Research Profile

Monica O'Mullane

Biography

I am a public health and social sciences scholar, passionate about tackling systemic inequalities through the implementation of policy-driven and endorsed approaches. My research interests centre on the ways in which we can embed Health in All Policies approaches across policy development in Ireland and beyond. Health Impact Assessment (HIA), as one process and set of tools used to embed Heath in All Policies, has long been an area of research I am interested in. I am currently the Principal Investigator on an Emerging Investigator for Health award, funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) Ireland, with the project Developing a Health Impact Assessment Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health Inequalities (HIA-IM) (2023-2026). The project is based in UCC, co-hosted between the School of Public Health and ISS21. 

Prior to HIA-IM, I worked as a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action research fellow (2018-2022) in ISS21, UCC, with my project GendeResearchIreland. This project explored the institutionalization of gender equality in Irish universities through the Athena SWAN Ireland Charter. Prior to GendeResearchIreland, I was scientific coordinator of the Slovak partner , based in Trnava University, Slovakia, of two EC funded projects; ACTION-FOR-HEALTH, a project which sought to reduce health inequalities through locally developed action plans and GENOVATE (Transforming organizational culture for gender equality in research and innovation). My time working in Trnava University was a phenomenal learning experience, personally and professionally, and I remain in contact with former colleagues to this day.

My PhD was in Health Impact Assessment (HIA) institutionalization across the island of Ireland in the Department of Government & Politics (UCC, 2008). I worked as a postdoctoral researcher on a HRB funded National Diabetes Register project (2008-2010) before moving to Slovakia in 2010.

In 2010 I held a position of research fellow funded by the Ministry of Education, Slovakia, on a project assessing HIA  implementation in the country. I worked on three consortium projects for the ECDC while in Slovakia, specifically working on assessing experiences of developing and using  surveillance system standards. I held the position of college lecturer in the Department of Public Health, Trnava University, Slovakia, teaching modules in health promotion, research methods in public health and HIA before moving back to Ireland with my family in 2018. 

I am passionate about researching the process of health and social inequalities being tackled through programme and policy implementation. In particular, HIA as an approach to improving policy and programme development for public health, has always been a research and personal passion of Monica's. I have published two books on the topic; Integrating HIA with the Policy Process (edited) and HIA and Policy Development (monograph). I am a member of the Cork Healthy Cities steering group. With Denise Cahill, coordinator of Cork Healthy Cities, we will publish a co-edited book on Cork as a Healthy City, to be released in early 2024. I am member of the EUPHA section for HIA and member of the health section in IAIA  (International Association of Impact Assessment).  I am a member of the UCC Academic Council since 2020 and a member of the Research and Innovation Committee within Academic Council. With my family & the School of Microbiology, UCC, we remember my grandfather Professor of Microbiology, Tadhg O'Mullane, with the annual Professor Tadhg O'Mullane Award for Academic Excellence.  This is awarded to the highest scoring student in third year of the BSc in Microbiology, and is an event we love coming together for every year. 

Research Interests

I have an interdisciplinary academic background in political science, social science, public health with health promotion. The consolidation of my educational background with my academic endeavours has refined my core research interest- a curiosity of political and social institutional and policy drivers in a variety of contexts. Throughout my research studies, these drivers have been conceptualised and theorised as influencers of policy, organisational and cultural structures; in advancing contextualised public health action; and in shaping lived experiences. An outline of my research interests can read in more detail here. 

Research Grants

 ProjectFunding
Body
Start DateEnd DateAward
Exploring gender equality in Irish higher education: Qualitative case-study research into the response to, and process of, Athena SWAN (GendeResearchIreland)European Commission01-SEP-1830-DEC-22€222,666.00
Developing Methods for Systems-Informed Health Impact Assessments (System-HIA )National Institute for Health Research – Health Technology Assessment Programme01-MAY-2331-JAN-24€158,893.73
Development of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health InequalitiesHealth Research Board01-DEC-2231-DEC-26€636,806.00
Health Impact Assessments – current state of play and future directionOther: Not Listed01-MAR-2301-OCT-23€24,000.00
Toolkit for Proportionate and Consistent Consideration of Population and Human Health in Strategic Environmental AssessmentEnvironmental Protection Agency01-MAY-2331-MAY-25€248,418.60

Publications

Books

 YearPublication
(2015)Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
O'Mullane, Monica (2015) Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Manchester: Manchester University Press.   [Details]

