Biography
Dr. Aisling McGrath is a researcher and lecturer in the school of Health Sciences at South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland. She is an IUHPE accredited Health Promotion Practitioner with a background in Public Health and Health Promotion. She is an active researcher and is involved in a number of projects related to community-based health promotion, men's health promotion, mental health promotion, chronic disease prevention and physical activity promotion. Her research focuses on identifying strategies to engage socially disadvantaged groups to enhance health and wellbeing outcomes. She has a specific interest areas in gender-specific health promotion and health equity. Her expertise involve evaluation of complex interventions, mixed methods, economic evaluation, participatory research, co-design approaches & implementation science.
Aisling teaches across the Exercise Science and Public Health and Health Promotion degrees. She teaches across a range of subjects such as research and evaluation, epidemiology and public health, managing health promotion campaigns, health promotion in key settings, health screening, applied behaviour change and motivational interviewing. Aisling also supervises research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate level within the School of Health Sciences.
Aisling competed her PhD in 2022 which involved the design, implementation and evaluation of a community-based men's health promotion programme 'Sheds for Life' which was implemented in the Men's Sheds seting in Ireland. Her PhD was awarded an employment based postgraduate scholarship from the Irish Research Council where she worked with the Irish Men's Sheds Association for a number of years. The work was supervised by Professor Niamh Murphy and Dr Noel Richardson (SETU). Currently, Aisling is involved in a number of research projects related to physical activity promotion, chronic disease prevention, engaging socially disadvantaged groups, mental health promotion, community-based health promotion and men's health promotion.
Peer-reviewed journal articles
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of Irish Men’s Shed members. Health Promotion International daaa113. DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daaa113
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2021). Study protocol: Evaluation of Sheds for Life (SFL): A community-based men’s health initiative designed “for Shedders by Shedders” in Irish Men’s Sheds using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. BMC Public Health: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10823- 8
Cooper, J., Murphy, J., Woods, C., Van Nassau, F., McGrath, A., & Callaghan, D. et al. (2021). Barriers and facilitators to implementing community-based physical activity interventions: a qualitative systematic review. International Journal Of Behavioral Nutrition And Physical Activity, 18(1). doi: 10.1186/s12966-021- 01177-w
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T., Ormond, G. & Richardson, N. (2022). ‘Understanding Shedders: which sociodemographic, health and wellbeing characteristics best inform appropriate health promotion action and a ‘Shed for Life’? Health Promotion Journal of Australia. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.649
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T., Ormond, G. & Richardson, N (2022). An Economic Evaluation of ‘Sheds for Life’ a Community-Based Men’s Health Initiative for Men’s Sheds in Ireland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19: 2204 doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042204
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T. & Richardson, N. (2022). Sheds for life: health and wellbeing outcomes of a tailored community-based health promotion initiative for men’s sheds in Ireland. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1590. doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13964-6
McGrath, A., Richardson, N. & Murphy, N. (2022). Strategies for effective implementation and scale-up of a multi-level co-designed men’s health initiative ‘Sheds for Life’ in Irish Men’s Sheds. Frontiers in Health Services: Implementation Science: 940034 https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2022.940034
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2022). ‘Sheds for Life’: delivering a gender-transformative approach to health promotion in Men’s Sheds. Health Promotion International 37(6), daac150. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daac150
Published Research Reports
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). Men’s Health and Wellbeing Programme at Place4U: Evaluation Report DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32973.18409
McGrath, A. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Irish Men’s Sheds members and their Sheds: Qualitative Report DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14846.31045
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2021). Sheds for Life Impact Report: The Impact of Implementation phase one on the health and Wellbeing outcomes of participants. ISBN: 978-1-8384706-09 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18365.38886
Conference proceedings
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). “Shedding light on men’s health” -Evaluating the scalability of a community-based men’s health promotion programme “Sheds for Life” through the application of implementation science (Academic Poster). SPHeRE Network 5th Annual Conference. Royal College of Surgeons – Dublin Ireland
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). Implementation of a community-based men’s health promotion programme ‘Sheds for Life’ in Irish Men’s Sheds. Institute of Public Health Annual Conference. Titanic- Belfast Ireland
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020) “Sheds for Life” -A Community based men’s health promotion programme using gender sensitive strategies to engage hard to reach men in Irish Men’s Sheds. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo – San Francisco. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of Irish Men’s Shed members: Lessons from Sheds for Life. Joint Public Health Conference. Virtual.
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020). Sheds for Life: Insights into the impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing outcomes of Men’s Shed members. International Men’s Day HSE. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). “Men will talk in the right environment” working in partnership with Irish Men’s Shed members to design and implement an appropriate program model that engages men with health and wellbeing. Interdisciplinary Conference on Men and Masculinities. University of Washington Tacoma. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Sheds for Life: Proactively promoting and engaging men in the men’s shed setting with physical activity and wellbeing. Irish Physical Activity Research Collaboration conference. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Understanding the local contextual factors that impact engagement of hard-to-reach men in community-based health promotion. Lessons to date from “Sheds for Life”. WIT postgraduate conference. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Sheds for Life: A gender transformative men’s health programme to promote positive ageing Positive Ageing Knowledge Exchange. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Evaluating implementation of a community-based men's health programme "Sheds for Life" in Irish Men's Sheds. ISPAH Conference 2021. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N.(2022). Engaging hard to reach groups in physical activity-good practice examples from non-traditional settings. Accepted for: ISPAH Conference 2022. Abu Dhabi.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N.(2022). Evaluating the impact and scalability of a community-based men's health promotion programme "Sheds for Life" in Irish Men's Sheds. HEPA EUROPE Conference. Nice, France.
