Training for the Wider Workforce

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 13:25:00 +0000

Can a Dutch model of care at home be adapted to the UK?

In 2006 four nurses in the small Netherlands town of Almelo realised that years of ‘reform’ had undermined their relationships with patients. The very vocational commitment that had brought them into the profession in the first place was compromised. The four nurses decided enough was enough and Jos de Blok and his three colleagues had a better idea, to set up their own social enterprise, Buurtzorg, to look after older people in their homes, in the way their ethics and craft demanded.

Nine years later they have more than 9,000 colleagues and Buurtzorg, looks after more than half of the Dutch people needing care at home and as been named the country’s best employer year on year, and is not only a magnet for any Dutch nurse that wants to do a better job but also a role model for the rest of the sector.

Yet Buurtzorg has also cut costs to such an extent that an independent evaluation said if every other Dutch provider worked the same way millions more euros would be saved.

That’s because — and here’s the revolutionary bit — all this has been accomplished through nurses managing themselves in 800 small neighbourhood teams that engage more effectively with other local services, voluntary carers and patients themselves.

And we mean ‘’managing themselves”. Buurtzorg has many leaders but no managers. The self-organised teams are supported instead by peripatetic coaches and an IT system designed around care-giving and collaboration.

Otherwise, the whole national operation is run from a small back office that looks after billing and co-ordinates information and learning across the teams — 40 HQ staff for 9,000 in the field.

In 2015 more and more health and social care commissioners and providers in England are talking about how the Buurtzorg model can be adapted to the UK context, because co-ordinated compassionate care demands it.

The two professions that can best support the growing number of people needing support to enable them to live independent, safe and meaningful lives at home are community nurses and home care workers. However both these professions face a growing crisis.

Many nurses, in England and elsewhere, have responded to the same pressures by giving up and leaving the profession, turnover is at an all time high and the number of district nurses has almost halved, from 12,620 in 2003 to 6,656 in 2013, a 47% drop in a decade. Meanwhile home care work is underpaid and undervalued with staff turnover at over 30% per annum and huge recruitment difficulties.

A revolution in England is underway, but it faces formidable obstacles. The Dutch health insurance system enables social enterprises to introduce innovative approaches more easily than our system does, and although the self-management model certainly can produce savings it does involve upfront investment and transition costs.

But the groundswell for radical change is growing among health and social care professionals in England, and the NHS England Five Year Forward View has earmarked several ‘vanguard’ initiatives to plot the way ahead.

In addition, community nursing leaders in Guys and St Thomas’s NHS FT are collaborating with their local authorities and communities in co-producing new neighbourhood services, including scoping the possibility of a Buurtzorg-type experiment.

Jos de Blok founder of Buurtzorg will be leading a workshop there, in support of an initiative by our social enterprise consultancy, Public World, to take inspiration from his experience and support the care revolution here.

Jos is also speaking at an event in London July 16th organised by Public World Consulting, the Royal college of Nursing and the UK Homecare Association for leaders in health and social care. There may be a few tickets left.

Some people have said to us, “it’s a great idea, but it won’t work in England.” If those four nurses in Almelo had taken that attitude tens of thousands of Dutch lives would not have been transformed as they have been. If they can do it, so can we!

James Archer and Tamsin Fulton - Public World Consulting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 13:55:00 +0000

Greater Manchester – the Temperature’s Rising!

Heather Davison, Education and Development Director at the Royal Society for Public Health, takes a trip to Greater Manchester and leaves feeling inspired about the great work they are doing in the community to improve the public's health and wellbeing.

I left London to travel to the North West region last week, where it was a few degrees colder with even a flurry of snow, but the hot topic at all my meetings was "Devo Manc". The run up to the full handing over of the health and care budget is truly on its way with 2016 just around the corner. Everyone I met from the wonderful Kate Ardern, Director of Public Health at Wigan Council, and Vicky Bannister Director at Wigan and Leigh Homes to Ed Moss Development Director at Young Advisers, are so full of positive energy and the art of the possible, that you cannot help but feel the future direction of the public’s health and wellbeing is in good hands.

My visit to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) also gained my vote of confidence. I had the privilege of meeting Andy Boswell, Adrian Peake and Ian Plummer from the Community Risk Intervention Team. The team has been created as part of a collaborative pilot between GMFRS, North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Police to help drive further reductions in risk to the most vulnerable communities across Greater Manchester through a wider approach to prevention activities. The project has the potential to save the public purse £3.2milliion per year as a consequence of increased independence and reduction of demand. In addition to substantive economic saving there is the social value aspect that this type of integrated working brings. The team members I met were so enthusiastic and committed to their roles which take them into the heart of the community. And it's crystal clear their skills and ongoing training and the backing of the joined up services ‘trusted brand status’ can play an important part in the further integration of health and social care provision across Greater Manchester.

It was cold but sunny with blue skies when I left the GMFRS headquarters in Salford for my final meeting before heading South. The weather was energizing as only sunshine on a cold day can be. It matched for me the feel of the place and the tremendous energy and enthusiasm everyone I had met during my stay has for their organizations, communities and for Greater Manchester itself - it's your time and we are proud to be part of your future.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 08:21:00 +0000

West Midlands Fire Service; the wider public health workforce

Kiran Kenth, Wider Public Health Workforce Development Manager, Royal Society for Public Health & Public Health England;

Could the West Midlands Fire Service be the next major public health workforce?, I definitely think so! They are on a mission to improve lives to save lives through; Prevention, Protection and Response.

I was asked to represent RSPH at the West Midlands Fire Service Health Inequalities Conference on 18^th November and what an inspirational and motivating experience this was. I was honoured to be in the company of Professor Sir Michael Marmot, the Chief Fire Officer for West Midlands Fire Service, Phil Loach and Director of Service Delivery, Gary Taylor. I was truly inspired by the high level of organisational leadership, commitment and positive energy to engage with improving the public’s health and wellbeing agenda and the shear dedication to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities through the organisational adoption of the Marmot 6 objectives.

The West Midlands Fire Service is a large, relatively untapped public health resource with potential the to impact on virtually every important issue affecting health and wellbeing. They have a key role in terms of “prevention” and risk reduction strategy, targeted at vulnerable communities shown to be at highest risk of deprivation and ill health.

What I learned yesterday was invaluable. The devotion and diligence of the West Midlands Fire Service as much as their commitment and persistence in tackling “the root causes of the causes” was truly inspiring. The Chief Fire Officer, Phil Loach launched the West Midlands Fire Service Report; “Marmot; The way forward” and spoke about the vision and the strategic priorities of the West Midlands Fire Service and how this is now centred on prevention and wellbeing.

WMFS have developed a major prevention and health improvement programme; “making health everybody’s business” and yet still remain fully committed to providing the highest standard of emergency incident cover, including the delivery of a risk based 5 minute attendance to incidents where life and property are at risk. Their mantra is “Prevention, Protection, Response” where prevention and protection remain their highest priority with emergency response being the first line of defence.

Phil Loach described his workforce as “a high performing, flexible workforce, able to cope with innovation and change and who are encouraged to be the very best they can be and do whatever it takes in pursuit of excellence”.

I am sure that many people still have the traditional view of a fire service as the red fire brigade and putting out fires. But I can honestly say, this is simply not the case anymore. I was completely taken away by the wide range of programmes that have been designed by WMFS to tackle issues such as:

· Dysfunctional neighbours

· Anti social behaviour

· Disability

· Preventable ill health and early death

· Empowering people to improve wellbeing in communities that traditionally suffer poor health outcomes

· Engaging directly with households and neighbourhoods

· Helping people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds to achieve sustainable behaviour change

· Healthy neighbourhoods and improvements in community resilience

· Improving life chances and equality of opportunity

There are 1322 FTE fire fighters across the West Midlands; 58 technical support officers ; 61 fire safety officers and 38 fire stations in the region. This is equivalent to at least a million contacts with the public, across the west midlands. That is a significant number of opportunities to make an impact on public health and harness the untapped resource across a wider workforce.

The new West Midlands Fire Service delivery model that they describe as a “modern day fire and rescue service”, brings 21^st century vision and a depth of understanding to health improvement and self-recognition of the contribution the fire service have to play in this agenda. As I discovered, when I met with Gary Taylor, 10% of a fire fighters time is spent attending an emergency call out to a fire. The rest of the time is committed to protection and prevention and by adopting the prevention methodology, West Midlands Fire Service have seen a 40% reduction in fires across the midlands region. A very proud achievement.

Hearing some fire fighters talk about their own experiences and sharing case studies really enlightened me with regards to the capability, capacity and reach such a workforce has and the contributon they make to improving health and saving lives. The access and level of engagement Fire Officers have to vulnerable people is far greater and meaningful than what a health care professional or even a social worker might have. They engage and find the most vulnerable people with their proactive outreach approach and have proactively demonstrated how they can improve the lives of people living with dementia, older people with physical impairments, troubled young people with youth offending history; re housed people living in poor housing conditions and turning around the lives of young people with low aspirations.

Given the opportunity to hear the impact made by fire fighters and vulnerable people officers, it was no surprise to hear the wide ranging day to day responsibilities of the workforce, engaging those communities at highest risk. Such examples include:

Proactive Engagement and outreach with the most vulnerable; homeless , NEETs, mental health, troubled families, older people, domestic violence
Educational programmes working with children in schools an childrens centres
Aurora Boot camps for young people looking for chances of employment, mentoring schemes designed to support young people in experiencing significant life difficulties
Young Fire Fighters Association
Alcohol & Drug awareness community sessions
Safe Haven residential schemes – outdoor activities
Interactive schemes alerting young people to the dangers of gun and knife crime
Using Vulnerable People Officers to work directly with groups such as the frail elderly
Supporting 1:1 home safety checks
Home visits by fire fighters trained in MECC and social determinants Most of the fire fighters are using ‘making every contact count’ to have tailored conversations about improving health and wellbeing and supporting individuals to make lifestyle behaviour changes. For example, using the home safety visit to have a conversation about issues such as stopping smoking, being more active, winter warmth,fuel poverty etc
Links and partnership working with other agencies supporting mutli agency case management to the most vulnerable and at risk communities
Keyr role in child and adult safeguarding.

