Alcohol and drugs make a bad combination for mental wellbeing

With Mental Health Awareness Week drawing to a close, the Public Health Agency (PHA) has highlighted the risks that alcohol and drugs can pose to people’s mental health and wellbeing. Owen O’Neill, the PHA’s Drug and Alcohol Lead, said: “Binge drinking and drug use, particularly in combination, can have a serious impact on your mental wellbeing as there is a strong link between drinking, drug use and depression; and hangovers and ‘coming down’ can leave you feeling anxious and low.

Pocket packs provide a lifeline to homeless people

The Public Health agency (PHA) and the Council for the Homeless NI (CHNI) are working together to provide ‘pocket packs’ to vulnerable homeless people in Belfast. Rough sleepers are at increased risk of problems including substance misuse and exposure to cold weather which can result in problems with foot health, chest infections and hypothermia. The PHA and CHNI are working in partnership with Extern’s SUITCASE members, who have themselves, experience of substance misuse and homelessness, to assist rough sleepers in the Belfast area by providing pocket packs.

Dying matters – Be ready for it!

Palliative and end of life care is everybody’s business, and to mark ‘Dying Matters Awareness Week’ (13 - 19 May 2013) the Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging everyone to take the opportunity to talk openly about dying, death and bereavement with those closest to them. The theme for this year’s Dying Matters Awareness Week is ‘Be ready for it’, a focused call to action aimed at encouraging members of the public to take five simple steps to make their end of life experience better, both for them and for their loved ones. The five steps are:

Directory of services to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing

These five directories list the organisations that offer services to help improve mental health and emotional wellbeing. Where possible, additional information has also been provided, such as websites or email addresses and contact details within each Health and Social Care Trust area.

Protecting you and your baby: Screening tests for infectious diseases in pregnancy

This leaflet gives information on the blood tests that are normally offered and recommended at the first antenatal visit. These tests look for possible health problems that could affect the mother’s health and the health of the baby. Only o

This leaflet gives information on the blood tests that are normally offered and recommended at the first antenatal visit. These tests look for possible health problems that could affect the mother’s health and the health of the baby. Only one sample of blood is needed to do all six tests. The tests are done by consent and this leaflet should help pregnant women make their decision.

Skin cancer prevention

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Northern Ireland and accounts for 28% of all cancers diagnosed here, with incidence rising over recent decades. Between 1984 and 2005, for example, the incidence of malignant melanoma for both males and females almost trebled.  Between 1993 and 2009, the number of new cases of non-melanoma cancers increased from 2,081 to 3,301 cases. 

Vine vid tips to get park kit fit

Using Twitter's new video app Vine, the PHA has produced a series of videos lasting just six seconds each to show you how to use the fitness equipment available in outdoor gyms across Belfast. Funded by Belfast City Council and the Public Health Agency under the Active Belfast Programme, the gyms are located at the heart of our communities to provide a fun way for people to get fit.

Get the facts on AAA screening at the Balmoral Show

Research shows that men are approximately six times more likely to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) than women and the chance of having an aneurysm increases with age – at the age of 65, about one in every 40 men will have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. With this in mind, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is hosting an AAA screening stand at this year’s Balmoral Show to increase awareness of the screening programme and to encourage uptake by people who are eligible.

Eat well, keep well and reduce your risk of cancer

What we eat affects our health. With just a few small changes to what we eat every day, we can help to protect against major illnesses, including some cancers. These changes can also give our health an extra boost.

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