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Dr. Carlos Bruen

Dr. Carlos Bruen

Assistant Professor, Public Health & Primary Care

3531896 5021

Biography

Carlos Bruen is Assistant Professor in Health Policy and Management and Course Director of the MSc in Health Policy and Management, Trinity College Dublin. Previously the Assistant Director for Academic Affairs on the SPHeRE Programme - an Irish structured PhD research programme in population health, policy and health services research funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) - he also worked as a researcher on a number of national and international projects, including StrokeCog and the development of an Irish stroke audit; knowledge brokering for medical workforce planning; the FP6 Global Health Initiatives in Africa project, and the Global HIV/AIDS Initiatives Network (GHIN). During this time he was an invited member of the World Health Organization Expert Consultation on Maximising Positive Synergies Between Health Systems and Global Health Initiatives. He completed PhD research on the policy processes of global health partnerships, with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance as the case study. His research and teaching (as module lead/co-lead at postgraduate and doctorate levels) focuses on different dimensions of health policy at national and international levels, including health policy and governance; comparative health systems and policy analysis; and knowledge translation and mobilisation for policy and practice.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

  • Niamh A Merriman, Carlos Bruen, Ashleigh Gorman, Frances Horgan, David J Williams, Niall Pender, Elaine Byrne, Anne Hickey, "I'm just not a Sudoku person": analysis of stroke survivor, carer, and healthcare professional perspectives for the design of a cognitive rehabilitation intervention, Disability and rehabilitation, 2020Journal Article, 2020, URL
  • Bruen C, Merriman NA, Murphy PJ, McCormack J, Sexton E, Harbison J, Williams D, Kelly PJ, Horgan F, Collins R, Ní Bhreacáin M, Byrne E, Thornton J, Hickey A, Development of a national stroke audit in Ireland: scoping review protocol, HRB Open Research, 2021Journal Article, 2021, DOI
  • Carlos Bruen, Ruairi Brugha, "We're not there to protect ourselves, we're there to talk about workforce planning": A qualitative study of policy dialogues as a mechanism to inform medical workforce planning, Health Policy, 124, (7), 2020, p736 - 742Journal Article, 2020, URL
  • Carlos Bruen, Ruairí Brugha, A Ghost in the Machine? Politics in Global Health Policy, Int J Health Policy Manag, 3, (1), 2014, p1--4Journal Article, 2014
  • Bruen, C., Brugha, R., Kageni, A., Wafula, F., A concept in flux: Questioning accountability in the context of global health cooperation, Globalization and Health, 10, (1), 2014Journal Article, 2014
  • Ruairí Brugha, Carlos Bruen, Politics matters: a response to recent commentaries, Int J Health Policy Manag, 3, (3), 2014, p157--158Journal Article, 2014
  • Samb, B., Evans, T., Dybul, M., Atun, R., Moatti, J.-P., Nishtar, S., Wright, A., Celletti, F., Hsu, J., Kim, J.Y., Brugha, R., Russell, A., Etienne, C., De, S., Mwase, T., Wang, W., Wright, J., Daré, L., Delfraissy, J.-F., Boillot, F., Miege, P., Zhang, X., Rhatigan, J., Weintraub, R., Pun, S., Abé, C., Caceres, C., Camara, M., Coriat, B., D"Almeida, C., Aleshkina, J., Murzalieva, G., Kadzandira, J., Hammami, N., Mwapasa, V., Chkhatarashvili, K., Buch, E., Miti, K., Kamenga, C., Elouma, M.S.E., Schwalbe, N., Greenberg, A., Frehywot, S., Markus, A., Goeman, L., Khan, A., Amati, J., Mwaura-Muiru, E., Ivers, L.C., Ellner, A., Shakow, A., Kley, N.C., Irwin, A., Sullivan, E., Baker, B., Cohn, J., Davis, P., Headley, J., Siplon, P., Dickinson, C., Pearson, M., Waddington, C., Boyer, S., Eboko, F., Orsi, F., Larouzé, B., Le Loup, G., Ndubani, P., Simbaya, J., Boelaert, M., Cavalli, A., Ooms, G., Pirard, M., Polman, K., Van Damme, W., Van Dormael, M., Vermeiren, P., Teokul, W., Dlodlo, R., Fujiwara, P., Ruppol, S., Vella, S., Semigina, T., Corbett, E., Godfrey-Faussett, P., Spicer, N., Walt, G., Kanchanachitra, C., Philips, M., Riva, G., Kabuayi, J.