Many people think the NHS, public health and social care system is unsustainable without radical transformation. The ageing population, increase in lifestyle-related poor health and financial forecasts mean it has never been more urgent to shift our focus to prevention. We need to take every opportunity to create the environment, information and support to help people and communities change their behaviour and to enjoy better health and wellbeing. The West Midlands Fire Service have clearly demonstrated how they can contribute in a big way to this system-wide transformation.

They are a workforce out in the public domain being active and vigilant and improving the conditions by which people live and face on a day to day basis. By engaging at the level they do (doing what intakes i.e climbing thorough windows to get to isolated people and not giving up on them) they are not only providing the education and support to enable the public to make healthy informed choices but improving the quality of people’s lives.

So what needs to happen to make the most of the fire service’ potential to enhance public health delivery:

· It is time to review the future role and funding allocation of the fire service and its highly regarded operational staff.

· We need to promote the Fire Service as a wider public health workforce and disseminate the good practice and innovation in prevention and contribution they make to the public’s health and wellbeing. Public health commissioners need to consider whether the Fire service should be part of commissioning plans for the future

· There is a need for more research to be publish on the evidence base of the potential impact of the fire service on public health.

West Midlands Fire Service is an exemplary model of a wider workforce. I commend them on their effort, successes and achievements to date. They are a workforce which needs to be recognised, acknowledge and celebrated by the public health system and I know that RSPH are privileged to have Chief Fire Officer on the Board.

Exciting times ahead and RSPH look forward to building the relationship with West Midlands Fire Service.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 09:10:00 +0000

Making Mental Health “Visible”

By Gina Mohajer

This week, a gentleman on the radio said, “if you break your leg, you can’t walk. If you have a mental health problem, you can’t see it”. I thought this aptly summarised the problems we have with mental health in society and why, more than ever, we need to raise awareness and bring mental health to the forefront of government health policy.

Today, Friday 10^th October, is Mental Health Day and the theme is “Living with Schizophrenia”. It is estimated that around 26 million people worldwide suffer from schizophrenia. However, despite this being a treatable disorder, a staggering 50 percent of sufferers are not receiving the treatment they need, 90 percent of whom live in the developed world. Considering the huge advances in medicine and technology, the amount of money invested in the healthcare system, and our understanding of the detriments of poor mental health – this statistic is shocking and highlights that a great deal more needs to be done.

Today’s awareness raising is to ensure that those living with schizophrenia are no longer stigmatised or marginalised from society – which can augment their condition – but instead get the best possible care, as early as possible, and receive the support they need to manage their illness and help them on their journey to recovery. For more information about schizophrenia and to download the “Living with Schizophrenia” report click here.

Today is also a great opportunity to highlight the importance of mental health and wellbeing more generally and to ensure that although it may not be as “visible” as a physical condition, it is equally important and needs to be treated as thus. We all have a responsibility as individuals to listen and take care of our body and mind, as employers to create a workplace that is fair and where clear policies exists to prioritise staff wellbeing, as practitioners to ensure that patients receive the correct care and treatment and that the government continues to promote mental wellbeing through national guidelines.

One in four adults in Britain will experience a diagnosable mental health problem in any one year; this is a vast number of people and none of us our immune. However, it is essential that we understand that we can through education, self awareness and empowerment make a fundamental difference to improving and protecting not only our own mental health and wellbeing but also of those around us. Through concerted efforts, we have the ability to bring about real positive changes – a belief at the core of the Royal Society for Public Health.

For more information on mental health and training click here

For more information on mental health in the workplace click here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2014 13:31:00 +0000

Happiness at Work

The key to tackling mental health problems?

The equation seems simple; a healthy workforce equates to a happy workforce which results in a more productive and successful organisation. This is good for society and the country’s economy. However in reality the picture is bleak, suggesting that this formulae is neither being understood nor utilised.

Unfortunately, poor mental health is not uncommon in today’s society. In Britain, one in four adults will experience a diagnosable mental health problem in any one year, despite the UK being one of the richest countries in the developed world. Whilst wealth does not necessarily lead to happiness, having a good standard of living, access to free healthcare, can certainly improve a society’s wellbeing. However, not so surprisingly, 80 percent of people with a mental health problem believe that their condition is associated to work related problems. Does this imply that employers do not understand the equation mentioned above? Or are they so intent on achieving their outcomes that they choose to ignore it, not realising that the long term affects of poor mental health can be catastrophic for society.

With one in six working Britons experiencing a mental health issue at any one time, including depression, anxiety or stress - more needs to be done to address these unsettling statistics.

In the run up to Mental Health Awareness Week (12^th – 18^th May) two significant, and timely, documents have been published; a survey by Depression Alliance revealing that a third of people struggle to cope at work due to stress/exhaustion, and a report entitled “Depression in the Workplace in Europe: new insights from business leaders", which makes the argument that employers need to be more responsible for the wellbeing of their employees and the benefits this has on the country’s economy and society as a whole.

At any one time in Britain one worker in six will be experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress. Among people who describe their mental health as poor, 80% say this is at least in part a result of problems at work

The report, which was published at the end of April, suggests that mental health problems are the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting 350 million people. More over, depression disproportionally affects adults of working ages and the financial impact on business and the economy is profound. Recent figures, from the London Schools of Economics and Political Science and King’s College London, shows that the annual cost of depression to European businesses is a staggering £77 billion. This is directly a result of lost productivity.

Presenteeism, as identified in the report, can be as detrimental to the organisation and the individual, as much as absenteeism, if not more. In the UK, it is believed that 1.5 times as much work is lost through presenteeism as absenteeism for mental health conditions. This can be attributed to two reasons; firstly, employees with depression also experience cognitive symptoms (difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness and forgetfulness) up to 94% of the time, hindering their performance in the workplace. Secondly, employees are reluctant to take time off work, even when they need to, due to fear of losing their job or demotion, which could compromise their finances. This therefore fuels their stress and can augment and prolong existing mental health conditions.

In the UK it is argued that 1.5 times as much work is lost through presenteeism as absenteeism for mental health conditions

Time off work or reduced productivity at work can

affect finances and push people into debt

Having a mental health problem can impact all aspects of our every day life including our relationships with family, friends and colleagues. The Depression Alliance survey which involved 1,200 people, found that 83 percent affected by a mental health problem at work also experienced isolation or loneliness. However, only half of those feeling depressed or lonely confided in a colleague, yet a large proportion who did, reported to have felt better.

Mental health problems can affect any of us, however, in spite of this, there is a widespread lack of awareness, especially in the workplace, of how to recognise the signs and support people. Colleagues and managers may not know how, or feel confident, in supporting someone with a mental health condition, and moreover may not be aware what, if any, the companies policy is on mental health. The report stated that the majority of workplaces (78% in the UK), do not have a formal mental health policy in place and would most likely benefit from reviewing how they deal with depression. Not surprisingly, many employees are reluctant to inform their managers if they know that they have a problem due to fear of facing prejudice or stigmatisation. This of course can escalate feelings of isolation.

Chief Executive of Depression Alliance, Emer O'Neill says, "Depression is the biggest mental health challenge among working-age people and often leads to considerable loneliness and isolation at work. However, many companies aren't properly equipped to manage employees who suffer from depression so providing support to these individuals in the workplace is essential”.

Who’s responsibility is it anyway?

We are all susceptible to experiencing a mental health problem. Research suggests that around 50 percent of our mental health can be attributed to our genetics and environment, but the remaining can be altered by our activities and steps we take in life to protect our mental health. With such a high percentage of mental health problems related to work (it is where we spend the majority of our adult life) more needs to done to protect the mental health and wellbeing of employees. Employers therefore should create a supportive environment that reduces the taboo around mental health, but also implement strategic health and wellbeing plans with the sole intention of protecting their workforce and providing managers and colleagues with the knowledge and tools to deal with mental health appropriately and effectively.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is a strong advocate of improving the health and mental wellbeing of the population, through the creation of health champions and workplace health and wellbeing champions. Our new national Level 2 Award in Mental Wellbeing qualification, seeks to equip people with practical skills they can incorporate in their every day lives to improve and protect mental health. When people have good mental health, they can lead more fulfilling lives, can solve problems and are more productive.

For more information, on the Mental Wellbeing qualification and how it can be adapted for your organisation, please contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.

Useful Links:

NHS Choices Helpline

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/Pages/mental-health-helplines.aspx

Depression in the Workplace: A report featuring new insights from business leaders

http://targetdepressiondotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/target-report_final.pdf

Mental Health Foundation

http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/

Photo by Sina Bahrami

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 10:09:00 +0000

Improving health and wellbeing through dance

The benefits of physical activity for our health and wellbeing are well documented, described by some as the ‘wonder-drug’.[1] The Government has recommended that we do at least thirty minutes of moderate exercise five times per week.[2] A staggering percentage of the population, however, fall short of this target. According to recent research, 80% of adults surveyed did not achieve the recommended level of physical activity.[3] The level of inactivity amongst children and older people is similarly concerning; research suggests that around 49% of children do not achieve the recommended target for their age group.[4] This figure rises to an overwhelming 92.5% for people over the age of seventy-five.[5]

As a society, we are leading increasingly sedentary lives, with much of our time spent sat down at a desk, in a car or in front of the television. This is a significant contributing factor in the soaring rates of obesity across all age groups, as well as the increasing prevalence of conditions such as type-2 diabetes and cancer[6]. People experience a variety of barriers to physical exercise, such as a lack of local sports facilities, financial constraints, feeling self-conscience or having a lack of enjoyment in sporting activities. It is vital that individuals have access to physical activities that help to overcome some of these barriers; dance may be one such option.

