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Research Projects

Kristian Mallon

Current PhD Student

The individual and societal impact of a diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Ireland.

Research Project Summary:

My current research applies data driven approaches to better understand and quantify the economic burden of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) for patients in Ireland. This novel programme of research will provide a more detailed overview of the landscape of IBD progression, diagnostic and treatment practices and clinical and quality of life outcomes. To achieve these aims, this PhD will encompass several different research outputs, including:

  • A systematic review focusing on the dietary and environmental risk factors for IBD
  • A mixed methods study examining the clinical, psycho-social and economic burden of IBD to the patients, their families, and the healthcare system
  • The development of a novel survey tool, to develop a greater understanding of a cross-section of the Irish population’s perspectives on awareness and perceived stigma of IBD and associated symptoms.

Bio:

I have over 5 years of public health research experience and hold degrees in Exercise Science (BSc), Public Health (MSc) and Epidemiology (MPhil). Prior to undertaking my current PhD at IT Sligo, I worked as a Research Officer at the Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland, where my work focused on the evaluation of several large research projects and analyses of large-scale public health datasets.

I also worked in the Queens University, Centre for Public Health as a research assistant on the Physical activity and the Rejuvenation of Connswater study (PARC study), which investigated the effect of a new urban greenway on the physical activity of local people in Belfast.

My previous research focused on physical activity as a modifiable risk factor for gastrointestinal cancers. The main aim of this research was to determine plausible biological mechanisms between physical activity and cancer development as well as investigating the optimal types, duration, and frequency of physical activity for the risk reduction of cancer.

Papers

Kinsman AT, Mallon KP, Hunter RF, Cardwell CR, McMenamin ÚC, Spence AD, Coleman HG. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and risk of oesophago‐gastric cancer: A prospective cohort study within UK Biobank. UEG Journal. 2018 Oct;6(8):1144-54.

Presentations

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and risk of oesophago-gastric cancer: A prospective cohort study within UK Biobank – Presented at: BRITISH and IRISH Gastroenterology (BIG)conference, 27 Apr – 28 April 2017, Europa Hotel, Belfast.

Collaborations

University College Dublin, School of Medicine/St Vincent’s University Hospital