Patricia Leahy-Warren

EmailPatricia.Leahyuccie

Research activity per year

Biography

Patricia Leahy-Warren is Professor of Nursing and Chair of Health Services Research and Dean of the School of Nursing and Midwifery at UCC. Patricia holds a Visiting Professorships at University of Western Sydney, Australia and Diakonova University, Norway. She has a strong national and international reputation in the disciplines of midwifery, nursing and public health nursing and in the field of maternal and child health. Patricia researches and supervises higher degree students in topics addressing the social and emotional health and well-being of women and men in the transition to parenthood, breastfeeding, perinatal mental health, and social support, particularly in vulnerable communities and researching improvements in service delivery and professional practice. She has published over 200 refereed journal articles, book chapters and published reports and regularly presents (including as a keynote speaker) at national and international conferences. Her research has been translated to policy and practice, for example through the development of health policy, models of care, teaching resources for consumers and health professionals. Her leadership capabilities contribute to the increasing QS rankings of the School of Nursing and Midwifery over the years to reach number one in Ireland and in the top 40 worldwide. RESEARCH She has developed a theoretically based social support instrument that is unique in that it is contextualised within infant care practices, which has been used internationally to devise theoretically sound perinatal interventions to facilitate the transition to motherhood. Example of Team Research projects: Research Focus 1: Promoting Positive Maternity Experiences for Women, Infants & Partners Women’s Experience of Maternity Care in The South/South West of Ireland Mother’s Experiences of Adaptat

Research Interests

Dr Leahy-Warren’s philosophy is that all women, infants and their families should be facilitated to have a positive pregnancy and child birth experience, receiving evidence based care from all healthcare professionals. Improving maternal health during pregnancy directly influences and enhances infant outcomes. Using her clinical and methodological expertise her specific areas of research focus include: (1) Promoting Positive Maternity Experiences for Women, Infants & Partners improving breastfeeding outcomes; (2) Improving Breastfeeding Outcomes; (3) Maternal, Paternal and Infant Perinatal Mental Health; and (4) Parental and Child Health in the Community. Dr Leahy-Warren has over 60 peer review publications and a number of ongoing research projects that strive to enhance maternal, paternal and infant health in Ireland. She has developed a theoretically based social support instrument that is unique in that it is contextualised within infant care practices, which has been used internationally to devise theoretically sound perinatal interventions to facilitate the transition to motherhood.

