Dónal O'Mathúna
B.Sc.(Pharm), MA, PhD
Professor
Biography
Professor Dónal P. O’Mathúna has research interests in both health care ethics and evidence-based practice (EBP). His ethics research focuses on disasters, pandemics and humanitarian crises, in particular examining ethical issues in One Health research. One Health is an increasingly important approach to global health at the intersection of human, animal and environmental factors that raise challenging ethical issues. He leads a number of funded research and training grants on One Health ethics and disaster bioethics and has contributed to ethics initiatives with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and other international agencies. He is a member of WHO’s Research Ethics Review Committee.
Dr. O’Mathúna’s funded research seeks to develop practical tools and support strategies that facilitate reflection on ethical issues in humanitarian research (see below). He has spoken and published widely in bioethics, including co-editing a number of books on disaster bioethics and research ethics. His bioethics research has focused on ethical issues of emerging technologies, which includes an active interest in the ethics of generative AI. His work in EBP primarily involves conducting Cochrane systematic reviews and scoping reviews of emerging ethical issues.
- O’Mathúna D, Smith J, Zadvinskis I, Monturo C, Kelley MM, Tucker S, Miller PS, Norful AA, Zellefrow C, Chipps E. Ethics and frontline nursing during COVID-19: a qualitative analysis. Nursing Ethics. Epub 27 March 2023. https://doi.org/10.1177/09697330221143150
- Norful A, Tucker S, Miller PS, Roberts H, Kelley MM, Monturo C, O’Mathúna D, Smith J, Zadvinskis I, Zellefrow C, Chipps E. Nursing perspectives about the critical gaps in public health emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic: recommendations for future preparedness. Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 2023;55(1):22-28. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12795
- O’Mathúna D, Upadhaya N. Should children be enrolled in clinical research in conflict zones? AMA Journal of Ethics. 2022;24(6):e463-e471. https://doi.org/10.1001/amajethics.2022.463
- O’Mathúna DP. Ivermectin and the integrity of healthcare evidence during COVID-19. Frontiers in Public Health. 2022;10:788972. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.788972
- Cleary-Holdforth J, O’Mathúna D, Fineout-Overholt E. Evidence‐based practice beliefs, implementation, and organizational culture and readiness for EBP among nurses, midwives, educators, and students in the Republic of Ireland. Worldviews on Evidence-based Nursing. 2021;18(6):379-388. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12543
- Kelley MM, Zadvinskis I, Miller PS, Monturo C, Norful AA, O’Mathúna D, Roberts H, Smith J, Tucker S, Zellefrow C, Chipps E. United States nurses' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A grounded theory. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2021 Sep 15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16032. Online ahead of print.
- Borges do Nascimento IJB, O'Mathúna DP, von Groote TC, Abdulazeem HM, Weerasekara I, Marusic A, Puljak L, Civile VT, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Pericic TP, Atallah AN, Filoso S, Bragazzi NL, Marcolino MS. Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: an overview of systematic reviews. BMC Infectious Diseases. 2021;21:525. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-021-06214-4
- Yimer G, Gebreyes W, Havelaar A, Yousuf J, McKune S, Mohammad A, O’Mathúna D. Community engagement and building trust to resolve ethical challenges during humanitarian crises: experience from the CAGED Study. Conflict and Health. 2020;14:68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13031-020-00313-w
- Borges do Nascimento IJB, von Groote TC, O'Mathúna DP, Abdulazeem HM, Henderson C, Jayarajah U, Weerasekara I, Pericic TP, Klapproth HEG, Puljak L, Cacic N, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Guimarães SMM, Atallah AN, Bragazzi NL, Marcolino MS, Marusic A, Jeroncic A. Clinical, laboratory and radiological characteristics and outcomes of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection in humans: a systematic review and series of meta-analyses. PLoS ONE. 2020;15(9): e0239235. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239235
