{jcomments off}No, this is not an advertisement for some seedy website on ‘hot hunks’!  Instead, it is a genuine request for images of ordinary men to adorn the Home Page of the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland’s (MHFI) website.  To keep this website fresh, MHFI is giving it a facelift.  One of the things that we’d like to have on this site is digital photographs of real local men and boys.  All the stock images used on websites these days tend to focus upon the ‘perfect man’ rather than the actual man.  However, this is not a competition.  Nor is there a big prize to be won.  We would like you to consider emailing your image(s) of males to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will try to include as many of these images as possible on the MHFI website’s Home Page over the coming year.  Your reward will be to see yourself / someone you know featured on a website which has a huge amount of visitors each year!!!  If you would like to have your digital photograph considered for inclusion, it needs to be colour, a minimum of 400 x 300 pixels resolution, copyright free, to have the person in it ‘doing something’ (not rude), and you need to have the permission of the person in the photograph to use it on the website.

{jcomments off}Are you hiding a medical or physical condition underneath your clothes which is ruining your life?  Are you afraid of revealing it to your family or friends?  Have you been left with burns, scarring, or a disfigurement following an accident or surgery?  Is a severe skin condition, birthmark or excessive body hair affecting your confidence?  Maybe you are a man with ‘male breasts’?  Maverick Television - a producer in the field of medical and health programming - is making a new series of ‘My Naked Secret’.  They are looking for men (or women) who have a medical condition or physical concern that is affecting their confidence, and which they feel they want to keep hidden from family or friends.  If you'd like to be considered for consultation, advice and possible treatment from some of the UK’s leading specialists, then contact the producers at Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Tel: 0207 874 6692.

{jcomments off}The purpose of this one day seminar is to update professionals in Northern Ireland on recent developments in evidence based physical activity promotion, and to disseminate the recently published Chief Medical Officer’s Guidelines on Physical Activity for Older Adults.  The event will be jointly hosted by the Public Health Agency and the British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity and Health (BHFNC), and aims to provide participants with the opportunity to: understand the evidence supporting the CMO Guidelines for physical activity and older adults; develop their understanding of the CMO Guidelines for older adults and how they apply to the people they work with; examine implications for future practice in Northern Ireland; learn about BHFNC and other resources available to support this work.  This event will be of relevance to professionals who work with older people, including those in primary care, commissioning, physical activity / active ageing promotion, adult and social care services, sheltered supported living and housing associations, local council leisure departments, age related voluntary sector and community organisations.  It will take place on Wednesday 28th March 2012, from 9.30am - 3.30pm, in Mossley Mill, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.  For a booking form, contact Suzanne McAuley at Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

{jcomments off}Thursday 1st December 2011 saw the launch of a report titled: “Providing Meaningful Care - Using the Experiences of Young Suicidal Men to Inform Mental Health Care Services”.  This research was undertaken in the Belfast and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust areas by a research team from Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster.  The aim of this study was to obtain a comprehensive understanding of suicidal behaviour amongst men aged 16-34 years, in order to underpin the provision of accessible, acceptable and appropriate mental health services.  The report is now available online at: www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/ProvidingMeaningfulCareSHORT_REPORT.pdf

{jcomments off}It is well known that mental health problems are related to deprivation, poverty, inequality and other social and economic determinants of health.  Economic crises are, therefore, times of high risk to the mental well-being of the population - both to the people affected and to their families.  The economic crisis that started in 2007 has continued to pose major challenges throughout Europe.  It has led to significant declines in economic activity, a rise in unemployment, depressed housing markets, and an increasing number of people living in poverty.  The rise in national debt is forcing governments to implement severe cuts in public spending.  Significant risks remain in the world economy, and many countries are facing an era of austerity in health and welfare services.  This report from the World Health Organisation (WHO) aims to present current knowledge on how economic downturns affect population mental health, and outlines some of the benefits of action that could be implemented to reduce the harmful effects of the current economic crisis.  It is available for free downloading at: www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/134999/e94837.pdf

{jcomments off}“Adult Drinking Patterns in Northern Ireland 2011” details the results of a survey which was commissioned by the DHSSPS and conducted by the Central Survey Unit of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.  The report provides an up-to-date picture of adult drinking in Northern Ireland, and includes information on the amount people drink, as well as when, where, what, and who they drink with.  It also examines how drinking behaviours vary across different sections of the public, the proportion of people who binge drink, problem drinking, and perceptions of drinking.  The report is available for free downloading at: www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/adult_drinking_patterns_in_northern_ireland_2011.pdf

{jcomments off}Fathers’ engagement with health services poses a specific challenge to health care professionals.  Evidence suggests that when fathers are engaged and involved with their families, the health outcomes for their children are improved - as are those of the men and mothers as well.  However, researchers in the area of men’s health and fatherhood conclude that gender disparities exist in relation to engaging fathers in health services.  Current methods utilised by health care professionals tend to adopt a more ‘mother-centric’ approach to intervention.  This may hinder fathers’ engagement because it can imply that men are not necessary or, indeed, welcomed at health services.  “Engaging Dads in Health Services” is a report from Australia which looks at some of these key issues.  It is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) from the University of Western Sydney by clcking here.

{jcomments off}ARK and Man Matters invite you to a seminar on ‘Facing the Challenge: The Impact of the Recession and Unemployment on Men's Health in Ireland’.  At this event, Owen Metcalfe (Director of the Institute of Public Health in Ireland) will highlight some of the findings from recent research commissioned by his organisation.  This study explored the adverse effects of the economic recession - and the accompanying rise in unemployment - on men’s mental health.  The seminar will take place on Tuesday 14th February 2012, from Noon - 1.00pm, in NICVA, 61 Duncairn Gardens, Belfast BT15 2GB.  It will be followed by lunch.  The seminar is free, but participants need to book a place in advance by Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  or Tel: 028 71675513.