Dance offers an inclusivity rarely found with other forms of physical exercise. The almost endless list of dance styles, from street and hip-hop to ballroom and jazz, can all be easily adapted to suit different age groups, cultural backgrounds or level of ability. The ‘Dance for Lifelong Wellbeing’ project run by the Royal Academy of Dance catered for their older participants, the oldest of whom was 102, by adapting the classes for chair or frame based dancing[7]. Whilst other forms of physical exercise may suffer from high drop-out rates, the level of enjoyment and motivation amongst dancing participants remains high.[8] A survey conducted in 2011 found that amongst young people, dancing is now the second most popular physical activity in the United Kingdom, second only to football.[9]

Dancing can be a highly sociable activity, focusing less on competition and more on the freedom of self-expression and in the case of styles such as Syrtos or Tango, a celebration of cultural heritage. For these reasons, evidence indicates that participation in dance can be hugely beneficial for mental health and wellbeing, helping to reduce feelings of social isolation, stress, anxiety and depression. Dancing can also increase feelings of confidence and self-esteem and provide a coping strategy for the stresses of daily life.[10] Youth Dance England emphasises that dance can also be beneficial for the development of social skills in younger people and can be instrumental in encouraging positive attitudes more generally to health and wellbeing, changing views on issues such as drug and alcohol abuse[11]. A study conducted in Sweden, focusing on teenage girls suffering from mental health issues such as stress, found that those who participated in dance classes twice per week reported significant improvements in self-rated health, an effect which lasted for up to a year after the classes ended.[12]

Moreover, there is a wealth of research demonstrating the substantial benefits of dance for physical health. Dance is an enjoyable method of maintaining a healthy weight, thus reducing the risk of largely avoidable conditions such as heart disease and stroke. The movements involved in dancing have also been proven to increase flexibility, balance and co-ordination, which can reduce an individual’s risk of suffering from osteoarthritis and is particularly significant for older people; studies have shown that for older people participation in dance can reduce the risk of suffering a fall[13]. Dancing also offers considerable cognitive benefits, such as improving memory, as it requires the utilisation of several skills at once, such as memorising steps, listening to the rhythm of the music and physical movement. According to one study conducted over a 21 year period, dancing can reduce the risk of developing dementia by approximately 76%.[14] These benefits are the motivation behind programmes such as the English National Ballet’s ‘Dance for Parkinsons’ and ‘Dance for Dementia’ classes and also, the dance classes provided as part of Age UK’s ‘Fit as a Fiddle’ initiative.

Government cuts to funding for the arts is an enduring concern for arts organisations in this country. Since 2010, Arts Council England has seen their grant-in-aid funding cut by around a third[15], resulting in severe cuts for many groups, including those focusing on dance. A growing body of literature, however, demonstrates the hugely positive impact dance could have on avoidable illness, which is currently placing a huge financial burden on the NHS, welfare system and the economy. With the widespread appeal of dance and the wide-ranging benefits it offers, dancing is a vital tool for health improvement initiatives.

The RSPH has now opened submissions for the Arts and Health Awards 2014. This year the awards will focus on the value of creative arts for older people with long term conditions in the community or within health and social care settings. More information can be found here.

References

[1] The Guardian. Physical Activity the Underrated Wonder-Drug. Available online at: http://www.theguardian.com/living-with-cancer-macmillan-partner-zone/physical-activity-the-underrated-wonder-drug (Last accessed 1st April 2014)

[2] NHS Choices. Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults. Available online at: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx (Last accessed 1^st April 2014)

[3] The Independent. 80% of Adults in England ‘don’t exercise enough’. Available online at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/80-of-adults-in-england-dont-exercise-enough-8741988.html (Last accessed 1st April 2014)

[4] British Broadcasting Corporation. Children need more Exercise – especially Girls, Study says. Available online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23778945 (Last accessed 1st April 2014)

[5] BUPA. Keep Dancing...The Health and Wellbeing Benefits on Dance for Older People. London: BUPA, 2011. Available online at: http://www.cpa.org.uk/information/reviews/shall-we-dance-report.pdf (Last accessed 1st April 2014)

[6] British Broadcasting Corporation. Inactivity ‘killing as many as smoking’. Available online at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-18876880 (Last accessed 15th April 2014)

[7] Baber M. Dance and lifelong well being. Available online at: http://www.agewatch.org.uk/fitness/dance-and-lifelong-well-being/ (Last accessed 15^th April 2014)

[8] ibid

[9] Arts Council England. Dance and Health – The Benefits for People of all Ages. London: Arts Council England. Available online at: http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/media/uploads/documents/publications/phpN0GNFD.pdf (Last accessed 1st April 2014)

[10] Burkhardt J, Rhodes J. Commissioning Dance for Health and Wellbeing – Guidance and Resources for Commissioners. Available online at: http://www.obesitywm.org.uk/resources/Dance_Active_-_Commissioning_Doc_Jan_Burkhardt_V6Final1V3_2.pdf (2012, last accessed 1st April 2014)

[11] Youth Dance England. Dance and Health. Available online at: http://www.yde.org.uk/main.cfm?type=HEALTH (last accessed 15^th April 2014)

[12] Duberg A, Hagberg L, Sunvisson H, Moller M. Influencing Self-rated Health Among Adolescent Girls With Dance Intervention A Randomized Controlled Trial. Archives of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 2012; 167: 27 - 31

[13] BUPA, 2011.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Financial Times. Arts funding ‘flashpoint’ is local authority spending cuts. Available online at: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d3983bce-9d7a-11e3-83c5-00144feab7de.html#axzz2yxqOFViJ (Last accessed 15^th April 2014)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 12:29:00 +0000

Suicide rates – a Public Health issue

On the 18^th February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published a report on suicide rates in the UK for 2012. The report highlighted that although the overall rates for people committing suicide had dropped since 1981, they had actually risen over the last five years. The report also identified the growing concern of high suicide rates for men compared with women for the same period.

The ONS Key Findings

In 2012, there were 5,981 suicides in people aged 15 and over in the UK – of which 4,590 were males and 1,391 were females
In 1981 there 6,595 recorded suicide rates of which 4,129 were male and 2,466 were female
The highest suicide rate was among men aged between 40 and 44 (25.0 deaths per 100,000 population) and the lowest rate was among men aged 15 to 19 at 6.4 deaths per 100,000 population
In 2012 in England, the suicide rate was highest in the North West at 12.4 deaths per 100,000 population and lowest in London at 8.7 per 100,000 population

In 2012, the male suicide rate was more than three times the rate for females

The difference between men and women, socio-economic affects

The high suicide rate is undoubtedly a huge cause for concern despite the fact they have fallen over the past thirty years. However, it is the disparity between the rates of men and women that needs to be considered. With males three times more likely to commit suicide than their female counterparts, one needs to question why?

A recent report published by the Samaritans “Men, Suicide and Society” suggested that social and cultural changes, (rising female employment, increases in solo living), could be having significant impacts on the lives of men who are now in mid-life. In addition, the report made clear that men from low socio-economic backgrounds are also particularly at risk of committing suicide. This may be attributed to the arguments that people who live in disadvantaged communities, may have fewer prospects, less support networks leading to feelings of isolation, are more likely to be unemployed – augmenting feelings of low self worth and feeling they have nothing to live for. As a result they are more likely to engage in high health risk behaviour (smoke, drink, take drugs) as a form of escapism/way to deal with their stress.

Nonetheless, women and young people are not immune to these problems described above. The evidence clearly states that people who live is in poorer communities, are more likely to experience greater physical and mental health problems, are more likely to do less exercise and have poorer diets – both of which have been indentified as improving ones overall wellbeing.

As with men, suicide is the leading cause of death among women aged between 20 and 34 years of age

The ONS report states that that people with mental illness have a higher suicide risk than the general population. Therefore, we need to help improve, protect and support people who are at risk of developing mental problems, as well as targeting the younger population to build mental resilience.

What is to be done?

In September 2012 the Department of Health launched ‘Preventing Suicide in England’ which sought to reduce suicide rates and improve those affected by suicide. The new strategy outlines six areas for action including: reducing the risk of suicide in key high-risk groups (for example, people in the care of mental health services, people with a history of self-harm, people in contact with the criminal justice system, and men aged under 50) and reducing access to the means of suicide.

It is also essential that the government looks deeply at the root causes that can lead to poor mental health, such as, economic deprivation, isolation, community disengagement, as well as supporting individuals and communities to partake in activities that are recognised as improving mental wellbeing – this could help reduce suicide rates.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) is passionate about supporting the public's health and advocates that increased health awareness, community engagement and training individuals can help eliminate many of the problems highlighted throughout this Blog. A clear example is our Well London Training Communities programme, information can be found here and here, which aims to equip volunteers living in hard to reach communities to increase wellbeing knowledge, confidence and skills to bring about positive lifestyle changes.

The RSPH has also developed a Level 2 Award in Mental Wellbeing qualification, which aims to provide evidence based, practical skills on how to improve and maintain good mental wellbeing. When we are positive and happier, we are more likely to feel we can tackle everyday issues and face what life throws at us.

For information on this training please contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in England and Wales for men aged between 20 and 49 years

Support for people who have suicidal thoughts

The NHS Health Choices website provides helpful information for people who are considering taking their lives. If you have thoughts about taking your own life, it's important you ask someone for help.

· speak to a friend, family member or someone you trust as they may be able to help you calm down and find some breathing space

· call the Samaritans 24-hour support service on 08457 90 90 90

· go to, or call, your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department and tell the staff how you are feeling

· contact NHS 111

· make an urgent appointment to see your GP

Visit the NHS Health Choices website here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 04 Feb 2014 15:38:00 +0000

Cancer Rates on the Rise - says new report by WHO

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has today published a new “World Cancer Report 2014” to coincide with World Cancer Day. The report highlights the growing rates of cancer around the world and advises that stronger efforts on prevention are needed to tackle this problem.

