Personal profile
Biography
Dr Sheena McHugh is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Health. Her research focuses on how to ensure that evidence-based interventions are integrated into routine care to improve the quality and effectiveness of care for those in need. Her work includes examining barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based interventions and designing and tailoring implementation strategies. Her research has largely focused on diabetes management in primary care.
Sheena leads the Health Implementation Research Hub at the School of Public Health, a research group focused on how best to implement evidence-based interventions and support the use of research in health services. She also leads the Irish Implementation Science Training Institute, a blended training programme in implementation science. In 2020 Sheena was awarded a Research Leader Award by the Health Research Board. This five year funding programme involves research on the process and impact of tailored implementation to support evidence based care, and build capacity in implementation science in Ireland.
Sheena trained originally in psychology, graduating from University College Dublin and holds an MSc in Health Psychology from University College London. She has a PhD in Health Services Research. Sheena has a Postgraduate Certificate in Implementation Science from Trinity College Dublin and a Postgraduate Certificate in Digital Education from UCC.
Research Interests
Sheena’s research focuses on barriers and facilitators to implementing evidence-based interventions and designing, tailoring and assessing the effectiveness of implementation strategies.
Teaching Activities
Topics
- Implementation science, health behaviour change, qualitative research methods, quality improvement, qualitative evidence synthesis
Activities
- Behaviour Change for Healthy Populations (EH3015)
- Introduction to Implementation Research and Practice in Public Health (EH6000)
- Qualitative Research in Public Health (EH6157/6167)
Current PhD Students
| Role | Student | School |
| Primary Supervisor | Laura Jane McCarthy | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Alanna Denny | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Louise Murphy | Nursing |
| Co-Supervisor | Olivia Wall | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | David Hennelly | Medicine |
| co-Supervisor | Richard Sykes | Pharmacy |
Recent PhD Students
| Role | Student | School |
| Primary Supervisor | Clair Haseldine | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Nickola Pallin | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Neah Albasha | Medicine (Gerentology) |
| Co Supervisor | Clara Heinrich | Pharmacy |
| Co-Supervisor | Niamh McGrath | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Emmy racine | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Fiona Riordan | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Kate O'Neil | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Marsha Tracey | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Emily Kelleher | Public Health |
| Co-Supervisor | Eimear Hurley | Public Health |
Research Grants
Active Grants
| Funder | Grant Details | Position |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award APA-2022-027 | Title: The Development and Evaluation of a referral guideline for referring patients with suspected cognitive impairment or dementia from general practice to secondary care (€277,839) 2024 - 2026 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Definitive Intervention Award DIFA-2023-006 | Title: Examining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, of a Work and Cancer self-management programme to support women with breast cancer to return to work (€1,033,134.80) 2023 - 2027 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award APA 2022-028 | Title: FaMe: Falls Management Exercise Programme: Improving Reach, Effectiveness, Value and SustAiNability in IrelanD. Case Studies for Learning (€239’997) 2023 - 2025 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award 2022-011 | Title: Optimising Practice Feedback to Improve diabetes Care (OPTI AUDIT- GP) (€139,943) 2022 - 2026 | Principle Investigator |
| HRB Emerging Investigators Award EIA-2022-001 | Development of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health Inequalities (€636,805.50) 2022-2026 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Clinical Trials Network CTN-2021-002 | Title: Primary Care Clinical Trials Network Ireland (€999,979.75) 2021 - 2026 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB - Research Leader Award RL-2020-004 | Title: Centre for Understanding Tailored Methods of Implementation involving Stakeholders, Evidence and skills Development (CUSTOMISED) for policy and practice (€1,149,930) 2020 - 2026 | Principle Investigator |
Research Grants
Completed Grants
| Funder | Grant Details | Position |
| HRB Knowledge Translation Award KTA-2022-018 | Title: Translating the tailoring process to improve the implementation of diabetes care (€59,953.56) 2023 - 2024 | Principle Investigator |
| HRB Collaborative Doctoral Award CDA-2019-001 |