Book Chapters

 YearPublication
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland'
O'Mullane, M. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland' In: HIA in housing: Contentious and consensual. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland'
O'Mullane, M. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland' In: HIA in the Physical Environment: Policy development and community participation. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland'
O'Mullane, M. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland' In: Making a difference: informing local policy. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland'
O'Mullane, M. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment and policy development The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland' In: O'Mullane, Monica (eds). Local government and health system structures: Setting the context for Health Impact Assessment (HIA). Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Details]
(2013)'Introduction'
O'Mullane, M. (2013) 'Introduction' In: O'Mullane, Monica (eds). Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process: Lessons and Experiences from around the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]
(2013)'Lessons Learned from Health Impact Assessment Experience around the World: Where to next?'
O'Mullane, M. (2013) 'Lessons Learned from Health Impact Assessment Experience around the World: Where to next?' In: O'Mullane, Monica (eds). Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process: Lessons and Experiences from around the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]
(2013)'Health Impact Assessment and the Policy Process'
O'Mullane, M. (2013) 'Health Impact Assessment and the Policy Process' In: O'Mullane, Monica (eds). Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process: Lessons and Experiences from around the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]
(2013)'Health Impact Assessment: The Conceptual Roots'
O'Mullane, M. (2013) 'Health Impact Assessment: The Conceptual Roots' In: O'Mullane, Monica (eds). Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process: Lessons and Experiences from around the World. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [Details]

Edited Books

 YearPublication
(2023)Commitment, Collaboration and Continuity: Celebrating Cork as a Healthy City
O'Mullane, M. & Cahill, D (Ed.). (2023) Commitment, Collaboration and Continuity: Celebrating Cork as a Healthy City Cork: Cork City Libraries. [Details]
(2013)Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process Lessons and experiences from around the world
O'Mullane, Monica (Ed.). (2013) Integrating Health Impact Assessment with the Policy Process Lessons and experiences from around the world Oxford: Oxford University Press.   [Details]