The IARC estimates that the global burden of cancer will rise from around 14 million new cases per year in 2012 to 22 million within the next 20 years

The report identifies that due to growing ageing populations, developing countries are disproportionally affected by growing rates of cancer. It is believed that over 60 percent of the global burden is in Africa, Asia and Central and South America, were 70 percent of cancer sufferers die. A lack of early detection and treatment are a particular concern.

The report argues that half of all cancers could be avoided, if measures to prevent the disease are put in place.

There is now a wealth of information on cancer available as well as more effective and efficient ways to treat the disease. However, more is needed to ensure early detection and fair access to treatment.

Dr. Christopher Wild, report co-editor and director of the IARC, says:

"Despite exciting advances, this Report shows that we cannot treat our way out of the cancer problem. More commitment to prevention and early detection is desperately needed in order to complement improved treatments and address the alarming rise in cancer burden globally."

Cancer continues to be the leading cause of death worldwide and therefore a huge global public health issue. Statistics reveal that in 2012 there were 8.2 million deaths to cancer, with lung cancer being the highest (1.59 million deaths), followed by liver (745,000 deaths), colorectal (bowel) (694,000 deaths) and breast (521,000) to name a few.

In addition, the costs associated with cancer can be very damaging to even the richest nations and very hard hitting for the poorer ones.

In 2010, the total global annual cost of cancer reached an estimated US$1.16 trillion

The report advocates that half of all cancers could be avoided, saving millions of lives a year, if detection is made early enough and if we implement the knowledge that we already know. This also includes individuals being aware of high risk behaviour and consequently taking steps to limit their chance of developing cancer.

Currently, tobacco use has the single biggest impact, with 22 percent of global cancer deaths and over 70 percent of global lung cancer deaths

It is estimated that around 30 percent of cancer deaths could be prevented if certain health risk factors are avoided and or reduced. These namely include, stopping smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, preventing being overweight, eating healthily and increasing levels of physical activity.

For information on understanding the importance of health and how to help and support others to make healthier changes, visit http://www.rsph.org.uk/en/training-solutions/index.cfm to view a list of our training programmes.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jan 2014 09:51:00 +0000

Mental Health Warning for Jobless Young

Yesterday news items reported that more than three quarters of a million young people believe they have nothing to live for, with jobless youngsters facing “devastating” symptoms of mental illness, warns a new report.

The Prince's Trust Macquarie Youth Index, reveals that long-term unemployed young people are more than twice as likely as their peers to have been prescribed anti-depressants. One in three (32 per cent) have contemplated suicide, while one in four (24 per cent) have self harmed.

The report which was based on interviews with 2,161 16 to 25 year olds highlights that 40 per cent of jobless young people have faced these symptoms of mental illness – including suicidal thoughts, feelings of self-loathing and panic attacks – as a direct result of unemployment.

Long-term unemployed young people are also more than twice as likely as their peers to believe they have nothing to live for. The Youth Index 2014 full report is downloadable here.

The Prince’s Trust is now calling for urgent support from government, health agencies and employers to fund its vital work with long-term unemployed young people battling mental health issues. With more support, the youth charity can help more young people build their self-esteem and move into work.

Martina Milburn, Chief Executive of youth charity The Prince’s Trust, said:

“Unemployment is proven to cause devastating, long-lasting mental health problems among young people. Thousands wake up every day believing that life isn’t worth living, after struggling for years in the dole queue.

“More than 430,000 young people are facing long-term unemployment, and it is these young people that urgently need our help. If we fail to act, there is a real danger that these young people will become hopeless, as well as jobless.”

The charity's sixth annual Youth Index, which gauges young people’s wellbeing across a range of areas from family life to physical health, highlights that unemployed young people are significantly less likely to ask for help if they are struggling to cope. Three quarters of long-term unemployed young people (72 per cent) do not have someone to confide in.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said:

“This research proves that unemployment is a public health issue. It is one that must be tackled urgently and it is essential that youth unemployment is added to the public health agenda. Unemployed young people are struggling in many aspects of their lives, from their mental health and wellbeing to their relationships and their qualifications and we must act quickly to end this.”

In response to these findings, The Prince's Trust is increasing support for the UK's most vulnerable young people through its Get Started programme which aims to inspire and motivate the long-term unemployed.

This year, The Prince’s Trust will support 58,000 disadvantaged young people, helping them turn their lives around. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training.

For more information about The Prince’s Trust visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/youthindex or follow The Trust on Facebook or Twitter www.facebook.com/princes-trust / www.twitter.com/princestrust

For more information please contact:

Sophie Rawlings on 020 7543 1284 / 07766 144488 or at sophie.rawlings@princes-trust.org.uk
Annabel Douthwaite on 020 7543 1318 / 07841 877181 or atannabel.douthwaite@princes-trust.org.uk

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 14:31:00 +0000

Hoovering – Should it be part of your exercise regime?

Last week news articles reported that doing housework, as a means to clean your home and also keep you physically active, may not be as beneficial to the latter as once thought.

A nationwide study, Sport and Physical Activity Survey (SAPAS) used data collected from over 4000 adults in Northern Ireland, to examine how domestic activities contributed to a person’s total physical activity and whether this was related to their BMI. The researchers found that people, who included housework as part of their regular exercise count, were not burning as many calories or raising their heart rate to a level identified to have a positive impact on one’s health. As a result the researchers pointed out that people could be failing to meet weekly target exercise guidelines, despite thinking they are.

Those who reported more domestic activity tended to have higher body mass indexes, than those who reported less domestic activity

The Governments guidelines for physical activity in the UK suggests that adults should take at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise each week. This could be 30 minutes 5 times a week. To ensure that everyone includes some activity on a daily basis, recommendations have included gardening, housework and DIY projects. As these activities can be carried out in the comfort of one’s home they are more likely to appeal to the majority of the population, who for whatever reason, may face issues or resistance when say going to the gym.

However, although housework is regarded as “exercise” the research demonstrates that we need to be working harder at it to make it count as a workout, so that we can reap the health benefits associated with regular exercise.

Professor Marie Murphy, who led the study said: “Housework is physical activity and any physical activity should theoretically increase the amount of calories expended. But we found that housework was inversely related to leanness which suggests that either people are overestimating the amount of moderate intensity physical activity they do through housework, or are eating too much for the amount of activity undertaken”

Physical activity needs to make you out of breath or sweaty to count as moderate to vigorous. The study should be a reminder that the intensity of activity is important as well as the amount and type of activity. It could therefore be said that hoovering and other domestic work, need not be disregarded as ineffective forms of exercise, rather, when domestic work is carried out, extra vigor should be applied to work up a sweat. Additionally, incorporating other forms of exercise into your routine, such as brisk walking, cycling, dancing could help ensure that you stay active and healthy.

For more information on physical activity and the benefits visit the NHS Choices website. Understand the importance of physical activity and learn ways to promote and encourage others to be more active through the RSPH Level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement, Level 2 Award in Physical Activity.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 14:46:00 +0000

The World Heart Federation calls on all countries to set a target year to end tobacco use

At the Tobacco End Game Conference in New Delhi, India this week the World Heart Federation (WHF) signalled to all countries worldwide to set a target year to end tobacco use in their country. Ending tobacco use implies reducing population smoking levels to five percent or below.

Some countries have already taken the lead and have announced their “target year” to reduce tobacco consumption. These include Finland (2030), Scotland (2034), New Zealand (2025) as well as a few Pacific Island States (2025).

The Risks

Previous Blogs, “Raising Awareness for Lung Cancer” and “Smoking – a big turn off” have highlighted the negative impacts of smoking on health, and the evidence continues to affirm that tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for heart disease and is the cause of millions of premature deaths each year worldwide.

Smoking is estimated to cause nearly ten percent of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and is also the second leading cause of CVD after high blood pressure. Further more, it is not just smokers who bear the consequences of tobacco smoke, passive smokers are also placed under unnecessary risk.

Figures indicate that nearly six million people die from tobacco use or exposure to second hand smoke worldwide, every year. By 2030 is it believed that tobacco-related deaths will increase to over eight million deaths a year.

With strong evidence available to the public on the adverse effects of smoking and the efforts to promote these facts, the statistics on tobacco related deaths remain shocking!

Thus, important questions arise about what else we need to be doing to reduce smoking in adults and prevent children from starting.

Could further changes in marketing be the answer?

Over the past decades the UK has witnessed some significant changes to how tobacco is advertised and this began in the early 1990’s but took greater affect after the millennium. The 1990 and 1996 Broadcasting Acts prohibited tobacco marketing on broadcast media (television and radio). However, it was the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 (TAPA) that banned most forms of tobacco advertising. This included a ban on print media and billboard advertising (2003) and advertising at the point of sale (2004).

As the UK is a Party of the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) they were bound by agreement to implement the framework into national policy. The drive to improve population health coupled with the requirement to integrate further restrictions on tobacco advertising, saw a new national tobacco control strategy emerge in 2008 by the Labour Government and later reinforced by the Coalition Government in 2011. The consultation included a ban on the display of tobacco in shops and a ban on tobacco vending machines (2011) both of which were included in the Health Bill.

Since April 2012 it has become illegal to display tobacco products at the point of sale in large stores and this ban will come into force in smaller stores from 2015. Although in 2010 the Coalition government agreed to review the evidence for plain packaging as part of its national strategy, this has still not come into affect, despite pressing evidence that branding of tobacco packets and higher consumption rates exists. Read the RSPH press release here on our disappointment of not introducing standardised packaging on tobacco products.

“Research shows that Point of Sale (PoS) display has a direct impact on young people’s smoking. In 2006, almost half (46%) of UK teenagers were aware of tobacco display at PoS and those professing an intention to smoke were more likely to recall brands that they had seen at the point of sale.”