Research Grants

Project Title	Role	Funding Body	Award
Research into the Promotion of Nursing and Midwifery as a Career of Choice Involving the Media of Film	Co-App	NMBI	€50,000
Optimising Team KT Capacity for Enhanced Implementation and Impact of MaxSBF	Co-App	Health Research Board	€60,000
Maximise Support for Breastfeeding for Sustainable Population Health and Wellbeing (MaxSBF)	PI	HRB	€2.6M
A Standardised Approach to Measuring Infant Feeding Outcomes to Prevent Childhood Obesity	Collab	HRB Emerging Investigator Award	€633,544
All Ireland Midwifery Network	PI	National Women and Infants Health Programme	€25,000 p.a.
Barriers, Facilitators and Strategies to Recognise and Refer High-Risk Individuals with Lung Cancer Symptoms	Co-App	National Cancer Care Programme	€25,000
Research Programme – Taskforce on Staffing and Skill Mix for PHN/Community Nursing	Co-App	Health Research Board	€1M
A Study to Explore Practice Enhancement for Exclusive Breastfeeding (PEEB)	PI	Health Research Board (HRB-APA)	€270,000
Skills-Based Programme for Breastfeeding Support for Healthcare Professionals	PI	NURTURE-HSE	€25,000
Development of a Competency Framework for Clinical Effectiveness Education	Co-App	National Patient Safety Office	€25,000
Evaluating Design and Dignity Programme	Co-App	Irish Hospice Foundation	€16,000
Summer Studentship Award (2017)	PI	Health Research Board	€2,000
Short Term Scientific Mission (STSM) for PhD Student	PI	COST Action IS1405 BIRTH	€1,600
Teaching of Evidence-Based Practice in Ireland	Co-App	Clinical Effectiveness Unit, Department of Health	€30,000
Strategic Vision and Educational Framework for Gerontological Nursing	Co-App	Health Service Executive	€30,000
National Clinical Leadership Needs Analysis for Nurses and Midwives	Co-App	Health Services Executive	€50,000
Fulbright Specialist Program	Co-PI	Irish Fulbright Commission	€10,000
HRB Cochrane Training Fellowship	Co-App	Health Research Board-Cochrane Fellowship	€66,478
Examining Women’s Experiences of Maternity Care in Ireland	PI	South/South West Hospital Group	€50,000
Evidence Review on Community Nursing and Midwifery Practice Models	PI	Chief Nursing Office, Department of Health	€50,000
Research Review on Tackling Delayed Discharges in Acute Hospitals	Co-App	Health Services Executive	€20,000
iOS Software Development for Child Health Information Tracking App	PI	UCC Research Strategic Fund	€7,428
Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE)	Co-PI	College of Medicine & Health	€2,000
H2020 Proposal Preparation Travel Support	Co-App	Enterprise Ireland	€20,000
Research on Health Inequalities and Young People	Co-App	National Youth Council of Ireland	€2,500
Building Research Capacity within School	Co-App	UCC Strategic Research Fund	€4,650
Continence Promotion in Community Nursing	Co-App	Miller Trust Award	€1,500
Summer Studentship Award (2012)	PI	Health Research Board	€2,000
Child Health Information Tracking App (CHeITA)	PI	Aptaclub	€4,650
Building Research Capacity	Co-App	UCC Strategic Research Fund	€3,000
Summer Studentship Award (2011)	Co-App	Health Research Board	€2,000
Research Project Support	PI	Institute of Community Health Nursing	€3,000
Developing Online Student Learning in Diabetes Care in the Community	Co-App	Erasmus Programme	€398,919
Review of Breastfeeding Support Services by Public Health Nurses	PI	HSE Office of Population Health	€35,000
Nursing & Midwifery Research Clinical Fellowship	PI	HRB	€216,154
Research Support First-Time Mothers Project	PI	Martha McMenamin Fund	€3,370
Research on Community Nursing Internationally	PI	Department of Health – Nursing Policy Division	€12,500
Martha McMenamin Fund: First-Time Mothers Project	PI	Health Research Board	€30,000
Nursing and Midwifery Research Clinical Fellowship	PI	Health Research Board	€40,631

PhD Supervision

Available for PhD supervision

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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Dive into the research topics where Patricia Leahy-Warren is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