Peer Reviewed Journals

 YearPublication
(2022)'What do the narratives tell us? Exploring the implementation of the Athena SWAN Ireland Charter'
O'Mullane, Monica; (2022) 'What do the narratives tell us? Exploring the implementation of the Athena SWAN Ireland Charter'. Frontiers In Sociology, 7 :1-14 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
(2021)'Developing a theoretical framework for exploring the institutional responses to the Athena SWAN Charter in higher education institutions—A feminist institutionalist perspective'
O'Mullane, Monica; (2021) 'Developing a theoretical framework for exploring the institutional responses to the Athena SWAN Charter in higher education institutions—A feminist institutionalist perspective'. Irish Journal of Sociology, 29 (2):215-235 [DOI] [Full Text] [Details]
(2017)''Special Issue- Health Impact Assessment'
Harris-Roxas, B. and O'Mullane, M. (2017) ''Special Issue- Health Impact Assessment'. Global Health Promotion, 24 (2) [Details]
(2016)'Guided reflection as an organisational learning and data collection tool in a gender equality change management programme'
Archibong U.;O'mullane M.;Kállayová D.;Karodia N.;Laoire C.;Picardi I. (2016) 'Guided reflection as an organisational learning and data collection tool in a gender equality change management programme'. International Journal of Organizational Diversity, 16 (1):19-34 [Details]
(2011)'Developing a political science curriculum for non-traditional students'
Buckley, F;Harris, C;O'Mullane, M;Reidy, T (2011) 'Developing a political science curriculum for non-traditional students'. European Political Science, 10 :248-258 [DOI] [Details]
(2011)'Informing the development of a national diabetes register in Ireland: A literature review of the impact of patient registration on diabetes care'
O'Mullane M.;McHugh S.;Bradley C. (2011) 'Informing the development of a national diabetes register in Ireland: A literature review of the impact of patient registration on diabetes care'. Informatics in Primary Care, 18 (3):157-168 [Details]
(2017)'Editorial: Health impact assessment for health promotion, education and learning, 'Special Issue- Health Impact Assessment'
Harris-Roxas, B. and O'Mullane, M. (2017) 'Editorial: Health impact assessment for health promotion, education and learning, 'Special Issue- Health Impact Assessment'. Global Health Promotion, 24 (2) [Details]
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment'
O’Mullane, M and Harris-Roxas, B. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment'. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 17 (1)   [DOI] [Details]
(2015)'Development Education at University level in Slovakia: Experiences and Challenges'
Jancovic, J., Fialova, Z. and O’Mullane, M. (2015) 'Development Education at University level in Slovakia: Experiences and Challenges'. Policy & Practice: Development Education Review,   [Details]
(2015)'Health Impact Assessment'
O'Mullane, M. and Harris-Roxas, B. (2015) 'Health Impact Assessment'. Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, 17 (1) [Details]
(2014)'Implementing the legal provisions for HIA in Slovakia: an exploration of practitioner perspectives'
O'Mullane M; (2014) 'Implementing the legal provisions for HIA in Slovakia: an exploration of practitioner perspectives'. Health Policy, 117 (1) [DOI] [Details]
(2014)''It sounds like a great idea but…': a qualitative study of GPs' attitudes towards the development of a national diabetes register'
Mc Hugh SM, O'Mullane M, Perry IJ, Bradley C (2014) ''It sounds like a great idea but…': a qualitative study of GPs' attitudes towards the development of a national diabetes register'. BMJ quality & safety, [DOI] [Details]
(2013)'Differences in the structure of outpatient diabetes care between endocrinologist-led and general physician- led services'
O'Donnell, M;de Siun, A;O'Mullane, M;Smith, D;Bradley, C;Finucane, FM;Dinneen, SF (2013) 'Differences in the structure of outpatient diabetes care between endocrinologist-led and general physician- led services'. BMC Health Services Research, 13 [DOI] [Details]
(2013)'Trends in age-adjusted coronary heart disease mortality rates in Slovakia between 1993 and 2009'
Psota, M., Pekarcikova, J., O’Mullane, M. and Rusnak, M. (2013) 'Trends in age-adjusted coronary heart disease mortality rates in Slovakia between 1993 and 2009'. Central European Journal for Public Health, 2 [Details]
(2013)'Predictors of depression symptoms in patients with diabetes in Slovakia'
Majdan, M., Krajcovicova, L., Pekarcikova, J., Chereches, R. and O’Mullane, M. (2013) 'Predictors of depression symptoms in patients with diabetes in Slovakia'. International journal of psychiatry in medicine, 44 (4):351-366 [Details]
(2013)'Barriers to, and facilitators in, introducing integrated diabetes care in Ireland: a qualitative study of views in general practice'
Mc Hugh S, O'Mullane M, Perry IJ, Bradley C (2013) 'Barriers to, and facilitators in, introducing integrated diabetes care in Ireland: a qualitative study of views in general practice'. Bmj Open, 3 (8)   [DOI] [Details]
(2013)'Barriers to, and facilitators in, introducing integrated diabetes care in Ireland: a qualitative study of views in general practice'
Mc Hugh, S;O'Mullane, M;Perry, IJ;Bradley, C (2013) 'Barriers to, and facilitators in, introducing integrated diabetes care in Ireland: a qualitative study of views in general practice'. Bmj Open, 3 [DOI] [Details]
(2012)'Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Ireland and the role of local government'
O'Mullane, M,Quinlivan, A (2012) 'Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in Ireland and the role of local government'. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 32 :181-186 [DOI] [Details]
(2012)'Health Impact Assessment and the Role of Local Government in Ireland'
O’Mullane, M. and Quinlivan, A. (2012) 'Health Impact Assessment and the Role of Local Government in Ireland'. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 32 :181-186 [Details]
(2011)'Short history of the Faculty of Medicine at the Historical University of Trnava: 375th anniversary of the University of Trnava, Slovakia'
Chmelík, B., Rusnák, M., Bučko, L. and O’Mullane, M. (2011) 'Short history of the Faculty of Medicine at the Historical University of Trnava: 375th anniversary of the University of Trnava, Slovakia'. Journal of Ecology and Health, 6 (90):296-300 [Details]
(2011)'Developing a political science curriculum for non-traditional students'
Buckley, F,Harris, C,O'Mullane, M,Reidy, T; (2011) 'Developing a political science curriculum for non-traditional students'. Science, 10 :248-258 [DOI] [Details]
(2010)'Informing the Development of a National Diabetes Register in Ireland: A Literature Review of the Impact of Patient Registration on Diabetes Care'
O'Mullane, M; McHugh, S; Bradley, C; (2010) 'Informing the Development of a National Diabetes Register in Ireland: A Literature Review of the Impact of Patient Registration on Diabetes Care'. Informatics in Primary Care, 18 (3) [Details]
(2009)'Review of Government Policy: Development of Ireland’s Drug Strategy, 2000 to 2007'
O'Mullane, M. (2009) 'Review of Government Policy: Development of Ireland’s Drug Strategy, 2000 to 2007'. Irish Journal of Public Policy, 1 (1) [Details]
(2009)'The Case for Health Impact Assessment in Irish Public Policy’'
O'Mullane, M. (2009) 'The Case for Health Impact Assessment in Irish Public Policy’'. Administration, 56 (4):87-109 [Details]
(2009)'Diabetes care in Ireland: a survey of general practitioners'
Mc Hugh, S; O'Keeffe, J; Fitzpatrick, A; de Siún, A; O'Mullane, M; Perry, I.J; Bradley, C; (2009) 'Diabetes care in Ireland: a survey of general practitioners'. Primary Care Diabetes, 3 (4):225-231 [DOI] [Details]