Tobacco companies invest large amounts of resources in branding their products and making them appear as attractive as possible. They know that brand imagery is much more important to younger age groups, thus standardised packaging would reduce brand appeal and reduce the inclination to smoke.

Next Steps

Clearly, measures have been made to reduce smoking in the UK, tighter restrictions on tobacco advertisement and the implementation of the smoking ban in public spaces 2007/2008 have sought to reduce appeal for smoking. However, there remains more to be done to ensure we are able to align ourselves with the World Heart Federations’ aim to reduce tobacco use below 5% and prevent thousands of avoidable deaths a year (in England the current ambition is to reduce smoking prevalence to 18.5% or less by 2015; to 12% or less among 15 year olds by 2015).

The World Heart Federation President Professor K Srinath Reddy said: "There is no hiding from the deadly effects of tobacco on heart health....There are many countries across all incomes making great strides in tobacco control and it should be possible for each of these nations to further bolster their tobacco control efforts by setting themselves a target year for reducing tobacco use below 5%. So the World Heart Federation would hope to see these countries, followed by those around the world, following the brave lead set by the countries that have announced target dates."

Visit RSPH Training Solutions to see programmes and courses that can give you the confidence and skills to help people make key lifestyle choices to improve their health.

For further information on UK regulations click here to read the ASH Briefing: UK Tobacco Control Policy and Expenditure.

For more information on the negative effects of tobacco use and how to quit please click here and NHS Choices website.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Aug 2013 12:23:00 +0000

The Vicious Cycle Between Poor Mental Health and Unemployment

A recent report by the BBC titled “mentally ill people hit hard by recession” argued that between 2006 and 2010 unemployment rates for people with mental health problems rose significantly.

The news item was reporting on a research study which sought to discover whether people with mental ill health are more likely to be discriminated against both in the job market and in society.

The study which was carried out by researchers from King’s College London, the London School of Economics and Political Science, and John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, looked at data on the rates of employment and mental health problems from 27 EU countries.

The researchers focused on data derived from 2006 (prior to the 2008 economic crisis) and 2010. From both years, a consistent pattern emerged that people with mental health problems were more likely to be unemployed. Interestingly however, the study found that by 2010 the gap in unemployment rates between people with and without mental health problems had increased.

The researchers proposed that people with a mental health condition suffered more by the economic recession of 2008, and will have been more vulnerable to discrimination and unemployment. Download the published report in the peer-reviewed open access medical journal PLOS One.

Taking a deeper look

The researchers used data from two surveys: The Eurobarometer Mental Wellbeing 2006 and the Eurobarometer Mental Health 2010 survey. 30,000 citizens from 27 EU countries took part in the survey and information was collected through face to face interview.

From the 2006 and 2010 surveys it was found that compared with the general population people with mental health problems were:

1. More likely to be female

2. Significantly older

3. More likely to have finished education before 20 years of age or had no formal education

4. More likely to be unemployed/retired and unable to work

5. Less likely to be in paid employment

The study also revealed that although females were more likely to have a mental health problem, males were more likely than females to be unemployed. In 2010 22% of men with mental health problems were unemployed compared with 14% in 2006. For women these were 17% and 12% respectively.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that in 2010 (but not in 2006) people with mental health problems were more likely to be unemployed if they lived in countries where the majority of people agreed with the statement “people with mental health problems are a danger to others”.

The (vicious) cycle

People with mental health problems are less likely to be in employment. This can however perpetuate their condition by causing them to become further isolated and anxious about their financial circumstance.

During periods of economic hardship, this may become more apparent as people with mental health problems may be more susceptible to losing their job and are unable to find a new one in a competitive labour market.

Beth Murphy, head of information at mental health charity Mind, said the findings were worrying “Losing your job is a sudden change and there can also be financial implications through loss of income, which in itself can cause anxiety”

“Specifically redundancy is known to trigger depression and suicidal thoughts”.

Conclusion:

Undeniably, the research paints a very bleak picture of the reality of people who have poor mental health. Not only do they have to live with and tackle their own mental health condition, but their problems are further heightened by the fact that they are more likely to loose their job or be unemployed.

What we have to remember is that no one is exempt from experiencing a mental health problem - it can happen to anyone of us. Statistics reveal that at least one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some point in their life, therefore, it is essential that a) society does not stigmatise/discriminate against people with mental health conditions and b) that we learn techniques on how to protect ourselves and improve our mental health and wellbeing.

It is imperative that Governments, Local Authorities and communities ensure that they promote social participation of individuals with mental health problems (particularly during recessions) and that efforts are made to target the most vulnerable people in society. Evidence reveals that participation in meaningful activity is associated with improved self esteem and good mental health. Having strong social relationships/networks can reduce isolation and help to improve mental health and recovery as well as preventing mental health problems.

We know that improved mental health and wellbeing is associated with a range of better outcomes, from physical health to higher education achievement. Thus in a strategic attempt to improve the whole population’s mental health and wellbeing the Five Ways to Wellbeing has been developed by nef (new economics foundation) which is a set of evidence based public health messages that can be utilised by everyone.

For more information on how you can get trained to improve and protect your mental health and the community you serve click here.

Let us know what simple things you do to help improve your mental health and wellbeing?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 14:58:00 +0000

Is premature death a postcode lottery?

A new interactive map, Longer Lives, produced by Public Health England (PHE) demonstrates the variation in premature death across

England

through a colour code technique. The map which ranks 150 authorities by their premature death rates – that is before the ages of 75 – also allows users to view these areas by five of the most common causes of premature (and preventable) deaths.

These include cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease and liver disease. The map further enables users to view the areas which are the most socio-economically deprived.

Interestingly, the map clearly identifies the North of England as having large proportions of premature mortality, where deprivation is more prevalent, compared with the South of England where good health is more evident particularly in affluent areas. However, a few exceptions to this do exist in the South especially in London boroughs, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Newham, where health is regarded as extremely poor and deprivation seemingly high.

To view the coloured coded map and see how your area rates click here.

Why such a divide between North and South

The reasons as to why such a variation exists could be due to rates of poverty, obesity levels, alcohol consumption and smoking. Historical factors such as decline of the manufacturing industry in the North, may have increased unemployment and hence poverty in the regions. Other factors may include the social and cultural environment as well as access to education, housing and transport.

Nonetheless, what the map does highlight are areas in which local authorities need to pay particular attention to improve health and tackle health inequalities – it is unacceptable in our modern day society for such a disparity of mortality to exist depending on location.

The RSPH has been working with Well London to provide health improvement training and education to people from the most hard to reach and deprived areas of London, more information can be found here.

Regardless of where we live, all of us can take simple steps to improve our health and even positively influence the people around us to make real and lasting lifestyle changes. Our most popular qualification Understanding Health Improvement Level 2 Award, and Understanding Behaviour Change Level 2 Award provide practical knowledge of the benefits of good health and wellbeing. They examine how we can reduce health inequalities through basic understanding of the concept of health, building confidence in talking about health and encouraging people in the community to seek health services available to them. For more information please contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:12:00 +0000

Men's Health Week 2013: breaking the mental health stigma

This year Men’s Health Week, led by the Men’s Health Forum, aims to tackle the stigma attached to men’s mental health and encourage more men to seek professional help.

It is understood that although equivalent numbers of men and women suffer from mental ill health, men are far less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment, because of their reluctance/hesitance to seek professional health advice. Statistics from the Men’s Health Forum highlighted that in the UK, three in four suicides are committed by men and that around 4,500 men kill themselves each year.

The distressing truth is that men are not as comfortable talking about their feelings and are even more ashamed to admit that they may be feeling depressed/stressed/anxious, in fear that they will appear weak amongst their peers. As a result, men often suffer alone or indulge in high risk behaviour such as drinking and drugs as a coping mechanism, which can be equally as detrimental to their health.

Martin Tod, CEO of the Men’s Health Forum said; “If all men could talk about how they were feeling with confidence, I don’t think we’d be looking at horrific figures like these. Whatever the problem, your GP has heard it before. Don’t bottle it up”.

Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive RSPH, says “the messages being raised in Men’s Health Week are vital, mental health is too often seen as a taboo subject especially amongst men. Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness and in addition to preventing and treating mental illness we should be actively promoting positive mental health. A key aspect of this is individuals feeling they can discuss their feelings and can ask for help.”

At the RSPH we strongly advocate the importance of maintaining good mental health. In our Mental Health report, we outlined the many harmful affects that poor mental health can have on the individual, on their family and society as a whole. In order to understand the importance of good mental health and ways this can be achieved, we have developed a new qualification in Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing Level 2 Award. The interactive training day promotes the positive impacts of good mental health, as well as providing practical skills and knowledge of the measures that can be taken to prevent and protect against mental ill health. For more information on our training programme, click here or contact Gina Mohajer gmohajer@rsph.org.uk.

For more information on men's health week see the Men’s Health Forum and to view the statistics on men’s mental health click here.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:39:00 +0000

Can a stressful job be harmful to our health?

A certain amount of stress/pressure can “supposedly” be beneficial to us, by making us more productive. However, too much stress over a long period of time can have negative impacts on our health. A recent study from

Spain

sought to examine what these negative effects were and to what extent could stress increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and coronary heart problems.

The research was carried out by the insurance company Ibermutuamur, and two universities in

Spain

and the findings were published in the peer reviewed Scandinavian Journal of Public Health.

The purpose of the study was to determine whether a correlation exists between stress (from work) and abnormal levels of fat (lipids) in the blood. Worryingly, high levels of bad cholesterol known as LDL cholesterol – caused by fat in the blood - can block arteries which in turn may lead to coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases.

Just over 90,000 people took part in the study which was conducted through questionnaires. Participants were asked questions relating to how they felt they coped in their job: “During the last year, have you frequently felt that you cannot cope with your usual job?". Participants who answered "yes" were considered to have job stress.

