Poor mental health and wellbeing within the construction industry has become a silent crisis.  Indeed, men in construction sectors account for half of all male suicides in Ireland.

To mark this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week (18th-24th May 2020) the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has published a new report titled 'Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment', which highlights the findings of a survey of over 2,000 CIOB members and construction workers from around the world.  Key findings include:

• Stress was the most common mental health issue experienced by respondents.
• A quarter of construction workers have considered taking their own lives.
• Multiple physical factors contribute to stress within the working environment.
• There is a lack of mental health training / awareness in this sector.

 
These findings highlight the state of mental health within the construction industry prior to the outbreak of Covid-19, and CIOB is concerned that the pandemic has further exacerbated the poor mental health of many within the industry.

A copy of the report is available at: www.mhfi.org/CIOB.pdf

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a major impact upon men.  While there is a broadly similar incidence and prevalence to women, men: are faster at developing serious illness; recover slower from the virus; have a higher death rate.  However, there is also a broad range of mental health and social impacts upon men and the wider community which are a cause for concern.

The Engage National Men’s Health Training Programme has invited Alan White, Emeritus Professor of Men’s Health, to present his insights into why this might be so via a one hour online webinar.  This will take place on Wednesday 13th May 2020 at 11.00am.  Alan will give a presentation on the current evidence, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions afterwards.

To book a place on this webinar, send an email to Colin Fowler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   Please note that places are strictly limited and will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis.  Only registered people can join the meeting.

Thanks a million to our colleagues at Aspect Media in Belfast for producing this eye-catching video on men and COVID-19 ...

 

COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways.  It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.  This is spread in sneeze or cough droplets, and infects you via your eyes, nose or mouth.  Therefore, it’s important to wash your hands thoroughly and often, and to avoid touching these areas.

The main symptoms to look for are:

• a cough - this can be any kind of cough, not just a dry one
• shortness of breath
• breathing difficulties
• fever (high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above) or chills

It can take up to 14 days for symptoms of coronavirus to appear.  If you develop symptoms, the first thing that you need to do is to self-isolate.  It's also important to restrict your movements if you are / were in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus.

However, there is a lot of false information being circulated, so it is crucial to follow the official up-to-date guidance from:

* The Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland - https://www2.hse.ie/coronavirus

* The Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland - https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus

 

Are middle-aged men not interested in looking after their own mental health, or are we simply not offering them the right things in the right way? ...  If you work in the Republic of Ireland, are curious about the answer to this question, and would like to explore practical strategies to help your organisation to engage more effectively with middle-aged men, then you might be interested in a free one day workshop on ‘Men in the Middle’ - engaging middle-aged men in mental health and wellbeing.  This workshop has been developed by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI), and is a new Unit within the highly successful and long-running ‘Engage’ National Men’s Health Training Programme.  MHFI is currently looking for groups who would like to host this free workshop for their staff / volunteers / activists.  For more details, see: https://www.mhfi.org/EngageUnit7Workshop.pdf

In December 2019, the Department of Health in the Republic of Ireland published the 12th edition of 'Health in Ireland'.  The 2019 edition of ‘Health in Ireland: Key Trends’ provides summary statistics on health and health care over the past ten years.  It highlights selected trends and topics, and includes data from newly available sources.  There are also several tables and graphs comparing Ireland with other countries in the EU or the OECD - to provide context for national performance and to assess progress. The booklet is divided into seven chapters, covering topics from population growth, life expectancy and health status, to profiles of the new regional health areas.  A copy can be downloaded from: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/f1bb64-health-in-ireland-key-trends-2019

The Sports Students as Mentors for Boys and Young Men (SSaMs) project aims to improve boys' and young men’s educational attainment and prevent early school leaving via an innovative approach which mixes gender-sensitive mentoring and sports.  The project recently launched a range of resources for both students and those who train them.  These can be accessed at: https://sportsmentors.eu/resources

You are invited to apply for a place on a free event titled: 'Domestic Violence and Abuse - What About Men?'  This will take place on Tuesday 24th March, from 1.30pm to 3.00pm, in Training Room 2, Downshire Hospital, Ardglass Road, Downpatrick.  It will explore: the nature and extent of domestic abuse perpetrated against men; types, indicators and impact of abuse; barriers to seeking help; and services available to male victims.  This event is open to anyone working in the statutory, voluntary or community sectors.  To book a place, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.