The Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) recently worked with Health News on the 2021 Personal Health campaign.  A printed publication was enclosed within every copy of the Irish Independent newspaper, and the content is now available online at https://bit.ly/2Ody4vT  The campaign featured exclusive content from key thought leaders and practitioners, raising awareness of some of the most prevalent health conditions in Ireland.

The Southern Area Men’s Health Group invite you to take part in their first ever Webinar, which will focus upon men 'springing forward' after a long year marked by all things COVID!

This upbeat event will take place on Wednesday 31st March 2021 at 10.30am via Zoom.  Participants will be treated to a fantastic morning of guest speakers, to include: (i) the experience of a local Men’s Shed; a COVID-19 Q&A session with Professor Luke O'Neill from Trinity College Dublin; an overview of 'Jumpers for Goalposts' - the inspiring story of how men in local communities can use an informal kick-a-bout to form and re-renew friendships; having a laugh with professional comedian, Andrew Ryan ...          

To register or get more information, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tel: 075 0077 2905.

 

The launch of the HSE National Suicide Bereavement Support Guide takes place on Thursday 11th March 2021, from 2.00pm to 3.00pm.  This Guide was an output from the 'Improving Suicide Bereavement Supports in Ireland' report which recommended 10 key actions; one of which was the development of a 'standardised suicide bereavement resource guide with accurate, relevant, up-to-date and consistent information for individuals and families that have lost a loved one to suicide or suspected suicide'.  The Guide was developed by a working group consisting of HSE Resource Officers for Suicide Prevention and individuals bereaved by suicide.  The launch will be attended by Mary Butler TD, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People, and will feature contributions from some members of the working group.  Register to attend at https://ims.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Dv4NQ9K5TN-rBgAmGcNxDQ

International Men's Health Week (MHW) always begins on the Monday before Father's Day and ends on Father's Day itself.  This coming year, it will run from Monday 14th until Sunday 20th June 2021.

Since the start of January 2021, an all-island Planning Group for MHW (convened by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland) has been meeting and corresponding to finalise the theme and develop resources for the week.  A lot has been achieved.

This year, MHW on the island of Ireland will focus upon ‘making the connections’ and the call to action will be:

• -  CHECK IN with yourself to see how you are coping / feeling, and to identify any health worries that you might have.
• -  CHECK UP on your family, friends, neighbours, colleagues to see how they’re doing and to offer support.
• -  If you notice anything worrying or which needs attention, CHECK IT OUT and seek information / help / support / treatment.

Make sure that you have the dates in your diary and are thinking about how you might do something to mark this week.  It’s never too early to start planning.  Have a look at what took place last year to give you an idea of what is possible: https://www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2020.html

To mark its twenty-first birthday in 2020, the Men's Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) undertook a research project titled ‘Men’s Health in Numbers’.  Funded by the Health Service Executive’s Health and Wellbeing Division, this sought to produce:

1. A comprehensive Trends Report that describes, in detail, changes in significant markers of men’s health on the island of Ireland in the last twenty years.
2. An infographically-driven Men’s Health Report Card that provides a lay person’s synopsis of contemporary key men’s health statistics in the Republic of Ireland.

These were officially launched at a webinar in December 2020, and you are invited to download a free copy of each publication at …

• Trends Report:  https://www.mhfi.org/MensHealthInNumbers1.pdf
• Report Card 2020:  https://www.mhfi.org/MensHealthInNumbers2.pdf

With the support of the Carers Team in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, MHFI will be producing a Northern Ireland version of the Report Card in time for Men's Health Week 2021.

A full recording of the launch is available on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/WwHZdF2OQLg

 

Tracking differences in COVID-19 infection, illness and death among women and men is essential to understanding the pandemic.  The COVID-19 Sex-Disaggregated Data Tracker is the world’s largest database of sex-disaggregated data on COVID-19.  It is produced by Global Health 50/50, the African Population and Health Research Center and the International Center for Research on Women.  Together, they are investigating what roles sex and gender are playing in the outbreak, building the evidence base of what works to tackle gender disparities in health outcomes, and advocating for effective gender-responsive approaches to COVID-19.  See how different countries are affected at: https://globalhealth5050.org/the-sex-gender-and-covid-19-project

Loneliness is emerging as a key public health challenge for the population during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Evidence shows that it is a significant issue for population health - as people who experience loneliness have a poorer overall quality of life and physical and mental health.  Register now for an Institute of Public Health webinar focusing upon the impact of Covid-19 on loneliness on the island of Ireland.  This will take place on Thursday 25th February 2021, between 11.00am and 12.15pm.  At this event, you will hear from leading experts and community organisations about the evidence, policy and challenges for public health.  To book a place, visit: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d5XYgGcFTgWpF8NMkQg-cg