John Higgins, from County Mayo, speaks poignantly about losing his son, David, to suicide, and how alcohol was a contributing factor to his death.  John calls upon people in Ireland to support the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, and reminds everyone that 'it's change that's needed, not sympathy'.  Hear John's personal experience ...

 

The Central Statistics Office recently published 'Women and Men in Ireland 2016' which presents over 70 indicators that identify important gender differences in the activities of men and women in the Republic of Ireland, as well as how these relate to the international situation.  Headline figures include: Irish women are more likely to have a third-level qualification than men; the vast majority of those who look after home/family are women (although the number of men looking after home/family nearly doubled in the 10 years up to 2016); more than three quarters of the TDs in Dáil Éireann are men; four out of every five people committed to prison in 2014 were men; men work longer hours than women in paid employment and have a higher rate of employment ...  To see a full overview of the findings, visit: www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-wamii/womenandmeninireland2016

‘Coping with the Pressures of Farming’ was launched at the National Ploughing Championships 2017 by Mental Health Ireland and Teagasc.  Staying well mentally is just as important as staying well physically.  Dealing with stress and strain, and the ups and downs of life, are part and parcel of daily living.  However, sometimes situations can lead to feelings of being unable to cope.  On such occasions, being able to reach out to someone to talk to and get advice from can make all the difference to sorting out the problem.  This publication has been researched and collated to address the many and varied issues that contribute to stress when not properly handled.  Part 1 addresses the essential requirement to manage farming effectively and efficiently.  Part 2 looks at mental health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on the more common mental health issues that can impact on day-to-day living.  To access a copy of this booklet, visit: www.mentalhealthireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Coping-with-the-pressures-of-farming-1.pdf

Contrary to public perception and many media accounts, women and men report similar levels of work / family conflicts - both in the form of work interfering with family and family interfering with work - according to research recently published by the American Psychological Association.  Researchers spent several years examining the findings from more than 350 studies, conducted over three decades, that included more than 250,000 participants from across the world.  The results were published online in the Journal of Applied Psychology.  To read more, visit: www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2017/07/work-family-conflicts.aspx

You are invited to a workshop hosted by the All-Island Obesity Action Forum supported by safefood.  This event, titled 'Schools Can, Schools Do - Healthy Eating and Physical Activity', will take place on Tuesday 14th November 2017, in the Gibson Hotel, Dublin, from 9.30am - 1.30pm.  The event will focus on the school as a setting for promoting a healthy weight in children, and will welcome a range of national and international expert speakers on childhood obesity.  For more details, see: www.safefood.eu/Professional/Events/All-island-Obesity-Action-Forum-Schools-can,-scho.aspx

The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is the most comprehensive worldwide observational epidemiological study to date.  It describes mortality and morbidity from major diseases, injuries and risk factors to health at global, national and regional levels.  Examining trends from 1990 to the present, and making comparisons across populations, enables understanding of the changing health challenges facing people across the world in the 21st century.  See the full story at: http://thelancet.com/gbd

The Patient and Client Council (PCC) was created on 1st April 2009 as an independent voice for patients, clients, carers and communities in Northern Ireland.  It has four statutory functions: (1) listen and act on people’s views; (2) encourage people to get involved; (3) help people to make a complaint; (4) promote advice and information.  Over the past seven years, the PCC has engaged with tens of thousands of people on a wide range of health and social care-related issues through surveys, face-to-face interviews, workshops and contact with the general public at events.  The PCC has also enabled service users to work in partnership with Health and Social Care to co-design and deliver meaningful service improvement in areas such as mental health and learning disability, chronic pain and rare diseases, as well as specific conditions such as fibromyalgia, ME, Stage IV endometriosis and recurrent miscarriage.  For more information, visit: www.patientclientcouncil.hscni.net

Are you living with a cancer diagnosis?  Would you or a family member benefit from someone to support you through your journey? ...  If so, Action Cancer can provide a free Peer Mentoring service - available to both the patient and their family - throughout Northern Ireland.  Trained volunteers, who have all come through their own personal cancer experience, offer a listening ear, support and guidance for your journey.  For further information, contact Jane Gilmore at Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  |  Tel: 02890 803356.