The questionnaire also included eleven questions relating to anxiety and depression symptoms, such as "Have you felt keyed up, on edge?" and "Have you had difficulty relaxing?” The researchers took fasting blood samples from participants measuring levels of total cholesterol, and then examined whether abnormal lipid levels were linked to job stress. The study did take into account age, sex, smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption and also type of job (blue or white collar occupation).

Results

Around 8,000 (9%) of participants are reported to have job stress; in addition these individuals also reported higher levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, and were found to have a 10% increase in abnormal lipid levels and higher levels of LDL cholesterol, than those who did not consider their job stressful.

Although these findings have been regarded as generally strong in understanding the relationship between stress and bad cholesterol, what the study did not take into account is that, individuals who suffer from stress or poor mental health, may indulge in high risk behaviour as a coping mechanism. This could increase their risk of developing higher levels of “bad” cholesterol as they may be more accustomed to unhealthier diets and/or consume higher levels of alcohol. Therefore, rather than the stress itself, these other “risky behaviours” may play a fundamental role in causing peoples “bad” cholesterol to rise.

Nonetheless, what this research highlights is that stress (too much of it) and poor mental health is detrimental for our wellbeing and for society as a whole. Whether it causes our cholesterol to rise or whether it causes us to indulge in health risk behaviour – the message remains clear that improving ones mental health should be paramount in order to tackle many of the other health related problems that exist in today’s society.

What can you do?

The RSPH believe that we all have a responsibility to ourselves and to others, to help prevent, protect and promote good mental health practices. As such a one day programme on Mental Health and Wellbeing has been developed, to provide people with practical skills and knowledge to understand the measures they can take to improve not only their own mental health, but also help the wider community. Click here to download the report on Mental Health in the New Public Health System and click here to find out more about our programme.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:38:00 +0000

The Seven Golden Rules for a Healthy Life

If we follow these simple steps, can we really reduce our risk of heart disease?

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) still remains the biggest killer in the

. In 2010, around 180,000 people died from CVD and 80,000 of these deaths were from coronary heart disease (CHD). Although over the past decade, there has been a decline in death rates from heart disease in

England

, there still remains regional and socioeconomic differences in both incidence and case fatality, along with behaviour inequalities.

In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) proposed seven factors to help people understand the most effective ways of avoiding CVD and lowering the risk of developing cancer.

The findings came from a long term study carried out by researchers from Northwestern University (Chicago), the University of Minnesota, and a number of other

research institutions; their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Circulation. The cohort study followed 13,253 white and African American participants for between 17 and 19 years, to establish if maintaining ideal levels of the seven health factors could reduce heart disease and lower the risk of cancer.

The Seven Simple Steps

1 Not smoking (never smoking or quitting more than 12 months ago
2 Maintaining a healthy body weight (that is a healthy Body Max Index (BMI)
3 Eating Healthily (diets rich in nutrition, fruits and vegetables)
4 Physical Activity (at least 75 minutes per week of vigorous physical activity, or 150 minutes per week of moderate or moderate plus vigorous activity
5 Having low cholesterol levels
6 Healthy blood sugar rates
7 Healthy blood pressure

The Findings

From the study, researchers found that the health benefits were higher among people who met the ideal levels for each of the seven factors. For example, people who achieved ideal levels for six of more factors had a 51% reduced cancer risk and those who met the ideal levels of four factors had a 33% reduced rate of developing cancer.

While the findings have been welcomed, it is worth noting that smoking appeared responsible for the majority of the associations seen between the seven factors and cancer risk. This once again exemplifies how smoking has a direct correlation with your heart, blood pressure, circulation and individual risk of lung cancer.

What more can be done?

As highlighted above, CVD and CHD continues to be a major health concern in the UK, with health issues being more prevalent among low income earners. Those from lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to have poorer diets, lead sedentary lifestyles, suffer from mental health issues and partake in health risk behaviour, including smoking and alcohol abuse. These factors have a major impact on heart disease.

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are also some of the main contributors leading to CVD. In England alone, a quarter of adults are obese and the prevalence of diabetes in the UK is around 5% for women and 6% for men. The financial cost to society can also be detrimental. The statistics reveal that in 2009, CVD cost the UK economy £19 billion – putting further strain on the health care system.

Although the AHA’s seven steps to improving health helps people to understand where to make the changes in their life (healthy eating, exercising), the problem is how to make these changes? For most people, breaking old habits and changing behaviour can seem like an impossible task, and for some, change is not always welcomed. How do we engage with people and offer advice on sensitive issues that could potentially save their lives?

The RSPH, having recognised the fundamental importance of behaviour change to improve health, has developed a qualification in Understanding Behaviour Change, Level 2 Award, to provide an understanding of communication styles and practical skills to help individuals implement lifestyle changes. The one day programme will also aim to give learners knowledge and confidence to offer brief advice and engage in brief interventions. Sometimes, having the right conversation with someone can have far reaching positive affects. For further information on the qualification please click here or contact Gina Mohajer.

For further information on heart disease visit the British Heart Foundation here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:25:00 +0000

International Women’s Day 2013

– Celebrating achievement and looking at what more can be done

Every year International Women’s Day is celebrated on the 8^th March. This monumental day seeks to highlight the extent to which equal rights of women have progressed, as well as emphasising the economic, political and social achievements women have and continue to make.

Each year there is a thought provoking theme, to not only celebrate achievements, but to also raise awareness of the issues and discrimination women still experience in the 21st Century. This year the United Nations (UN) core campaign is to end violence against women “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women”.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary said “Violence against women is always a violation of human rights; it is a crime; and it is always unacceptable. Let us take this issue with the deadly seriousness that it deserves”.

Violence against women continues to be a huge problem in society and can have serious adverse physical and mental affects on the individual and their families. In the UK, the cost to society totals around £20.1 Billion, which includes human and emotional cost, cost to public services and cost in lost economic output.

How widespread is the abuse?

The British Crime Survey 2006/2007 established that every year 1.5 million women experience at least one incident of domestic violence abuse, which is nearly 30,000 women a week. Over a lifetime, it is argued that one in four women in the

will experience domestic violence.

Anyone can be targets of violent domestic abuse, married or unmarried couples, opposite or same sex partners, however, figures show that approximately 77% of the victims are predominantly women. This could be due to a whole range of factors, including cultural differences (i.e. men considering themselves too superior or 50% of men believing that domestic violence is a private affair), life experiences, psychological and emotional issues.

The Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Crime in

England

and Wales 2006/2007 highlighted that 2000 women are raped a week, resulting in 100,000 every year, and half of these rapes are committed by a current or former partner.

Lesley Abdela, Journalist at the Guardian “Stop looking the other way” wrote that, “Violence against women is a pandemic more extensive than HIV/Aids. It is the main cause of death and disability globally for women aged 15 to 44 – rape and gross bodily violence cause more death and permanent disability than cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria combined”.

Worryingly, Lesley comments that between one and two women are killed each week by a current or ex partner, and that this number is actually 20% higher than the number of youngsters knifed to death in London or in British cities.

The affects

Domestic violence against women can have serious implications. As well as the damaging physical health problems that can arise from abuse, there are also notable adverse affects to an individual’s mental and emotional wellbeing; these include post-traumatic stress disorders, depression and anxiety. Moreover, many women turn to taking drugs, alcohol, smoking or overeating as a response to and a way of dealing with the abuse. Statistics reveal that abused women are 15 times more likely to misuse alcohol and 9 times more likely to take drugs than women generally. This can lead to greater physical and emotional problems.

As mentioned above, there is a large economic cost to society as women who are abused often take time off work. Statistics from the Home Office Statistical Bulletin, states that each year one in ten victims of partner abuse takes time off work as a result of the abuse.

Then and now

Until 1990, it was legal for a man to rape his wife. The idea that domestic violence is a “private family affair” is still widely believed and is one that needs immediate eroding. Domestic violence is a crime, and if ignored can lead to greater problems for the victim, their families and society as a whole.

International Women’s Day, is a fantastic opportunity for everyone around the world to acknowledge the great achievements of women and the contributions they have made socially, politically and economically, but it also an opportunity to make evident the problems women continue to face world wide. Through the media, policy makers and the government, we can help to reduce and end domestic abuse and to also ensure a strong support network system is in place to offer advice and guidance to those who have suffered.

For more information on International Womens Day click here

For further information on violence against women click here

Visit the Women's Health website here

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 13:37:00 +0000

Can mobile apps help people lose

weight...and keep it off?

Many of us may be well accustomed to using health and fitness mobile apps that have the sole purpose of counting calories and measuring activity levels, to help us lose weight. With the majority of people now using Androids and iPhones, downloading apps to our mobile phones is easy and hugely popular. As a result, tracking what we consume on a daily basis has never been so simple.

However, how effective are these calorie counting apps? Can technology really aid us in reaching our ideal weight, or is it just a fad, a fashion accessory that will be forgotten with the next diet fix? Furthermore, as with all successful weight loss, does it come down to our own behaviour and self motivation to bring about healthy changes to our life?

A recent study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, identified as the first of its kind, sought to examine the relationship between technology and the impact it had on weight. The study will be published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The Study and Findings

The Northwestern technology research incorporated behaviour change techniques, including self monitoring, goal setting, feedback and social support.

The research examined a cohort of sixty nine overweight and obese men who were an average age of fifty eight. All participants were offered health education classes on nutrition, exercise and behaviour change; every two weeks during the first six months and once monthly for the remainder of the year.

Each participant received personalised weekly calorie and activity goals to help them lose weight and all participants were encouraged to attend nutrition and health classes. The participants were divided into two groups. One half recorded their activity and diet on paper, whilst the other half used the Northwestern technology mobile device, to transmit their data to a behaviour coach, who monitored and provided feedback twice a month.

