) 'Triggers of self-conscious emotions in the sexually transmitted infection testing process'
Balfe M, Brugha R, O' Connell E, O' Donovan D., Vaughan, D. (2010) 'Triggers of self-conscious emotions in the sexually transmitted infection testing process'. BMC Research Notes, 3 (229) [Details]
(2010) 'A descriptive social and health profile of a community sample of adults and adolescents with Asperger syndrome'
Balfe, M. and Tantam, D. (2010) 'A descriptive social and health profile of a community sample of adults and adolescents with Asperger syndrome'. BMC Research Notes, 3 (300) [Details]
(2010) 'Why don't young women go for Chlamydia testing? A qualitative study employing Goffman's stigma framework'
Balfe M, Brugha R, O' Connell E, McGee H, O' Donovan D., Vaughan, D. (2010) 'Why don't young women go for Chlamydia testing? A qualitative study employing Goffman's stigma framework'. Health, Risk and Society, 12 (2):131-148 [Details]
(2009) 'The healthcare routines of university students with type 1 diabetes'
Balfe, M. (2009) 'The healthcare routines of university students with type 1 diabetes'. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65 (11):2367-2375 [Details]
(2009) 'The multiple body projects of university students with type 1 diabetes'
Balfe, M. and Jackson, P. (2009) 'The multiple body projects of university students with type 1 diabetes'. Qualitative health research, 19 (1):128-139 [Details]
(2009) 'What prompts young adults in Ireland to attend health services for STI testing?'
Balfe, M., and Brugha, R. (2009) 'What prompts young adults in Ireland to attend health services for STI testing?'. BMC Public Health, 9 (311) [Details]
(2007) 'Diets and discipline: the narratives of practice of university students with type 1 diabetes'
Balfe M (2007) 'Diets and discipline: the narratives of practice of university students with type 1 diabetes'. Sociology of health & illness, 29 (1):136-153 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'Alcohol, diabetes and the student body'
Balfe, M. (2007) 'Alcohol, diabetes and the student body'. Health, Risk and Society, 9 (3):241-257 [Details]
(2007) 'Technologies, diabetes and the student body'
Balfe M, Jackson P. (2007) 'Technologies, diabetes and the student body'. Health and Place, 13 (4):775-787 [Details]
(2004) 'Incredible geographies? Orientalism and the fantasy genre'
Balfe, M. (2004) 'Incredible geographies? Orientalism and the fantasy genre'. Social and Cultural Geography, 5 (1):75-90 [Details]

Professional Associations

  Association Function From / To
Sociological Association of Ireland Member /

Committees

  Committee Function From / To
Public Health Research Ethics Committee Research ethics 2017 / 2018
Graduate Studies Committee Management of postgraduate education 2016 / 2023
Undergraduate Committee Management of undergraduate education 2014 / 2015

Education

  Year Institution Qualification Subject
2000 UCC B.A. (1st class) Geography
2001 University of Nottingham M.A. (1st class) Social Science
2006 University of Sheffield Ph.D. Medical Sociology

Other Activities

  Description

Have acted as a reviewer for the following journals: British Journal of Social Work, Social Science and Medicine, Sociology of Health and Illness, Qualitative Health Research, BMC Public Health, Health Risk and Society, Health and Place, Environment and Planning D amongst many others

Teaching Interests

Medical sociology; sociology of science; public health.

I teach the following modules in UCC:

SC1005 Medical Sociology for First Arts.
SC1011 Medical Sociology for Public Health. (I am the module co-ordinator)
SC1012 Medical Sociology for First Social Science. 
SC1015 Sociology for Nursing.  (I am the module co-ordinator)
SC1016 Sociology for Midwifery. (I am the module co-ordinator)
SC3025 Health and Scientific Deviance. (I am the module co-ordinator)
SC6643 Sociology of Science, Technology and Medicine. (I am the module co-ordinator)

I also supervise dissertations in the Sociology of Health at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.