Scholarly Impact Report 2023

CATHERINE MCAULEY SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY, UCC

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CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE/PRESENTATIONS

Dr Mohamad Saab wins Best Oral Presentation in the Inaugural College of Medicine and Health Futures Research Conference Dr Mohamad Saab, Senior Lecturer and Director of Graduate Studies won best oral presentation in the inaugural College of Medicine and Health Futures Research Conference, which was held on the 21st of September 2023 in Devere Hall at University College Cork (UCC). The title of his presentation was: “Enhancing Men’s Awareness of Testicular Diseases (E-MAT) Using Virtual Reality: A Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.” This project is led by Dr Saab and funded by the Health Research Board, under the Definitive Intervention and Feasibility Awards scheme. E-MAT is a three-level virtual reality game developed in collaboration with the School of Computer Science and IT at UCC to raise young men’s awareness of testicular diseases. The E-MAT feasibility study was conducted in 9 GAA clubs in Cork. It included a Study Within A Trial (SWAT) to determine which social media Dr Mohamad Saab and Dr Irene Hartigan attend the Kick-Off Meeting for the Erasmus+ funded Project VR-TALKS in Munich Senior Lecturers Dr Mohamad Saab and Dr Irene Hartigan attended the kick-off meeting for the Erasmus+ funded project VR-TALKS in Munich on November 20th and 21st 2023. The purpose of this exciting three-year project is to design and test the feasibility of virtual reality (VR)-based scenarios used to educate health professions students about difficult conversations.

strategy(ies) is/are most effective in recruiting study participants, an economic evaluation of the cost of developing and delivering the E-MAT intervention, a process evaluation exploring E-MAT intervention reach and fidelity, and a feasibility trial comparing the effect of E-MAT delivered using virtual reality to E-MAT delivered using an iPad. Various outputs from this project are underway. Results from this project are promising, warranting the conduct of a future definitive trial. Lead and Team Members: Dr Mohamad M. Saab (Principal Investigator), Ms. Megan McCarthy, Professor Josephine Hegarty, Dr Martin P. Davoren, Dr Frances Shiely, Dr Janas M. Harrington, Dr Gillian W. Shorter, Mr. David Murphy, Mr. Billy O’Mahony, Mr. Eoghan Cooke, Dr Aileen Murphy, Dr Ann Kirby, Dr Michael J. Rovito, Professor Steve Robertson, Dr Serena FitzGerald, Mr. Mícheál O Riordan, Mr. Alan O’Connor, and Dr Darren Dahly.

Dr Mohamad Saab and Professor John Cryan

This project will be conducted in seven universities across five countries including the Czech Republic (Lead), Ireland, Germany, The Netherlands, and Portugal. Drs Saab and Hartigan are UCC Co-Leads. They will be leading the work package where the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of the VR scenarios will be tested with students and educators. Lead and Team Members: From UCC: Dr Irene Hartigan (Co Lead), Dr Mohamad Saab (Co-Lead), Dr Nicola Cornally, Dr Catherine Sweeney, and Dr Tony Foley

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