From the evidence, it was found that those who used the mobile device and attended eighty percent of the nutrition classes lost fifteen pounds and maintained this for one year. The weight loss for those who used the mobile app but who did not attend any classes lost almost nine pounds. The group who attended classes but did not use the mobile app, did not loose any weight.

The lead investigator of the study and Professor at the University, Bonnie Spring, found the results to be positive and argued that mobile devises could have a significant role to play in making people more health aware; "The app is important because it helps people regulate their behaviour, which is really hard to do....Most of us have no idea how many calories we consume and how much physical activity we get. The app gives you feedback on this and helps you make smart decisions in the moment."

However, Spring also emphasised that weight loss only occurred when people attended health education classes and engaged in regular exercise. The app alone would not be effective.

"The 'widget' is critical but it is not magical by itself," Spring added. "People need all the tools at their disposal."

Should we all be downloading apps?

Diets usually fail because we end up eliminating certain food groups – and in the long term this is not sustainable. The difference between “diet fads” and calorie counting mobile apps, is that the latter can help set achievable and realistic goals, whilst simultaneously tracking our calorie intake and activity levels.

It is often the case that we do not realise how many calories certain foods contain, and so, we are ignorant to all the hidden fats/sugars. Thus, these quick and easy food tracking devices empower us to make sensible and more informed decisions that govern our health and weight.

A frequent user of a calorie counting mobile app, Koorosh Ashrafi, PhD Research Scientist at BTG International group company, says; “I’ve lost 10 kilos over the past 6 months, and you learn balance is the key. I’ve lived quite a sedentary lifestyle because of the pressure of work and studying, and I was still consuming the same amount of calories as 10 years ago when I was training as a rugby player. Although I am a firm believer of everything in moderation, having a device at the tip of your fingertips, really does educate you about food and its content”

Nelly Araujo, Development Administrator at RSPH, and previous user of the mobile app says; “The goal setting was a motivational tool for me, but I found doing the mobile exercise with my partner, is what also drove me to make healthy changes – because we could support and encourage each other”

Bringing about behaviour changes in our life is no easy task. We have to want to do it and it helps if we have the right tools at our disposal along with a good support network.

Spring believes that one of the big challenges in treating obesity is the need to provide behavioural treatment in a healthcare system where professionals don’t often have the time and training to support people with unhealthy diets or mental problems.

The RSPH is a strong advocator of the benefits of making healthier behavioural changes, but acknowledges that for many this can be challenging. The RSPH Level 2 Awards in Understanding Behaviour Change, is a qualification aimed at helping learners, health trainers and anyone working within the community to engage with individuals to develop strategies to undergo behaviour change and to offer brief advice and interventions to support individuals in improving their health and wellbeing. Please click here for further information on the qualification, or contact Gina Mohajer.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Understanding Behaviour Change:

Happening at all levels

On the 29^th November 2012, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) held a seminar on behaviour change. Led by Graham Rushbrook Development Advisor for RSPH, there was a chance to learn about the RSPH’s new Understanding Behaviour Change qualification, as well as to hear Kent Community NHS Health Trust’s experience of using the qualification. Participants then engaged in discussion about their experiences of obstacles to behaviour change for their clients.

The RSPH Understanding Behaviour Change qualification focuses on how best to support individuals in adopting positive behaviour change. At the heart of effective behaviour change is effective communication and relationship building. Within a one-to-one setting, the needs of the client are at the centre of all interactions, and the focus is on the holistic support of clients – not limiting support to narrow health requirements. As Graham highlighted, behaviour change “is done with, not to people”.

If individuals are to choose to change their lifestyles, any fear or ambivalence first needs to be addressed. It is also essential that an individual’s right not to change their behaviour is respected, and that the context and circumstances that may affect development of a plan to change lifestyle or health behaviour information is understood. The qualification also covers the importance of presenting information appropriately and accurately based on the needs of the individual, and teaches how to develop an effective lifestyle or behaviour change implementation plan and how to evaluate the impact of advice given.

Anne Ford, Head of Self Management and Prevention at Kent Community NHS Health Trust, spoke about her experience of using the RSPH’s behaviour change qualification to enable Health Trainers to support people with chronic health conditions. She highlighted that the effectiveness of behaviour change techniques lies in their client-centred nature and underlined the potentially valuable role of Health Trainers in supporting individuals in self management. The assessment of the Kent Community NHS Health Trust self-management and prevention plan has shown that through behaviour change training, Health Trainers have offered a wide range of support to clients, including referrals, signposting, accessing services from Age UK, organising respite care and supporting improvements in eating habits.

The RSPH qualification is set at Level 2, involves 16 hours guided learning time and is assessed through a multiple choice exam. Graham Rushbrook then led participants through a workshop session, asking participants to assess how the organisations, systems, disciplines and professions that they represent make it harder for clients to change.

Participants suggested that if behaviour change interventions are to be successful and sustainable:

- There needs to be a holistic focus on the client, enabling underlying issues as well as health behaviours to be addressed. The client needs to be at the centre of the decision making process and interventions must be tailored to their needs.

- Frontline staff need to buy into behaviour change techniques and training needs to be provided to enable them to work effectively with clear and consistent models. Communication between frontline services is vital if clients are to be treated holistically and effectively.

- Behaviour change interventions need to be better understood by funders and management. This will involve recognition of the timescales involved (behaviour change interventions are not quick-fix) and also that quantifying results may not be possible in traditional ways.

Participants then looked at how these difficulties could be turned into opportunities for improving health. The focus in behaviour change theory on joined up services and holistic interventions, as well as developing partnerships was deemed an opportunity. In addition, moving the focus from assessing interventions based on quantity to assessment based on quality was seen as a huge opportunity for health improvement. It was also noted that behaviour change training can be achieved with little funding where training is offered in-house and that by sharing best practice between organisations and services, there is a great opportunity to ensure that behaviour change interventions meet their potential.

Next Steps

RSPH Training Solutions, will be running training sessions throughout 2013 to build understanding about behaviour change and to also build capacity to deliver the Behaviour Change qualification and training. Our first date for this will be on the 26th February followed by a Train the Trainer programme on the 5th March. For further information on opportunities to share best practice and offer in house training please contact Gina Mohajer, 0207 265 7327 or visit Training Solutions homepage.

We will also be hosting further seminars around behaviour change to facilitate an engaged discussion with funders and commissioners about the case for supporting this type of intervention. The next one will be in March, to register your interest, please contact Gina.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 12:04:00 +0000

Combating the myth that creativity

is linked with mental illness!

The belief that creative people are more likely to suffer from mental illness, is an ancient notion that has transcended through the years and has long been part of our popular culture. The tortured artist or the visionary genius who succumbs to his/her own personal demons, is an image that is perhaps a little too familiar. However, how legitimate is this concept ? Are creative people really prone to increased mental health issues? Or is being “creative” actually the coping mechanism to improve mental health?

Reverse the stigma

Previous studies, namely recognised as being poor and often subject to bias, have shown a link between creativity and mental illness. This could be a result of artists and writers who kill themselves often becoming high profile news items, and hence distorting the truth. Artists and writers who live contented and well-balanced lifestyles are likely to attract less attention.

The study

Researchers from Gothenburg University and Uppsaala University in Sweden, sought to distinguish the association between creativity and mental disorder and whether in fact a correlation existed. The study used Swedish health records to identify more than a million people diagnosed with various mental illnesses. They compared the incidence of creative occupations among people with mental illness against a matched sample of “healthy” people.

The study identified that people in creative professions were significantly less likely than people in other professions, to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, ADHD or to have committed suicide. The only exception to this was writers. It was found that people who wrote for a living were twice as likely to suffer from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and more likely to experience depression and anxiety disorder.

The study was however unable to identify how or why, people with certain creative talents or dispositions would be more likely to experience mental health problems. For example, does being a writer lead to psychiatric problems? Or, do mental health suffers turn to creative pursuits in order to express themselves?

Arts/Culture as a way to improve mental health

Over the past few decades, research has emerged around the positive impact that arts/culture can have on health, particularly mental health. One such cohort study by a Norwegian researcher, Koenraad Cuypers, performed statistical analysis on the health data of 50,797 Norwegians, as part of the Nord-Trodelag Health Study. The evidence derived from the study showed that participation in cultural/creative activities were significantly associated with good health, good satisfaction with life, low anxiety and depression. Further information on arts and health studies can be found at The Arts Research Monitor by clicking here http://www.artsresearchmonitor.com/articles.php?catUID=6

In the UK, health professionals and creative artists have worked together for over 25 years using the arts to support healthcare and health promotion. Thus, the importance of arts as a way of improving health must not be underestimated. Whether you are watching a concert, visiting an art gallery, painting, singing, dancing or reading – these creative activities have been recognised as effective ways to decrease stress, create community cohesion and improve social interaction as well as providing a sense of relief from everyday life.

Dr. James Aw, Medical Director of the Medcan Clinic Toronto stated that; “Hobbies and interests outside of work are important for health. New experiences and expanding social networks through art and culture is one piece of the armamentarium in achieving optimal health and living well.”

Early 2013 the RSPH will be holding a new programme, "New Horizons," to address an emerging and widening interest in how the arts can positively impact health and wellbeing. For further information or to register your interest please contact Gina Mohajer.

To conclude

From the Swedish study, although cause and effect was not ascertained, it nevertheless, highlighted the importance of good mental health and ensuring that those who suffer from mental disorders have the appropriate support and information available to them.

The RSPH has been involved in promoting the benefits of mental health and demonstrating how this can be achieved. Good mental health is integral for all parts of life, not only for the individual but also for the affects it has on family, relationships, work and society as a whole. Thus, it is imperative for mental health to remain at the top of National and Local Government agenda and policy.

To read RSPH full report on Mental Health please click here.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:49:00 +0000

Are you looking for creative ways to engage people in taking care of their minds?

Mindapples founder Andy Gibson will be presenting a half-day seminar at RSPH in London on November 15th, sharing lessons learnt about engaging people in the positive side of mental health.