Conference Publications

 YearPublication
(2010)Society for Social Medicine
Mc Hugh S, O'Mullane M, Perry IJ, Bradley C. (2010) Improving the quality of diabetes care: exploring the perspectives of general practitioners in Ireland Society for Social Medicine [Details]
(2009)National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) 2nd Annual Conference
Buckley, F., Harris, C., O’Mullane, M. and Reidy, T. (2009) Teaching Innovations and the Challenges of Curriculum Development for Non-Traditional University Students National Academy for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) 2nd Annual Conference [Details]

Published Reports

 YearPublication
(2014)Health in Impact Assessments.
O’Mullane, M. and Guliš, G. (2014) Health in Impact Assessments. World Health Organisation, Copenhagen, Denmark.   [Details]
(2009)Health Impact Assessment (HIA) research in Ireland: Are HIAs used in policy or left to gather dust on shelves?.
O'Mullane, M. (2009) Health Impact Assessment (HIA) research in Ireland: Are HIAs used in policy or left to gather dust on shelves?. Quarterly International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA) Health Bulletin, New South Wales, Australia.   [Details]
(2008)Impact Assessment in Policy-Making Circles: A lot Done, More to do’.
O'Mullane, M. (2008) Impact Assessment in Policy-Making Circles: A lot Done, More to do’. PolicyLink, Publication series of the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM), Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland. [Details]

Abstract

 YearPublication
(2010)IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF DIABETES CARE: EXPLORING THE PERSPECTIVES OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS IN IRELAND.
McHugh, S,O'Mullane, M,Perry, IJ,Bradley, CP,NDRP (2010) IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF DIABETES CARE: EXPLORING THE PERSPECTIVES OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS IN IRELAND. Abstract [DOI] [Details]

Editorship

 YearPublication
(2017)Health impact assessment for health promotion, education and learning.
Harris-Roxas B;O'Mullane M; (2017) Health impact assessment for health promotion, education and learning. Editorship [DOI] [Details]

Newspaper Articles

 YearPublication
(2021)How to turn Cork into a healthy city.
O'Mullane, M. and Cahill, D. (2021) How to turn Cork into a healthy city. Newspaper Articles   [Details]
(2021)What could we learn from a health impact assessment of Covid-19?.
Monica O'Mullane and Ben Cave (2021) What could we learn from a health impact assessment of Covid-19?. Newspaper Articles   [Details]

Teaching Activities

Teaching Interests

My teaching interests centre on inequality studies, in particular, health and gender inequalities; health impacts of public policy with a particular focus on Health Impact Assessment (HIA); health promotion;  comparative health care systems; qualitative research methods.

In 2020 in UCC I delivered and coordinated the module 'Social Policy Analysis' SS1302 in the School of Applied Social Studies, UCC, as well as supervising two students. 

As College Lecturer I taught, in Trnava University, Slovakia, undergraduate and postgraduate Public Health  modules in Design, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programmes  (Dizajn, implementácia a hodnotenie programov podpory), Health inequalities and health determinants (Nerovnosti v zdraví a determinanty zdravia), Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and Research Methods (2010-2016).

For the Department of Public Health (UCC, currently the School of Public Health) UCC I engaged in some teaching duties (2008-2010), and continue to contribute to the MPH programme on the topic of HIA:

Seminar delivered to Health Research Board (HRB) PhD students, Impact of Public Policy and Health Care on Population Health Department of Epidemiology and Public Health 
- Seminar delivered to postgraduate students, Health Impact Assessment and the Implications for Public Health, as part of the Masters in Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health 
- Lecturing on the BSc Public Health and Health Promotion- 3 modules (Term II): Comparative Health Care Systems- Case Studies; Healthy Public Policy; Health Impact Assessment
Supervised a Masters in Public Health student (2009)


For the Department of Government UCC, my teaching duties included (2005-2008):

- Tutor for the module 'Local Government in Ireland' (2005-2007)
- As part of a lecturer exchange with the Department of Political Science, College of St. Rose, Albany, New York, I lectured on undergraduate modules (teaching on the modules entitled Irish Politics Today and European Union Politics and Policies) (2006)
- Lecturer on 'Health Policy' for the BSc Government (year 4) (2007)
- Certificate Course coordinator and lecturer of the Certificate in Political Issues and Community Action (2007-2008)
- Module coordinator and lecturer 'Comparative Health Systems' module on the (formerly named) MSc Health Care Management (currently 
MSCHQI) (UCC Department Management and Marketing) (2007-2008) 

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