Dr Evan Matthews

Evan is a Lecturer in Physical activity, Health & Mental health promotion, and Co-Programme Director for the BSc Public Health and Health Promotion in the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, School of Health Sciences, SETU. Evan also supervises research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate level (BSc, MSc and PhD) across a broad range of Health Sciences topics.

Previously, Evan held Asst/Lecturer position in 'Healthcare Issues in Custodial Settings' (Higher Certificate in Custodial Care; School of Humanities, Waterford Institute of Technology). He has also lectured on the BSc in Applied Health Care (Department of Nursing and Healthcare, Waterford Institute of Technology).

Evan has research interests in health behaviours among marginalised populations such as those with mental health difficulty, substance use disorder and intellectual disability. He also has interests in mental health promotion and participatory research methods. Evan is an Early Career Member of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry and is on the ediortial board of Frontiers in Public Health (Mental health promotion specialism). Evan is currently supervising 3 PhD and 1 Msc students in a range of health science related projects and has active research collaboration internationally, such as in Australia, The UK, and The Netherlands. Evan's active research areas include: 

1. Lifestyle psychiatry 

2. Supporting physical health of people with high grade brain tumours 

3. Integrated exercise practitioners in Irish mental health services

5. Participatory research methods

4. Group-based dance exercise and cancer  

5. Community-based physical activity and mental health promotion

6. Longitudinal mental health of university students

(combined investigator value of projects > € 430,000)

Recent contributing reviewer:

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine; Early Intervention in Psychiatry; Mental Health & Physical Activity

Review Editor: Frontiers in Public Health (specialism: Mental Health Promotion)  

Recent committee roles; Working groups: 

‘Exercise Effect Project’: Integrating Exercise Professionals into Mental Health Services in Ireland (HSE Mental Health Services and Health & Wellbeing, Mental Health Ireland). Chair

Association for Health Promotion Ireland / Accreditation Board Treasurer 

Pharmacy Programme Development in SETU. Member

HEPA Europe 2024 ‘Optimising health enhancing physical activity: the importance of inclusion’, RCSI., Dublin. scientific committee 

HSE, Mental Health Engagement and Recovery, Recommendation 74 – Sharing the Vision. Research Advisory Group 

ACLÚ: Empowering Recovery in Enduring Mental Illness, Munster Technological University and The Health Service Executive, External advisory committee

Children and Young People Services, Waterford (CYPSC). Special subgroup for youth mental health services (Jigsaw) in Waterford. Working group member; Report lead (2021 -2022) 

Publications

Solmi, M. Thompson, T. Cortese, S. Estrade, A. ... et al. ... Correll, C. (2025).  Collaborative outcomes study on health and functioning during infection times (COH-FIT): Insights on modifiable and non-modifiable risk and protective factors for wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic from multivariable and network analyses. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 90, 1-15

McGrath, A., Matthews, E., Murphy, N. et al. (2024). Identification of relevant mental health indicators used in community-based health enhancing physical activity initiatives in the European context: An adapted Delphi study. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2024.100638

Solmi, M. et al. ... Correll, C. (2024). Global and risk-group stratified well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in adults: Results from the international COH-FIT Study. Psychiatry Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115972

McKeon, G. Curtis, J. Rostami, R. Sroba, M. Farello, A. Morell, R. Steel, Z. Harris, M. Silove, D. Parmenter, B. Matthews, E. Jamaluddin, J. & Rosenbaum, S. (2024). Co-designing a physical activity service for refugees and asylum seekers using an experience-based co-design framework. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health

McGrath, A. Lambe, B. Matthews, E. McDonnell, K. Harrison, M. & Kehoe, B. (2024). Determinants of physical activity promotion in primary care from the patient perspective of people at risk of or living with chronic disease: a COM-B analysis. BMC Primary Care. 25 (190). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-024-02440-2

Matthews, E., O’Brien, M., Hunt, P., Sheehan, P., Green, M., & Gooney, M. (2024) Dance Exercise Intervention South East (The DEISE project): Research Report: A Pilot and Evaluation of a Dance Intervention for Young Women following Cancer Treatment. South East Technological University

Ames, T. Matthews, E. Reynolds, A. Fitzhenry, L. Logan, A. Gooney, M. & Prior-Filipe, H. (2023). How patient/public involvement impacts the research journey – an overview of the visually impaired research field.  DOI:10.12688/openreseurope.16057.1. Open Research Europe.

