Global Action on Men's Health (GAMH) will be hosting a series of webinars over the next 18-24 months.  The first, on Monday 6th June 2022, will focus on men's mental health.  Men’s mental health and wellbeing continues to be overlooked in policy and practice, despite increasing evidence of men’s distress and its consequences - such as alcohol and drug misuse, gambling and other addictions, body image disorders, aggressive and violent behaviours, as well as suicide.  Book a place at: https://tinyurl.com/ynxhp8ux

More than eight out of ten Irish farmers who participated in the Farmers Have Hearts Cardiovascular Health Programme made lifestyle changes to improve their heart health and reduced their risk of having cardiovascular disease, a major study has shown.  The programme engaged with more than 868 male drystock and dairy farmers in the South, Southeast and Midlands over a one-year period.  This involved completing a health check at the start and end of this period, and engaging in health-promoting behaviours such as improving diet or getting more physical activity.  Find out more at: https://tinyurl.com/4j9ujwvs

In this new Research Update, Siobhan O'Neill (Northern Ireland's Mental Health Champion), Margaret McLafferty (Research Fellow, Ulster University) and Paula Devine (Director of the Northern Ireland Life and Times [NILT] survey) explore public attitudes to mental health and suicide in Northern Ireland.  This paper is based on data from the 2021 NILT survey, and was published to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week 2022.  Download a copy at: https://www.ark.ac.uk/ARK/sites/default/files/2022-05/update145.pdf

In April, the Department of Health in Northern Ireland published the Health Inequalities Annual Report 2022.  This publication presents a comprehensive analysis of regional health inequality gaps between the most and least deprived areas of Northern Ireland, and sub-regional gaps within Health and Social Care Trust and Local Government District areas across a range of health indicators.  Download a copy of the report at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/health-inequalities-annual-report-2022

It is well established that HGV drivers are exposed to a number of health-related risk factors, such as shift work and long periods of sedentary behaviour (sitting), which contribute towards chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.  New research, led by Loughborough University, investigated whether HGV drivers’ health behaviours could be improved using a specially designed ‘Structured Health Intervention For Truckers’ (SHIFT) programme.  The findings indicate that such a targeted health programme - including health education sessions, Fitbits, and lorry cabin workouts - can improve the activity levels of long-distance HGV drivers in the short-term.  Find out more at: https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-022-02372-7

The 2021 Northern Ireland Life and Times (NILT) survey recorded the attitudes of people living across Northern Ireland to key social issues, including mental health, COVID, criminal justice system and good relations.  Results from all questions, as well as the questionnaire, dataset and technical reports are available from: https://www.ark.ac.uk/nilt

If you work outdoors, you are exposed to 2-3 times more UV radiation from the sun than people who work indoors - putting you at a higher risk of skin cancer.  If you spend all or part of the day regularly working outdoors you can reduce your risk of skin cancer and eye damage by protecting your skin and eyes from the sun.  Unprotected exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause skin damage.  While sunburn is the most damaging, long term exposure (like working outdoors most days - even without burning) - also significantly increases the risk of skin cancer.  Find out more at: https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/cancer/prevention/skin-cancer-prevention-sunsmart.html

This journal article seeks to critically synthesise the literature that describes men's help-seeking and engagement with General Practice.  Thematic analysis revealed four themes related to structural barriers, internal barriers, men's understanding of the role of General Practice, and self-care / help-seeking.  The findings indicate that men: find General Practice unwelcoming and unaccommodating; can experience psychological barriers that impact engagement and help-seeking; and predominantly view General Practice as a source of acute health care - rather than a source of preventive health care and advice.  See the article at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jan.15240