1 Similar Profiles

A Scoping Review of Instruments Used to Measure Weight and Body Composition in Infants Under 1 Year
Anokye, R., Duffy, M., Looney, E., Birken, C., Brown, V., Dahly, D., Doherty, A., Dutch, D., Golley, R., Hayes, C., Johnson, B., Leahy-Warren, P., McBride, M., McCarthy, E., Murphy, A., Redsell, S., Terwee, C. & Matvienko-Sikar, K., Mar 2026, In: Obesity Reviews. 27, 3, e70038.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Open Access
Health outcomes related to infant feeding in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Hanley, E., Bourke, J., Hanratty, J., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., O'Donovan, R., Long, A., Murphy, M., Matvienko-Sikar, K., Ward, S. & Leahy-Warren, P., 23 Jan 2026, In: HRB Open Research.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Health outcomes related to infant feeding in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]
Hanley, E., Bourke, J., Hanratty, J., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., O'Donovan, R., Long, A., Murphy, M., Matvienko-Sikar, K., Ward, S., Leahy-Warren, P., Jane, B., Jane, B., Jane, B., Jane, B., Jane, B., Jane, B., Edina, H., Edina, H. & Edina, H. & 35 others, Edina, H., Edina, H., Jennifer, H., Jennifer, H., Jennifer, H., Jennifer, H., Patricia, L.-W., Patricia, L.-W., Patricia, L.-W., Patricia, L.-W., Patricia, L.-W., Elaine, L., Elaine, L., Elaine, L., Elaine, L., Aoife, L., Aoife, L., Aoife, L., Aoife, L., Karen, M.-S., Karen, M.-S., Karen, M.-S., Karen, M.-S., Helen, M., Helen, M., Helen, M., Helen, M., Margaret, M., Margaret, M., Margaret, M., Margaret, M., Róisín, O., Róisín, O., Róisín, O. & Siobhan, W., 23 Jan 2026, In: HRB Open Research.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Preconception Risk and Promotive Factors of Postpartum Social Support: A Multidecade Prospective Cohort Study
Biden, E. J., Greenwood, C. J., Macdonald, J. A., Spry, E. A., Olsson, C. A., Leahy-Warren, P., Edwards, B. & Letcher, P., 13 Apr 2026, In: Developmental Psychology. 16 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Prenatal and postnatal maternal psychological distress and the metabolomic profile of human milk
Ryan, N., Sundekilde, U. K., Dickens, A. M., Kalant, H.-M., Leahy-Warren, P., Philpott, L. F., Mulcahy, H., Lamichhane, S., Isokääntä, H., Perasto, L., Tarro, S., Karlsson, H., Karlsson, L., O’Mahony, S. M. & Aatsinki, A.-K., 7 May 2026, In: Journal of Nutrition. 156, 6, p. 1-16 16 p., 101531.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
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University College Cork Researchers Release New Study Findings on Health and Medicine (Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations])
Long, A., Murphy, M., Fleming, A., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., Leahy-Warren, P. & Cogan, L.
7/04/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
University College Cork Reports Findings in Health and Medicine (Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol)
Long, A., Murphy, M., Fleming, A., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., Leahy-Warren, P. & Cogan, L.
3/04/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
UCC’s commitment to gender equality recognised by Athena SWAN awards
Khashan, A., Noonan, B., Flynn, A., Arensman, E., Whelton, H., Leahy-Warren, P., Byrne, S. & Godsmark, C.
5/09/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
Consultation process for National Inclusion Health Framework launched in UCC
Flynn, A., Whelton, H., Byrne, S. & Leahy-Warren, P.
28/06/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
New Health and Medicine Research Has Been Reported by Researchers at University College Cork [Evaluating the process of practice enhancement for exclusive breastfeeding (PEEB): a participatory action research approach for clinical innovation]
Murphy, M., Lehane, E., Mulcahy, H., Leahy-Warren, P., Cogan, L. & Leahy, P.
14/06/24
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media

Patricia Leahy-Warren

Personal profile

Biography

Research Interests

Research Grants

PhD Supervision

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Fingerprint

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Dive into details

A Scoping Review of Instruments Used to Measure Weight and Body Composition in Infants Under 1 Year

Health outcomes related to infant feeding in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Health outcomes related to infant feeding in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

Preconception Risk and Promotive Factors of Postpartum Social Support: A Multidecade Prospective Cohort Study

Prenatal and postnatal maternal psychological distress and the metabolomic profile of human milk

University College Cork Researchers Release New Study Findings on Health and Medicine (Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol [version 1; peer review: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations])

University College Cork Reports Findings in Health and Medicine (Interprofessional undergraduate breastfeeding education: A scoping review protocol)

UCC’s commitment to gender equality recognised by Athena SWAN awards

Consultation process for National Inclusion Health Framework launched in UCC

New Health and Medicine Research Has Been Reported by Researchers at University College Cork [Evaluating the process of practice enhancement for exclusive breastfeeding (PEEB): a participatory action research approach for clinical innovation]

Patricia Leahy-Warren

Personal profile

Biography

Research Interests

Research Grants

PhD Supervision

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

Fingerprint

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Research output

Press/Media