- Romney D, Fox H, Carlson S, Bachmann D, O’Mathúna D, Kman N. Allocation of scarce resources in a pandemic: a systematic review of U.S. State Crisis Standards of Care documents. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2020;14(5):677-683. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2020.101
- Borges do Nascimento IJB, Cacic N, Abdulazeem HM, von Groote TC, Jayarajah U, Weerasekara I, Esfahani MA, Civile VT, Marusic A, Jeroncic A, Junior NC, Pericic TP, Zakarija-Grkovic I, Guimarães SMM, Bragazzi NL, Bjorklund M, Sofi-Mahmudi A, Altujjar M, Tian M, Arcani DMC, O'Mathúna DP, Marcolino MS. Novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) in humans: a scoping review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020;9(4): 941. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9040941
- O’Mathúna DP, Escartín CP, Roche P, Marlowe J. Engaging citizen translators in disasters: virtue ethics in response to ethical challenges. Translation and Interpreting Studies. 2020;15(1):57-79. http://doi.org/10.1075/tis.20003.oma
- O’Mathúna DP, Hunt M. Ethics and crisis translation: insights from the work of Paul Ricoeur. Disaster Prevention and Management. 2020;29(2):175-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-01-2019-0006
- Dawson A, Lignou S, Siriwardhana C, O’Mathúna DP. Why research ethics should add retrospective review. BMC Medical Ethics. 2019;20(68):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-019-0399-1
- Mitrović VL, O’Mathúna DP, Nola IA. Ethics and floods: a systematic review. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13(4):817-828. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2018.154. Open access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30626460
- O’Mathúna DP. La enseñanza de la ética a través de canciones populares: afecto y pensamiento. International Journal on Subjectivity, Politics and the Arts. 2018;14(1):61-75. Open access: http://www.aesthethika.org/La-ensenanza-de-la-etica-a-traves-de-canciones-populares-Afecto-y-pensamiento. Translation of O’Mathúna DP. Teaching ethics using popular songs: feeling and thinking. Monash Bioethics Review. 2008;27(1-2):42-55. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03351295
- Mezinska S, Kakuk P, Mijaljica G, Waligóra M, O’Mathúna D. Research in disaster settings: a systematic qualitative review of ethical guidelines. BMC Medical Ethics. 2016;17(1):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-016-0148-7
- O’Mathúna D. Ideal and nonideal moral theory for disaster bioethics. Human Affairs. 2016;26(1):8-17. https://doi.org/10.1515/humaff-2016-0002
- Matthews A, Haas DM, O’Mathúna DP, Dowswell T. Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2015;9. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd007575.pub4
- O’Mathúna DP. Research ethics in the context of humanitarian emergencies. Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. 2015;8(1):31-35. https://doi.org/10.1111/jebm.12136
- Hunt M, Schwartz L, Pringle J, Boulanger R, Nouvet E, O'Mathúna E, & participants of the Humanitarian Healthcare Ethics Forum. A research agenda for humanitarian health ethics. PLOS Currents Disasters. 2014;1. https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.dis.8b3c24217d80f3975618fc9d9228a144
- O’Mathúna DP. Christian bioethics and the Bible. Christian Bioethics. 2014;20(2):246-259. https://doi.org/10.1093/cb/cbu017
- Greaney A-M, O’Mathúna DP, Scott PA. Autonomy and choice in healthcare: self-testing devices as a case in point. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy. 2012;15(4):383-395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-011-9356-6
- O’Mathúna D, Iphofen R, eds. Ethics, Integrity and Policymaking: The Value of the Case Study. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature; 2022. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-15746-2. Open access.
- O’Mathúna D, Just B, Jeremiah W, Eppinette M, eds. Bioethics in Real Life: Lessons We're Learning from COVID-19. Deerfield, IL: The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity; 2022. ISBN 978-1735765303
- Iphofen R, O’Mathúna D, eds. Ethical Evidence and Policymaking: Interdisciplinary and International Research. Bristol, UK: Policy Press; 2022. https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/ethical-evidence-and-policymaking. Open access.