Solmi et al... (2023). Validation of the collaborative outcomes study on health and functioning during infection times (COH-FIT) questionnaire for adults. Journal of Affective Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.12.022

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. Mulhare, B. Banville, E. Lederman, O. Kissane, S. Lowney, P. Ronan, F. & Denieffe, S (2022). A qualitative evaluation of a novel pilot exercise practitioner in outpatient child and adolescent mental health service in Ireland. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/ipm.2022.45

Matthews, E. Cowman, M., Brannigan, M., Rosenbaum, S., Sloan, D., Ward.P.B., & Denieffe, S. (2022). Implementing experience-based co-design to develop a physical activity programme in recovery focused mental health services. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation. 29 (4). https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2021.0101

Solmi et al...  (2022). The collaborative outcomes study on health and functioning during infection times in adults (COH-FIT-Adults): Design and methods of an international online survey targeting physical and mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders. 19. 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.048

Solmi et al... (2022). Physical and mental health impact of COVID-19 on children, adolescents, and their families: The Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times -Children and Adolescents (COH-FIT-C&A). Journal of Affective Disorders. 10.1016/j.jad.2021.09.090

Denieffe S, Cowman M, Mulhare B, Banville E, O’ Riordan C, Harrison M, Egan T, Ormonde G & Matthews E. (2021). Evaluation of The Exercise Effect: A pilot project integrating an exercise practitioner into outpatient mental health services in Ireland. Waterford Institute of Technology. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5971792 (Technical report)

McKeon, G. Mastrogiovanni, C. Chapman, J. Stanton, R. Matthews, E. Steel, Z. Wells, R. & Rosenbaum, S. (2021). The experiences of peer-facilitators delivering a physical activity intervention for emergency service workers and their families. Mental Health and Physical Activity. 21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2021.100414.

Matthews, E. Van Hout, MC. Scheibein, F. & Cowman, M. (2021). A qualitative study of physical activity and dietary practices of people accessing opioid substitution treatment in Ireland. Heroin addiction and related clinical harms. 23(5): 37-45.

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. & Denieffe, S. (2020). Exploring the experiences of physical activity among key stakeholders in rehabilitation and recovery mental health services. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2020.1789782

Rosenbaum, S. Morrell, R. Abdel-Baki, A. Ahmadpanah, M. Anilkumar, T.V. Baie, I. Bauman, A. … Matthews, E. … and Ward, P.B. (2020). Assessing physical activity in people with mental illness: 23-country reliability and validity of the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire (SIMPAQ). BMC Psychiatry. 20 (108). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-2473-0

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. Brannigan, M. Sloan, D. Ward, P.B. & Denieffe. S. (2018). Physical activity and the barriers to physical activity between active and inactive people with severe mental illness in Ireland. Mental Health and Physical Activity, 15, 139-144.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhpa.2018.10.003

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. & Denieffe. S. (2018). Calling for a change in Irish mental health care strategy for cohesive physical activity and sedentary behaviour inclusion. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. 1-3. DOI:10.1017/ipm.2018.38

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. & Denieffe. S. (2017). Using Experience-based Co-design for the development of physical activity provision in non-acute rehabilitation and recovery mental health care. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 24(7) DOI: 10.1111/jpm.12401

Manuscripts in preparation

Matthews, E. Fabian, H. Gooney, M. Rogers, D. & Firth, J. (UNDER REVIEW). An integrative overview of physical activity for people with opiate use disorder. 

Scheibein, et al. (UNDER REVIEW). A Systematic Review of Alternative Nicotine Delivery System (ANDS)-Based Interventions on Smoking-Related Health Outcomes Among Marginalised Population Groups. Preprint doi DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1048408/v1

Selected conference output

Ames, T. Matthews, E. Reynolds, A. Gooney, M. Kinsella, S. Sarfraz, S. Felipe, H. Golestaneh, D. Rani, S. Logan, A. McLoughlin, P. O’Reily, N. O’Donovan, O. Lynch, J. & Fitzhenry, L. (2024). Poster. Towards a Patient-Centred Approach: Building a Public and Patient Involvement Framework for Pre-Clinical Ocular Health Research. World Sight Day- Pan-Ireland Ophthalmology.

Keynote: Pursuing nobody left behind: advancing physical activity in mental health. PEYPAYS Conference. Munster Technological University, Kerry, Ireland (2024).

Reynolds, A. Ames, T. Matthews, E. Golestaneh, D. Sarfraz, M. Gooney, M. Kinsella, S. Logan, Lynch, J. McLoughlin, P. O’Donovan, O. O’Reilly, N. Rani, S. Prior Filipe, H. & Fitzhenry, L. (2024) Exploring Public Patient Involvement in vision research: building PPI ecosystems in dry eye disease research.  European Dry Eye Society Meeting. Madrid. 

Harney, M. Matthews, E. Gooney, M. & Hunt P. (2024). Exploring physical health in people with high-grade brain tumours. Poster. 8th All Ireland Postgraduate Postgraduate Conference in Sport Sciences, Physical Activity & Education. Atlantic Technological University. Galway.

