{jcomments off}A European Union (EU) commissioned report, titled "The State of Men’s Health In Europe", was launched in the European Parliament on Tuesday 14th June 2011.  This report brings together the official epidemiological data from across Europe and across all major disease areas, from cancer and heart disease to mental health.  The Report shows that every year twice as many men of working age (16-64 years) die as women, with some 630,000 male and 300,000 female deaths across the EU27 countries in this age group.  If current projections are correct, there will be a reduction of nearly 24 million working age men across the EU by 2060.  Noel Richardson - Chairperson of the Men's Health Forum in Ireland - was one of the authors of this report, which also shows that the statistics for men in Ireland are very alarming.  A summary of the report findings can be accessed online at: http://ec.europa.eu/health/publications/index_en.htm 

{jcomments off}The Men’s Development Network invite you to participate in their 15th Annual Men’s Development and Training Summer School.  This will take place from Friday 15th July  – Sunday 17th July 2011.  The venue this year is ‘Dromroe Village’, in the University of Limerick, and the event will focus upon the theme of "Men in Challenging Times".  For more details, Tel: 051 844260 or Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

{jcomments off}Despite the fact that males constitute almost half of the population of Ireland, the world of local men and boys is still, often, a mystery to most of us.  However, during Men’s Health Week 2011, the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI), supported by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS), is hoping to shine a light into what men are thinking about.  MHFI and ICS have launched an island-wide poster caption competition.  All men (aged 16 years and over) are encouraged to come-up with a caption for a special version of the Men’s Health Week 2011 poster.  This poster features the two main characters with ‘thought bubbles’ coming out of their heads.  Entrants are invited to submit suggestions as to what the men in the poster might be thinking about during these ‘challenging times’ - especially in relation to their own health and well-being.  And there’s a great prize on offer ...  The three winners will each receive a pair of tickets for the launch of the ‘Movember’ celebrations in the Autumn.  This includes travel to / overnight accommodation in Dublin.  The closing date for entries is 5.00pm on Friday 1st July 2011.  For more details visit: www.mhfi.org/mens-health-week-2011.html#Competition

{jcomments off}Hundreds of organisations from across the island of Ireland have organised events and activities to mark Men's Health Week 2011.  You can read about a small selection of these in an online PDF document collated by the Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI).  This can be accessed at: www.mhfi.org/mhw2011events.pdf   MHFI would like to hear what you are up to - so that details can be included in this paper.  Download and return the form at www.mhfi.org/mhw2011project.doc if you would like to publicise your event on the MHFI website.

{jcomments off}In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of, and concern about, the burden of ill health experienced by men.  Despite an overall pattern of increasing life expectancy, men in Northern Ireland die, on average, over four and a half years younger than women do.  An examination of standardised mortality rates, reveals that local men have higher death rates than women from all of the leading causes of death and at all ages.  The high level of premature mortality amongst men in Northern Ireland has far-reaching repercussions; affecting not only industry and commerce, but also impacting upon the social and financial positions of families - through the loss of what is still, in many households, the primary income earner.  Within this context, the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (as part of the Man Matters partnership) has researched and published a Policy Briefing Paper on Men’s Health (“Men’s Health in Northern Ireland: Tackling the Root Causes of Men’s [Ill] Health”, Policy Briefing Paper No 1).  This was launched on Monday 13th June 2011 to inform Men’s Health Week 2011.  Free PDF copies of this report are available online at: www.mhfi.org/manmattersbriefing1.pdf (966KB).

{jcomments off}The economic recession, with its accompanying rise in unemployment rates, is linked to extremely adverse effects for men’s mental health - according to new research from the Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH).  On Monday 13th June (the start of Men’s Health Week), the IPH launched a report titled “Facing the Challenge - The Impact of the Recession and Unemployment on Men’s Health in Ireland”.  This identifies a strong expectation of increased mental health problems for men given the very strong correlation between unemployment and male mental ill health.  The report is the result of a research and consultation process carried out in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland by Nexus Research Cooperative on behalf of IPH.  93% of frontline organisations in contact with unemployed men linked health challenges to unemployment and recession, and all organisations surveyed noted adverse health challenges for the men they work with.  In addition to health challenges being higher for unemployed men, they were also very high for men who saw themselves as being threatened with unemployment.  Copies of the report are available as a PDF file at: www.mhfi.org/IPHreport2011.pdf

{jcomments off}Did you know that: Men are more likely to die from coronary heart disease than women?  Deaths from colorectal cancers are higher in men than women?  Male life expectancy is around five years less than that for women? ...  These are just a few of the issues facing men in Northern Ireland, contained in the British Medical Association’s (BMA) new policy: “Improving Men’s Health in Northern Ireland”.   This was launched on Friday 10th June 2011 to coincide with Men’s Health Week 2011, and calls for: men to take greater ownership of their health, a cross-departmental holistic policy to improve men’s health in Northern Ireland, and development of healthcare services that promote better health outcomes for men.  The document can be downloaded at: www.bma.org.uk/ni/healthcare_policy/menshealthnorthernireland.jsp

{jcomments off}Carers' Week falls during the same period as Men's Health Week (13th - 19th June).  To kick-off this week, ARK will be launching a set of reports based on survey data which reflect the roles and experiences of carers in Northern Ireland.  “An Ordinary Life? Caring in Northern Ireland Today” (Research Update 75) uses data from the 2010 Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey.  “Young Carers Too” (Research Update 76) focuses on young carers, based on data from the 2010 Young Life and Times Survey.  “Men as Carers” (Men in Northern Ireland Report 7) uses data from a range of surveys and official statistics, and has been produced to support Men’s Health Week 2011.  These publications are available for free downloading as PDF files on the ARK website: www.ark.ac.uk/publications