Peer-reviewed journal articles
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of Irish Men’s Shed members. Health Promotion International daaa113. DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daaa113
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2021). Study protocol: Evaluation of Sheds for Life (SFL): A community-based men’s health initiative designed “for Shedders by Shedders” in Irish Men’s Sheds using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. BMC Public Health: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10823- 8
Cooper, J., Murphy, J., Woods, C., Van Nassau, F., McGrath, A., & Callaghan, D. et al. (2021). Barriers and facilitators to implementing community-based physical activity interventions: a qualitative systematic review. International Journal Of Behavioral Nutrition And Physical Activity, 18(1). doi: 10.1186/s12966-021- 01177-w
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T., Ormond, G. & Richardson, N. (2022). ‘Understanding Shedders: which sociodemographic, health and wellbeing characteristics best inform appropriate health promotion action and a ‘Shed for Life’? Health Promotion Journal of Australia. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.649
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T., Ormond, G. & Richardson, N (2022). An Economic Evaluation of ‘Sheds for Life’ a Community-Based Men’s Health Initiative for Men’s Sheds in Ireland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19: 2204 doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042204
McGrath, A., Murphy, N., Egan, T. & Richardson, N. (2022). Sheds for life: health and wellbeing outcomes of a tailored community-based health promotion initiative for men’s sheds in Ireland. BMC Public Health, 22(1), 1590. doi:10.1186/s12889-022-13964-6
McGrath, A., Richardson, N. & Murphy, N. (2022). Strategies for effective implementation and scale-up of a multi-level co-designed men’s health initiative ‘Sheds for Life’ in Irish Men’s Sheds. Frontiers in Health Services: Implementation Science: 940034 https://doi.org/10.3389/frhs.2022.940034
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2022). ‘Sheds for Life’: delivering a gender-transformative approach to health promotion in Men’s Sheds. Health Promotion International 37(6), daac150. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daac150
Published Research Reports
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). Men’s Health and Wellbeing Programme at Place4U: Evaluation Report DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32973.18409
McGrath, A. (2020). The Impact of COVID-19 on Irish Men’s Sheds members and their Sheds: Qualitative Report DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.14846.31045
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N (2021). Sheds for Life Impact Report: The Impact of Implementation phase one on the health and Wellbeing outcomes of participants. ISBN: 978-1-8384706-09 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.18365.38886
Conference proceedings
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). “Shedding light on men’s health” -Evaluating the scalability of a community-based men’s health promotion programme “Sheds for Life” through the application of implementation science (Academic Poster). SPHeRE Network 5th Annual Conference. Royal College of Surgeons – Dublin Ireland
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2019). Implementation of a community-based men’s health promotion programme ‘Sheds for Life’ in Irish Men’s Sheds. Institute of Public Health Annual Conference. Titanic- Belfast Ireland
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020) “Sheds for Life” -A Community based men’s health promotion programme using gender sensitive strategies to engage hard to reach men in Irish Men’s Sheds. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting and Expo – San Francisco. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of Irish Men’s Shed members: Lessons from Sheds for Life. Joint Public Health Conference. Virtual.
McGrath, A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2020). Sheds for Life: Insights into the impact of COVID-19 on wellbeing outcomes of Men’s Shed members. International Men’s Day HSE. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). “Men will talk in the right environment” working in partnership with Irish Men’s Shed members to design and implement an appropriate program model that engages men with health and wellbeing. Interdisciplinary Conference on Men and Masculinities. University of Washington Tacoma. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Sheds for Life: Proactively promoting and engaging men in the men’s shed setting with physical activity and wellbeing. Irish Physical Activity Research Collaboration conference. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Understanding the local contextual factors that impact engagement of hard-to-reach men in community-based health promotion. Lessons to date from “Sheds for Life”. WIT postgraduate conference. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Sheds for Life: A gender transformative men’s health programme to promote positive ageing Positive Ageing Knowledge Exchange. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N. (2021). Evaluating implementation of a community-based men's health programme "Sheds for Life" in Irish Men's Sheds. ISPAH Conference 2021. Virtual.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N.(2022). Engaging hard to reach groups in physical activity-good practice examples from non-traditional settings. Accepted for: ISPAH Conference 2022. Abu Dhabi.
McGrath A., Murphy, N. & Richardson, N.(2022). Evaluating the impact and scalability of a community-based men's health promotion programme "Sheds for Life" in Irish Men's Sheds. HEPA EUROPE Conference. Nice, France.