- Iphofen R, O’Mathúna D, eds. Ethical Issues in Covert, Security and Surveillance Research. Bingley, UK: Emerald; 2021. doi: 10.1108/S2398-6018202108. https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/doi/10.1108/S2398-6018202108. Open access
- O’Mathúna DP, de Miguel Beriain I, eds. Ethics and Law for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear & Explosive Crises. Dordrecht: Springer Nature; 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11977-5
- O’Mathúna DP, Dranseika V, Gordijn B, eds. Disasters: Core Concepts and Ethical Theories. Dordrecht: Springer; 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92722-0. Open access
- O’Mathúna DP, Gordijn B, Clarke M, eds. Disaster Bioethics: Normative Issues When Nothing is Normal. Dordrecht: Springer; 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3864-5
- O’Mathúna DP. Nanoethics: Big Ethical Issues with Small Technology. London: Continuum Press; 2009. ISBN 978-1847063953
- O’Mathúna D, Larimore L. Alternative Medicine: The Christian Handbook. Updated and Expanded Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2007. ISBN 978-0310269991. Translations: Alternatív medicina. Budapest, Hungary: Harmat Kiadó; 2009. Alternativna Medicina
- Iphofen R, O’Mathúna D. Introduction: ethical issues in covert, security and surveillance research. In: Iphofen R, O’Mathúna D, eds. Ethical Issues in Covert, Security and Surveillance Research. Bingley, UK: Emerald; 2021:1-8. https://doi.org/10.1108/S239
- Iphofen R, Kolstoe SE, Macnish K, Spicker P, O’Mathúna D. Guidance notes for reviewers and policymakers on covert, deceptive and surveillance research. In: Iphofen R, O’Mathúna D, eds. Ethical Issues in Covert, Security and Surveillance Research. Bingley,
- O’Mathúna DP. Ethics and integrity for research in disasters and crises. In: Iphofen R, ed. Handbook of Research Ethics and Scientific Integrity. Cham: Springer; 2019:1-18. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76040-7_33-1
- O’Mathúna DP. Health care workers’ obligations in CBRNE crises. In: O’Mathúna DP, de Miguel Beriain I, eds. Ethics and Law for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear & Explosive Crises. Cham: Springer Nature; 2019:185-197. https://doi.org/10.1007/978
- O’Mathúna DP, de Miguel Beriain I. Introduction to ethical and legal issues in CBRNE crises. In: O’Mathúna DP & de Miguel Beriain I, eds. Ethics and Law for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear & Explosive Crises. Cham: Springer Nature; 2019:7-13.
- O’Mathúna DP. Christian theology and disasters: where is God in all this? In: O’Mathúna DP, Dranseika V, Gordijn B, eds. Disasters: Core Concepts and Ethical Theories. Cham: Springer; 2018:27-42. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92722-0_3. Open access
- O’Mathúna DP, Gordijn B. Conceptualizing and assessing disasters: an introduction. In: Disasters: Core Concepts and Ethical Theories. In: O’Mathúna DP, Dranseika V, Gordijn B, eds. Disasters: Core Concepts and Ethical Theories. Cham: Springer; 2018:1-9. h
- O’Mathúna DP. Ethical considerations for evidence implementation and evidence generation. In: Melnyk BM, Fineout-Overholt E, eds. Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice, 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer; 2019:681-699
- O’Mathúna DP, Fineout-Overholt E. Critically appraising quantitative evidence for clinical decision making. In: Melnyk BM, Fineout-Overholt E, eds. Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Healthcare: A Guide to Best Practice, 4th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kl
- O’Mathúna DP. Humanitarian ethics: from dignity and solidarity to response and research. In: Lysaught MT, McCarthy M, eds. Catholic Bioethics & Social Justice: The Praxis of US Health Care in a Globalized World. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press; 2018:34
- O’Mathúna DP. The dual imperative in disaster research ethics. In: Iphofen R, Tolich M, eds. SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics. London: SAGE; 2018:441-454.
- 2022-2027 R25 Masters in One Health and Emergency Research Ethics (MOHERE). NIH Fogarty International Center. Principal Investigator (PI).
- 2020-2023 One Health Ethics And Regulatory Procedures (OHEARP). NIH Bioethics Supplement, Fogarty International Center. PI.
- 2021-2022 Narrative Nursing Intervention: Effects on Moral Injury, Resilience, and Well-Being among Ohio Registered Nurses Practicing during COVID-19. Ohio Nurses Foundation. Co-PI.
- 2021-2022 An Exploration of Frontline Nurse Managers Experience during the 2020 COVID Pandemic. Association for Leadership Science in Nursing. Co-I.
- 2020-2021 Developing an Online Ethics Toolkit for Humanitarian Research. OSU College of Nursing Seed Funding. PI.
- 2019-2020 Advancing Health Research in Humanitarian Crises. Case Studies Project. Funder: NIH Fogarty International Center. Co-PI.
- 2018-2021: PROmoting integrity in the use of RESearch results (PRO-RES). Funder: European Commission, Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework Programme. Co-I.
- 2016-2018: Post-research ethics analysis (PREA): A tool for sharing lessons-learnt from health research in humanitarian crises. Funder: Research for Health in Humanitarian Crises (R2HC).PI.
- 2012-2016: COST Action IS1201: Disaster Bioethics – addressing ethical issues triggered by disasters. Funder: European Cooperation in Science & Technology, Brussels. Chair/PI.