Get wise to your health – Get Healthwise!

With this year almost at an end and 2011 around the corner, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is encouraging people with specific health conditions to join the Healthwise scheme – a free 12 week physical activity programme.The scheme is available at registered leisure centres and Healthy Living Centres (HLCs) within the Belfast and South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust areas and is for people with certain health conditions who have been referred by their GP, nurse or other health professionals.The scheme is suitable for those with:• high blood pressure;

Good Practice Guides

This series of Good Practice Guides is designed to share important information about health inequalities and some of the evidence-based measures that can be taken to reduce the stark differences in health and wellbeing within populations.

Transmit: Health protection service bulletin. 2010: Issue 6

Issue 6 of Transmit covers a wide range of health protection issues, leading with headline statistics from the HIV and STI surveillance in Northern Ireland 2010 report, released on World AIDS Day, December 1. The report underlines the continued need for vigilance against STIs in Northern Ireland and details the emergence of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) among men who have sex with men (MSM).

PHA warn pregnant women to ‘get the flu vaccine now’

The Public Health Agency (PHA) is urging all pregnant women, no matter what stage of pregnancy, to get their flu vaccine as soon as possible. The PHA is emphasising this message, particularly as three confirmed cases of H1N1 flu have now been identified in pregnant women, in Northern Ireland. Dr Lorraine Doherty, Assistant Director of Public Health (Health Protection), PHA said: “While there are low circulating levels of flu amongst the general population, these three cases of H1N1 confirmed in pregnant women, tells us that pregnant women could be hard hit again with flu.”

Respiratory diseases and infections

The respiratory team covers influenza, tuberculosis (TB) and Legionnaires’ disease. Issues associated with influenza include surveillance and public health preparedness/response for pandemic, avian and seasonal influenza viruses.

Current work includes surveillance, prevention and control of the following diseases: TB, seasonal/pandemix influenza and Legionnaires’ disease.
 

Epidemiology of tuberculosis in Northern Ireland: Annual surveillance report 2007

This report provides an annual update on the prevalence of tuberculosis in Northern Ireland. It gives a general overview of TB rates and statistics, and looks at both pulmonary and non-pulmonary tuberculosis cases in detail, examining the forms of therapy employed and highlighting any drug resistance. The report also includes a discussion, which considers the specifics of newly diagnosed cases (age, place of birth) and provides some comparative data for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Traveller Focus Week

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has presented a response to the findings of the All Ireland Travellers’ Health Study. Mary Black, PHA Assistant Director of Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement, addressed an event organised in Travellers’ Focus Week and hosted by An Munia Tober, the Traveller support organisation.

Look after yourself this winter

The Public Health Agency is advising everyone to look after themselves and others, especially elderly, as the cold winter weather sets in. With high fuel costs and colder weather vulnerable groups such as older people find it increasingly difficult to afford to heat their home adequately. Staying warm in winterKeeping warm over winter months can help prevent colds, flu or more serious health problems like pneumonia. There are simple things you can do to keep warm and stay healthy and make the best use of your heating at home.
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