Ames, T. Matthews, E. Reynolds, A. Gooney, M. Kinsella, S. Sarfraz, S. Felipe, H. Golestaneh, D. Rani, S. Logan, A. McLoughlin, P. O’Reily, N. O’Donovan, O. Lynch, J. & Fitzhenry, L. (2024). Understanding the Public and Patient Involvement gap in lab based vision research. The Association for Research in Vision & Opthamology. ARVO Annual Meeting. Seattle. USA.  Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2024, Vol.65, 5726

McGrath, A. Murphy, N. Matthews, E. Wagemakers, A. Tully, M. & Verkooijen, K. (2023) Measuring the mental health benefits of community-based physical activity programmes-what are the most important indicators for pragmatic evaluation? HEPA Europe, Leuven/ European Journal of Public Health, Vol 33.

Matthews, E. (2023). An intersectoral programme embedding exercise in mental health, creating pathways to support physical activity for recovery. Health Promotion Conference. National University of Ireland Galway. Galway.

Murphy, N. Wagemakers, A. Verkooijen, K. Mcgrath, A. & Matthews, E. (2022). Community-based physical activity promotion for mental health and wellbeing in ‘hard-to-reach' groups. HEPA Europe, Nice/ European Journal of Public Health, Vol 32.

KN Presentation: ‘Exercise right’ – advancing physical activity in our mental health services. Aclu event launch. Munster Technological University, Kerry, Ireland (2022)

Briggs, N. Murphy, N. O’Gorman, C. & Matthews, E. (2022). Poster presentation. Student connection and mental wellbeing post-pandemic: results of an action research project. Health Promotion Conference. National University of Ireland Galway. Galway.

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. Banville, E. Mulhare, B. Harrison, M. Kissane, S. Lowney, P. O’Riordan, C. Ronan, F. Denieffe, S. (2022). Oral presentation: (*Best oral presentation award). A qualitative evaluation of a novel pilot exercise practitioner (IEP) in outpatient child and adolescent mental health service in Ireland. RCSI University Hospital Waterford Annual Research Day. Waterford.

Key Note presentation: Exercise and mental health: bringing evidence to practice. RCSI University Hospital Waterford Annual Research Day. Waterford, Ireland (2021)

Scheibein, F. McGirr, K. Morrison, A. Wells, J. & Matthews, E. (2021). A systematic review of Alternative Nicotine Delivery System (ANDS)-based interventions on smoking-related health outcomes among marginalised population groups. RCSI University Hospital Waterford Annual Research Day. Waterford.

McKeon, G. Mastrogiovanni, C. Chapman, J. Stanton, R. Matthews, E. & Rosenbaum, S. (2021). Oral presentation: The experiences of peer-facilitators delivering a physical activity intervention for emergency service workers and their families. Society for Mental Health Researchers Conference. Australia.

Banville, E. Matthews, E. Cowman, M. Flynn, A. Harrison, M. Mulhare, B. Kissane, S. Lowney, P. O’Riordan, C. Ronan, F. & Denieffe, S. (2021). The Exercise Effect: A Slainte Care project to integrate an exercise practitioner into multidisciplinary mental health services. RCSI University Hospital Waterford Annual Research Day. Waterford.

Matthews, E. (2021). Exercise and mental health: bringing evidence to practice (Keynote address). RCSI University Hospital Waterford Annual Research Day. Waterford.

Schuch, F., Deenik, J. Matthews, E. Fibbins, H. & Ward, P. B. Implementing interventions to improve physical health in people with severe mental illness (Symposium). 19th World Congress in Psychiatry (World Psychiatric Association), Lisbon.

Matthews, E. Cowman, M. Brannigan, M. Sloan, D & Denieffe, S. (2018). Oral presentation (*Best oral presentation): The physical activity levels and the examination of barriers to physical activity between active and inactive people with severe mental illness in Ireland. RCSI University Hospital Waterford Research Meeting, Waterford.

Matthews, E. Using patient inclusion in physical activity programmes for people with severe mental illness: 2nd Annual Exercise Professionals in Mental Health Conference. Springfield University Hospital, NHS Trust, London.

Other outputs of note (media, blog, report)

Matthews E, Sommers J, Jones C, Briggs N, Kennedy T, & Skully S. (2022). Application for JIGSAW Mental Health Services in Waterford on behalf of CYPSC Waterford.

Matthews. E. & Flynn, A. An Integrated Exercise Practitioner in Wexford’s Mental Health Service: A changing landscape. (2021) IPARC Blog Post. https://i-parc.ie/?p=1934

Matthews, E. Special feature – Mental Health Week. Exercise is like a savings account for your mental health.       The Kilkenny People Newspaper