-P., Kiputsu, A.K., Ndongosieme, A., Koulla-Shiro, S., Samake, S., Bamba, S.I., Coulibaly, Y., Traore, M.N., Berthé, I.B.I., Wibulpolprasert, S., Chunharas, S., Jerome, G., Mukherjee, J., Nguini, M.E.O., Rao, K.D., Reddy, S., Nyirenda, L., Biesma, R., Bruen, C., Dicker, P., Walsh, A., Cailhol, J., Parsons, A., Mathole, T., Sanders, D., Raghavan, S.S., Mwanza, F., Michael, E.B., Richard, W., Banati, P., Blakley, M., Ingenkamp, N., Lansang, M.A., Low-Beer, D., Shakarishvili, G., Kayongo, A., Buse, K., Martineau, T., Dehne, K., Pett, I., Salama, P., Chilundo, B., Ndumbe, P., Atashili, J., Sow, P.S., Hill, P.S., Brenzel, L., Babaley, M., Dayrit, M., de Zoysa, I., Dyrhauge, J., Evans, T., Galichet, B., Kadama, P., Porignon, D., Russell, S., Tata, H., Van Lerberghe, W., An assessment of interactions between global health initiatives and country health systems, The Lancet, 373, (9681), 2009, p2137-2169Journal Article, 2009
  • Hickey, Anne; Merriman, Niamh, A.; Bruen, Carlos; Mellon, Llsa; Bennett, Kathleen E; Williams, David J; Pender, Niall; Doyle, Frank, Psychological interventions for managing cognitive impairment after stroke (Protocol), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (8), 2020Journal Article, 2020
  • Schulmann K, Bruen C, Parker S, Siersbaek R, Conghail LM, Burke S, The role of governance in shaping health system reform: a case study of the design and implementation of new health regions in Ireland, BMC Health Services Research, 24, 2024Journal Article, 2024, URL
  • Niamh A. Merriman, Carlos Bruen, Joan McCormack, Joseph Harbison, Eithne Sexton, David Williams, Peter J Kelly, Frances Horgan, Ronán Collins, Máirín Ní Bhreacáin, Elaine Byrne, John Thornton, Collette Tully, Anne Hickey, Maximising the quality of stroke care in Ireland - Development of a national stroke audit, European Stroke Journal;, European Stroke Organisation Conference, Helsinki, Finland/Online, 2021, 6, (suppl 1), 2021Poster
  • Sexton E, Shumba J, Heaume F, Merriman N, Bruen C, Hickey A, Williams D, Bennett K, Prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia in community-dwelling adults with stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Protocol: CRD42019141431), Prospero, 2019Journal Article
  • McCoy, David;, Bruen, Carlos; Hill, Peter, & Kerouedan, Dominique, The Global Fund: What Next for Aid Effectiveness and Health Systems Strengthening?, Nairobi, Kenya, Aidspan, 2012Report
  • Understanding Global Health Policy in, editor(s)Garrett W. Brown; Gavin Yamey; Sarah Wamala , The Handbook of Global Health Policy, New York, John Wiley & Sons, 2014, pp19 - 45, [Ruairí Brugha, Carlos Bruen, Viroj Tangcharoensathien]Book Chapter
  • The Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation in, editor(s)Thomas Hale; David Held , Handbook of Transnational Governance: New Institutions and Innovations, London, John Wiley & Sons, 2011, pp384 - 394, [Andrew Harmer, Carlos Bruen]Book Chapter
  • Bruen, Carlos., Brugha, Ruairi, and Biesma, Regien, GHIs & National Health Systems: A Review Report for WHO-Harvard Maximizing Positive Synergies Research Group, RCSI, Dublin, 2009Report
  • Bridget M. Johnston, Fódhla Ní Chéileachair, Sara Burke, Regina McQuillan, Peter May, Lucy Davis, Sarah Barry, Eimir Hurley, Steve Thomas, Charles Normand, Carlos Bruen, Review of the Implementation of the 2001 Report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care as it relates to Adult Palliative Care, Department of Health, Government of Ireland, February, 2022Report, DOI , TARA - Full Text
  • Global Health Governance and Accountability in, editor(s)Robin Haring, Ilona Kickbusch, Detlev Ganten, Matshidiso Moeti , Handbook of Global Health, Cham, Switzerland, Springer Nature Reference Works, 2024, [Carlos Bruen]Book Chapter