The session will cover:

Tips and techniques for talking about positive mental health with the general public

The science of resilience and what psychology can teach us about looking after our minds

A selection of interesting facts about the workings of the mind that will engage and benefit your communities

A chance to share tips between participants about the most effective ways of engaging people in taking a more active role in maintaining their mental health

This session will particularly benefit health trainers, community workers and other professionals seeking to promote mental wellbeing and build resilience in patient groups and communities.

The cost of the workshop is £50 per person, if you are interested in attending please contact Gina Mohajer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 11:09:00 +0000

Why we should take that extra little time and have a nutritious and whole grain breakfast

Are you one of those people who eats breakfast on the go? Not really thinking about what is going in your mouth so long as it does the job of filling you up? Or worse yet, do you skip breakfast all together, simply because you do not have the time?

Research has shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day; increases concentration, helps with weight loss and lowers cholesterol levels. However, it is what we consume for breakfast that will make the fundamental difference to our health.

Cardiovascular disease accounts for one-third of deaths worldwide, of which unhealthy diets is a major risk factor. We are reminded time and time again of the many health benefits of consuming a diet that is rich in fibre, whole grain and cereal.

Numerous studies over the years have supported the argument that these types of foods can reduce the risk of developing certain diseases including, coronary heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

However, why do so many of us choose to ignore these dietary recommendations? Is it because we are lazy, stuck in rut and don’t know how to make changes? Or is it because we know certain foods are good/bad for us but don’t really understand why?

As John O’Mullane and Carol Muir author of the Fat Factor point out;

“When it comes to diet related problems...you need to be armed with the necessary background information that will allow you to make informed decisions”.

Why is whole grain food good for us and what can we do to make sure we have enough of it in our diet?

Grains consist of three parts, the Bran (the outer layer which contains the fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and dietary minerals) the Endosperm (the main part which is mostly starch) and the Germ (the smallest part which contains vitamin E, phosphorus, magnesium, folate and thiamine).

When grains are refined, i.e the bran and germ is removed (to make white flour, white bread, pastries) it leaves behind the energy-dense but nutrient-poor endosperm portion of the grain. This process strips away more than half of wheat's B vitamins, 90 percent of the vitamin E, and virtually all of the fibre.

Refined grains and cereals often have a higher GI, which means that it causes a sharp rise in blood sugars and hence causes the pancreas to work even harder.

Phillip Mellen, M.D., lead author and an assistant professor of internal medicine said "Years ago, scientists hypothesized that the higher rates of chronic diseases we have in the West, including heart disease, are due, in part, to a diet full of processed foods.”

The benefits

Whole grains help protect against Heart Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Cancer and Obesity

“A growing body of research shows that returning to whole grains and other less-processed sources of carbohydrates and cutting back on refined grains improves health in myriad ways” Harvard School of Public Health.

Numerous studies over the years are pointing to the conclusion that whole grain and better health walk hand in hand. A major research study from the Wake Forest University of Medicine, analysed seven studies involving 285,000 people between 1966 and 2006. From the data they found consuming whole grains on a daily basis lowered the risk of cardiovascular disease considerably.

“Eating an average of 2.5 servings of whole grains each day is associated with a 21 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease compared to consuming only 0.2 servings”, said Mellon.

The main reason for this reduction in heart disease is because whole grain, as opposed to refined foods, decreases blood pressure, lowers cholesterol in the blood stream and steadies insulin levels.

Type 2 Diabetes

A large study of 160,000 women whose health and dietary habits were followed up over 18 years, found that those who consumed 2 -3 servings of whole grains a day were 30 percent less likely to have developed type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate whole grains. As such, researchers estimate that swapping white rice for whole grain could lower diabetes risk by 36 percent.

Cancer

The data on cancer is a little more ambiguous, however, the properties contained within whole grain such as phytoestrogens (plant estrogens), the essential minerals such as, magnesium, selenium and manganese, are believed to protect against some cancers. A Norwegian study found that people who ate the highest amount of whole grains reduced their risk of death from cancer by almost 25 percent. A consistent protective effect has been observed when whole grains are eaten three to four times a week.

Healthy Bowel Movement and Weight Control

The fibre in whole grains helps prevent constipation by increasing the movement of food through the digestive tract. As a result, this decreases levels of destructive bacteria and the build up of carcinogenic compounds. Wheat fibre can bind certain toxins and remove them from the large bowel.

Moreover, high fibre foods including wholegrain breads, cereals and oats, can be an effective way to help loose weight healthily. Not only are whole grains naturally low in saturated fat they take longer to digest and create a feeling of fullness – discouraging overeating.

What are whole grain foods and how much should we be eating?

Examples of whole grain foods include rye bread, brown rice, oatmeal, barley, bulgur wheat, wheat berries and flours such as whole wheat. Although there are no standard guidelines on how much whole grain we should eat, it is recommended that we consume at least three servings of whole grain a day. Swapping white bread and white rice for brown, having more whole wheat and whole grain cereals are just some suggestions. For information and useful tips on how to incorporate whole grain into your diet click here

Altering our diet is not always easy, but making small changes can have far reaching and positive affects to our health and what better way to start than with breakfast!

Read more on the benefits of whole grain by click here.

Whole grains should be eaten as part of a balanced diet.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 13:17:00 +0000

Publication of the No Health Without Mental Health: Implementation Framework

The RSPH has supported and contributed to a new mental health implementation framework, which sets out what organisations can do to make the 6 high-level objectives of the Governments mental health strategy “No Health Without Mental Health” a reality.
The framework sets out :-

What changes are needed to turn the strategy into a reality
How progress in implementing the strategy will be measured and reported
What local organisations can do to implement the strategy
How local action will be aided by Government and other national organisations

The Royal Society for Public Health will develop a range of accessible, short training programmes and a linked accredited qualification to support the implementation of the framework. The programme will focus on increasing awareness about mental health and wellbeing within the many professions, practitioner groups and organisations in the voluntary, public and private sectors who work to improve population health and wellbeing. It will aim to strengthen capacity and capability to provide universal and targeted support at community and workplace level and be aligned with existing peer-to-peer approaches such as health champions and community connectors.

The RSPH Level 2 Award in Understanding Mental Health and Wellbeing will be available later this year. If you are interested in registering to find out more please email Richard Burton at rburton@rsph.org.uk

If you would like more details on the RSPH's training programmes please register your interest with Gina Mohajer at gmohajer@rsph.org.uk

The framework can be viewed here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/07/mentalhealthframework/

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:40:00 +0000

Fish-tastic – benefits of oily fish

Nowadays with all the marketing and access to information, most people are aware that eating oily fish regularly has many health benefits, including preventing heart disease and lowering cholesterol. However, a recent news article went a step further and reported that oily fish can significantly cut the risk of prostate cancer death.

In the UK around 11,000 men die from prostate cancer every year. Therefore, will increasing ones intake of salmon and mackerels really reduce the risk of dying from prostate?

The report came from a study of 525 men with prostate cancer in Sweden. The study assessed the men’s diets in the year before they were diagnosed with the disease, and they were then followed for 20 years to identify which of them died from the prostate cancer. The study was published in the American Journal of Epidemiology and was carried out by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and other research centres in the US, Iceland and Sweden

The findings illustrated that those men who had a higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish, had a lower risk of having died from their prostate cancer. Whereas men whose prostate cancer had not spread at the time of diagnosis and who had a higher rate of consumption of saturated fats (bad fats that raise cholesterol) were more likely to have died from their disease.

Although further research needs to be carried out before a firm conclusion between, oily fish and surviving prostate cancer, can be established, it is nonetheless true that foods high in omega-3 bring many health benefits.

Why is oily fish good for us?

Incorporating oily fish in our diet has been recognised as boosting our health. Not only is oily fish an excellent source of lean protein, it also contains good levels of important nutrients such as selenium, magnesium, vitamins B12, B6 and B3 and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids (EFA’s). Therefore oily fish has been identified as playing a vital role in helping to reduce the pain of arthritis, lowering blood pressure and warding off cancer and heart disease.

Tracy Parker, heart health dietician at the British Heart Foundation said, “'The omega 3 in oily fish is good for overall heart health as well as improving survival levels after heart attack because of its anti-inflammatory properties, which help keep the heart blood vessels healthy”.

These fatty acids are also recognised as reducing depression, balancing hormones and are important for maintaining healthy skin.

What fish is oily and how much should we consume?

Fish such as anchovies, mackerel, salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and whitebait contain long-chain omega-3 fatty acids

The Food Standard Agency (FSA) has recommendations for the amount of fish people should consume each week, and this varies for men and women. The reason is that although oily fish is good for you, it also contains low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body.

It is advised that men and boys consume up to four portions of oily fish a week, whereas women should have up to two portions. Each portion is around 140g.

For further information on the benefits of oily fish, please visit the Food Standard Agency website here.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:19:00 +0000

RSPH In Conversation With… Professor Susan Michie

The Royal Society for Public Health (http://www.rsph.org.uk), with support from the Philipp Family Foundation, continues its series of podcasts, investigating key issues facing Public Health, with an international perspective.

In our interview with Professor Susan Michie, the topic is Behaviour Change, and how ”Western” lifestyles are storing up long term problems for the general population. With illustrations from the UK and around the world, Professor Michie discusses the huge economic cost of ill health, and the circumstances required to support people in making change to their lifestyles.

As the cost of health care continues to rise, and the UK Health Service is required to make substantial savings, this topic is of crucial importance. The majority of causes of ill-health are linked to people’s behaviour, whether through their lifestyle choices, their take up of vaccination and screening programmes or the way in which health care is delivered, so it is vital to learn lessons from other countries and from previous behaviour change campaigns.

You can listen to the interview with Professor Susan Michie, and previous podcasts with Professor Richard Parish and Professor Sir Michael Marmot now on the About Us page of the RSPH website or by clicking here.