‘Breast screening reduces deaths from breast cancer’ says PHA

Evidence shows breast screening is the most reliable way of detecting early breast cancer at a stage when treatment is usually simpler and more successful, therefore reducing deaths. Breast cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is detected at an early stage – 97% of women diagnosed through screening survive at least five years compared to 84% for all breast cancer patients.

Transmit: Health protection service bulletin. 2011: Issue 5

This edition of Transmit has an extensive overview of tuberculosis (TB) in Northern Ireland in 2010. It provides a background to the disease and a summary of the TB situation globally and in the UK, including Northern Ireland. It also highlights the geographical trends, such as country or area of TB acquisition, outlines the situation with regard to new entrants in Northern Ireland and introduces the WHO’s Stop TB Strategy, aimed at dramatically reducing TB worldwide by 2015.

PHA promotes health and wellbeing at Belfast Pride 2011

The Public Health Agency (PHA) will be joining the Belfast Pride celebrations in Custom House Square this Saturday (30 July), where information on health and wellbeing issues that affect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGB&T) people in Northern Ireland will also be provided. The PHA was set up to promote and enhance the factors that influence good health and wellbeing, and to reduce the avoidable and unjust differences in health experienced by the best and the worst-off in our society.

PHA media award winning film helps launch Belfast Pride 2011

An award-winning public health information film, Closet Full of Lies, gets its premiere at the launch of this year’s Belfast Pride in the Europa Hotel on 23 July. The short film, produced by young Derry man Shay O’Donnell, gives a glimpse into the life of a man struggling with issues related to his sexuality. Closet Full of Lies won 1st prize for ‘Best Moving Image’ in the Public Health Agency (PHA) Western Investing for Health (WIFH) Partnership Student Media Awards, held in the North West Regional College last March.

Adult non-smokers’ exposure to second-hand smoke

This quantitative study was commissioned by the DHSSPS as part of their smoke-free monitoring and evaluation strategy after the introduction of smoke-free legislation in Northern Ireland in April 2007.

The research was undertaken to determine the impact of smoke-free legislation on non-smoking adults who live with a smoker.

Using research carried out both before and after the introduction of smoke-free legislation, this study details for the first time the attitudes and knowledge of non-smoking adults living with smokers in Northern Ireland, in relation to second-hand smoke.

All island evaluation of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST): Summary report

An all-island action plan on suicide prevention was developed in 2007 in conjunction with the DHSSPS in Northern Ireland and the National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP) in the Republic. The plan contains a rolling programme of actions designed to take forward issues of mutual interest.

PHA statement on Tuberculosis (TB)

The Public Health Agency is aware that the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust has been dealing with two linked cases of TB and a third possible case. As is usual practice, health protection experts at PHA have been working closely with the Trust on the public health management and follow up of contacts, in line with national guidance.
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