Research Expertise

  • Title
    Study Within a Trial - to test the effectiveness of using different communication methods for follow-up for the purpose of improving trial retention
    Summary
    The Study Within a Trial (SWAT) will test the effectiveness of using different communication methods for follow-up for the purpose of improving trial retention. This SWAT is embedded in a larger project pilot testing a cognitive rehabilitation intervention aimed at improving/preventing further decline in cognitive function post-stroke. PI: Prof Anne Hickey (RCSI)
    Funding Agency
    HRB
    Date From
    2022
  • Title
    Health Workforce Policy Dialogues & Knowledge Exchange Research Project
    Summary
    Proposal contributor and lead researcher on a study of policy dialogues as a brokering mechanism to inform medical workforce planning in Ireland. (PI: Prof Ruairi Brugha, RCSI)
    Funding Agency
    Health Research Board
    Date From
    2017
    Date To
    2018
  • Title
    Evidence for Health Regions Implementation ( EHRI-TCDMEDSeed)
    Summary
    Ireland's health system is undergoing substantial structural reform through the implementation of new Health Regions. This TCD-MED Research Seed Award supports the building of a research programme aimed at driving significant improvements in health outcomes and equitable provision of services through the Regions. Crucially, it will combine international best practice with key national and regional stakeholder research priorities, ensuring the integration of research findings into current national health policy processes and priorities
    Funding Agency
    School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin
    Date From
    2024
    Date To
    2025
  • Title
    Review of the implementation of the 2001 report of the National Advisory Committee on Palliative Care as it relates to Adult Palliative Care
    Summary
    This external review will address the terms of reference, which are: 1. To assess progress achieved to date in the implementation of the recommendations of the NACPC 2001 Report and the respective 2009 and 2017 HSE Palliative Care Service Development Frameworks. 2. To identify gaps in the implementation of the policy, including any barriers to progress, and how such issues could be addressed by the policy update. 3. To comment on the relevance of the recommendations in the 2001 Report in the current context. 4. To comment on whether the approach to service delivery in Ireland is cost effective having regard to existing international evidence on cost effective palliative care services. 5. To make recommendations, in light of the above, on priority areas that should be addressed in the policy update, including areas of evolving and emerging need, having regard to international developments as outlined in the International Evidence Brief conducted by the Health Research Board on behalf of the Department of Health. PI: Dr Bridget Johnston, TCD
    Funding Agency
    Department of Health, Government of Ireland
    Date From
    Sep 2021
    Date To
    Feb 2022
  • Title
    Global Health Initiatives & Accountability Project
    Summary
    Funding Agency
    Aidspan, Kenya
    Date From
    2013
    Date To
    2013

Recognition

  • Cochrane present
  • Member of the consultancy team leading an evaluation of Ireland's 2001 national palliative care policy to inform a 2022 Department of Health update of this policy. 2021
  • Workshop Rapporteur, Joint Research Council (JRC) "Strengthening and connecting eco-systems of science for policy in Europe" workshop series. 2020
  • Group facilitator, Irish consultative process for the World Humanitarian Summit, Istanbul 2016. 2015
  • Membership of and contributing to a commissioned literature review for the WHO Maximising Positive Synergies Collaborative Group Project. 2008
  • Visiting Lecturer on the Clinical and Psychosocial Epidemiology Research Masters (Health Systems & Prevention stream) delivered by the University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Netherlands. 2020
  • Editorial Board member, Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review, 2007
  • Article reviewer for journals that include: The BMJ; BMC Human Resources for Health; Frontiers in Public Health; Qualitative Studies in Psychology; Globalization & Health; International Journal of Health Policy and Management; Irish Studies in International Affairs; Policy & Practice: A Development Education Review; and Third World Quarterly.
  • Steering Group member, 'Applying a sanitation approach to the problem of Household Air Pollution in Malawi' Project (2020-2022). PI: Dr Debbi Stanistreet (RCSI) 2019
  • Distance Mentor, Emerging Voices for Health programme, Institute for Tropical Medicine, Antwerp/World Health Organisation 2011