Title: Collaborative Doctoral Programme in Chronic Disease Prevention (CDP-CDP) (€1,449,434) 2020-2025 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Emerging Investigator Award EIA-2019-005 | Title: Providing Improved care for Self-harm: a mixed-methods study of intervention, economic and implementation outcomes from a national clinical programme. (€736,810.81) 2019 - 2023 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Secondary Data Analysis Programme SDAP-2019-030 |
Title: Evidence for Policies to Prevent Chronic Conditions (EPICC) (€249,910.75) 2019-2021 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award APA-2019-009 | Title: Implementation of a Frailty Care Bundle for older adults in acute care. (€244,964.89) 2019-2021 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Research for Practice and Policy ARPP-2020-001 | Title: Using Knowledge Translation to Enhance the Use of Evidence in Public Health Decision-making by Policymakers and Healthcare Managers in Ireland (249,518.92) 2019-2021 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award APA-2017-017 | Title: Enhancing the reach and sustainability of an integrated falls prevention pathway for older people” (€176,012) 2018-2022 | Principle Investigator |
| HRB Knowledge Exchange & Dissemination Scheme | Title: Evidence to Support Prevention Implementation and Translation – Knowledge Translation (ESPRIT-KT; €59,788) 2017-2019 | Co-Applicant |
| HRB Applied Partnership Award | Title: A feasibility study of the acceptability and cost of transitioning people with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes from outpatient diabetes clinics to general practice (€166,872) 2017-2019 | Co-Applicant |
UCC Futures (primary)
- Future of Health
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 -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 5 Gender Equality -
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Fingerprint
- 1 Similar Profiles
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
-
The long-term general practice healthcare of women with a history of gestational diabetes: A Scoping Review
O'Flynn, J., McMorrow, R., Foley, T., Forde, R., McHugh, S., Newman, C. & Jennings, A. A., 12 Feb 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Endocrine Practice.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
A Quantitative Study Exploring and Comparing Key Factors in Medication Management in the Irish Healthcare Setting
O'Donovan, B., Kirke, C., Pate, M., McHugh, S., Bennett, K. & Cahir, C., Apr 2025, In: Health Expectations. 28, 2, e70256.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Development of a Health Impact Assessment Implementation Model: Enhancing Intersectoral Approaches in Tackling Health Inequalities- A Mixed Methods Study Protocol
O'Mullane, M., Kenny, T., Nash, K., McHugh, S. M., Kavanagh, P., Smith, K. & Archibong, U., 2025, In: HRB Open Research. 7, 14.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Exploring Discrepancies between Protocols and Published Scoping Reviews in Implementation Science: Protocol for a Methodological Study
O'Mahony, A., Haseldine, C., Albers, B., Navarro, A. C., McCarthy, L.-J., Pollock, D., Presseau, J. & McHugh, S., 28 Aug 2025, In: HRB Open Research.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
-
Falls Management Exercise programme: Improving reach, effectiveness, value and sustainability in Ireland. Case studies for learning (acronym: FaME Ireland): protocol of an observational evaluation study
McCullagh, R., Horgan, N. F., Eldridge, C., Thackeray, K., Cahalane, E., Cummins, V., Brennan, E., Ahern, L., Palmer, B., Foley, T., McHugh, S., Murphy, A., Setti, A., Racine, E., Ní Shé, É. & Skelton, D., Jun 2025, In: HRB Open Research. 8, p. 56Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Activities
-
Designing & Delivering Sustainable Age Friendly Healthcare
Mchugh, S. (Speaker)
3 Oct 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk
-
Byron Powell
McHugh, S. M. (Host)
22 Sep 2025 → 24 Sep 2025Activity: Hosting a visitor › Hosting an academic visitor
-
Translating Knowledge into Practice: Insights from the DAFNE Diabetes Education Seminar
McHugh, S. M. (Organiser)
25 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
-
Bringing Best Practices from Implementation Science to Implementation practice.
McHugh, S. M. (Organiser) & Beidas, R. (Co-Organiser)
2 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
-
Implementation Science Training Institute (ISTI) 2024
McHugh, S. M. (Organiser)
1 Jul 2024 → 3 Jul 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...
Prizes
Press/Media
-
UCC Secures Major EU Funding for XR Cancer Survivorship Project
Murphy, D., Cryan, J. F., Murphy, A., Saab, M., O'Malley, M., Hegarty, J., Kirby, A. & McHugh, S.
10/06/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media
-
University College Cork Researchers Report Research in Gestational Diabetes (The long-term general practice healthcare of women with a history of gestational diabetes: A Scoping Review Protocol [version 2; peer review: 2 approved])
Mchugh, S., Foley, T., Jennings, A., Forde, R. & O Sullivan, T.
29/04/25
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media