A Drink Too Many - The Health Implications of Alcohol
Evidence reveals that alcohol causes 13,000 cancer cases a year in Britain

There is a misconception that only people who binge drink or get drunk are most at risk of developing health problems.  However, evidence now shows that most people who regularly drink more than the NHS recommended guidelines (3-4 units for men and 2-3 units for women daily) may in fact be damaging their health, and increasing their chance of getting cancer. 

The adverse effects of excessive alcohol consumption were made clear in last weeks health news reports, which used the findings from a large European study to highlight the correlation between cancer and alcohol.   

The research used data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), a cohort study which examined how diet and lifestyle related to the development of cancer.  The study included 363,988 people who were followed over a nine year period from eight European countries.  Participants taking part in the study, were requested to answer specific questions on the amount, frequency and type of any alcoholic drinks they consumed in the past and at present. 

The results published in the British Medical journal, “Alcohol attributable burden of incidence of cancer in eight European countries based on results from prospective cohort study” found that one in ten of all cancers in men and one in thirty-three in women were caused by past or current alcohol intake.  It revealed that alcohol consumption above the daily maximum, caused 33,037 of 178,587 alcohol-related cancers in men (18.5 percent) and 17,470 of the 397,043 alcohol-related cancers in women (4.4 percent).

The European study found that although there was a variation in average alcohol consumption across the European countries, alcohol was responsible for the following cancers:

-     - Upper digestive tract cancers (mouth, throat oesophagus) 44% for males and 25% for females

-     - Liver cancer 33% for males and 18% for females

-     - Colorectal cancer (bowel) 17% for males and 4% for females

-     - Female breast cancer 5%

In the UK specifically, drinking has caused 2,500 cases of breast cancers, 3,000 bowel cancers and 6,000 cases of cancers of the mouth, throat or windpipe. 

It is understood that when alcohol is broken down in the body it turns into acetaldehyde, a compound that damages DNA , which increases the risk of cells becoming cancerous.

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chairman of the UK Alcohol Health Alliance said, "In the last 10 years, mouth cancer has become much more common and one reason for this could be because of higher levels of drinking - as this study reflects.”

Information from NHS Choices, The Risks of Drinking Too Much highlights that alcohols hidden harms usually only emerge after a number of years, and these can consist of, liver problems, reduced fertility, high blood pressure, heart attack and increased risk of various cancers.  

The research concluded that there was a stronger association with cancers that are already known to be causally associated with alcohol, such as cancers of the mouth, throat, oesophagus and liver. For these cancers, much of the excess risk was due to drinking above the maximum daily limit, defined in the study as more than 24g of pure alcohol for men (3 units) and more than 12g for women (1.5 units).  

A Call For Action

In light of the evidence, cancer charities have affirmed that people should limit their drinking to lower the risk.  Cancer Partners UK medical director Prof Karol Sikora stated that this is the best data we are likely to get, therefore the message is clear “the more alcohol you drink, some of the common cancers - the four cancers that have been identified - do increase, and that's worrying. So the message has to be 'look at drinking habits, and reduce.'"

Co-author Naomi Allen, a Cancer Research UK epidemiologist based at Oxford University in the UK, said that this study adds to existing evidence that alcohol consumption causes cancer, and that even drinking moderate amounts can increase the risk, "The results from this study reflect the impact of people's drinking habits about ten years ago. People are drinking even more now than then and this could lead to more people developing cancer because of alcohol in the future," said Allen.

Madlen Schutze, lead researcher and study author from the German Institute of Human Nutrition, said that many cancer cases are avoidable if alcohol consumption was limited or stopped all together.   

Charities are now calling on governments to introduce tougher measures  to curb alcohol consumption.  Professor Gilmore told the BBC “that sitting back and waiting for people to change their habits, perhaps with voluntary partnerships with the drinks industry included in policies, will not bring about results”. 

What Can We All Do?

Eating healthily, doing exercise, not smoking and limiting our alcohol intake can all help prevent the risk of developing cancer.  RSPH Training Solutions has developed courses specifically to help people understand and improve their health and well-being.  The level 2 Award in Understanding Health Improvement provides knowledge and understanding of the benefits of good health and well being, and of the barriers to making a change of lifestyle.  This qualification is specifically designed for people who work with the public in a healthcare environment and those who have an interest in developing public health skills.  For further information on the course please click here or contact Nicolette Smith.  

World Health Day
Combating Drug Resistance - No action today means no cure tomorrow

Today (7th April) is World Health Day and this year’s theme is "Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread".  The World Health Organisation (WHO), who are sponsors of the day, have warned that drug resistance is becoming more severe and many infections are no longer easily cured.  As a result, this is leading to prolonged and expensive treatment and greater risk of death.  WHO calls for “urgent and concerted action by governments, health professionals, industry and civil society and patients to slow down the spread of drug resistance, and preserve medical advances for future generations”. 

What are Antimicrobial Agents?
Antimicrobial agents are medicines used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses.  The medicines include antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, antifungals, antivirals and antiparasite medicines.  Over the past seventy years, the advancement of medicine has played a pivotal role in helping us to live longer and healthier lives.  Antimicrobials have been responsible for alleviating suffering from disease and saving the lives of billions of people.  In today’s society we could not imagine living without them. 

“The discovery and use of antimicrobial drugs to treat diseases such as leprosy, tuberculosis, gonorrhoea and syphilis changed the course of medical and human history. Now, those discoveries and the generations of drugs that followed them are at risk, as high levels of drug resistance threaten their effectiveness”.   

The Health Concern
Antimicrobial resistance, also known as drug resistance, occurs when microorganisms adapt such that the medications used to treat the infections are ineffective.  When microorganisms become resistant to antimicrobials they are referred to as "super bugs".  WHO regard this as a major concern because infections that become resistant have the potential to kill, spread to others and imposes huge costs to the individuals and society. 

Last year, at least 440 000 new cases of multidrug resistant-tuberculosis were detected and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has been reported in 69 countries to date. The malaria parasite is acquiring resistance to even the latest generation of medicines, and resistant strains causing gonorrhea and shigella are limiting treatment options. Resistance is also emerging to the antiretroviral medicines used to treat people living with HIV.

In the Economic Times "Combat antimicrobial resistance on World Health Day" the article highlighted that, "Antibiotic resistance has now become one of the world's most pressing health problems"

WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan said, “The message on this World Health Day is loud and clear. The world is on the brink of losing these miracle cures,”

Click here for more information on antimicrobial resistance.

What Causes Antimicrobial Resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance is usually the result of inappropriate use of medicines, for example, by taking substandard doses or not finishing a prescribed course of treatment.  Low-quality medicines, wrong prescriptions also encourage the development and spread of drug resistance. 

The Economic Times points out that, "Antibiotics should not be used when not needed. Various studies have shown that nearly 50 percent of the use of antibiotics is inappropriate".  It is clear that more needs to be done to ensure that when patients visit doctors they desist taking antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.       

Call For Action
WHO believes that although antimicrobial is not a new problem it is worsening and all countries should take action to avoid regressing into a pre-antibiotic era.
WHO has published a six-point policy package that sets out the measures governments and their national partners need to combat drug resistance.  They argue that although governments need to take the lead, everyone has a role to play and that health professionals, civil society and other groups can also make important contributions to combat drug resistance.  

“On this World Health Day, WHO is issuing a policy package to get everyone, especially governments and their drug regulatory systems, on the right track, with the right measures, quickly,” said Dr Chan.

“The trends are clear and ominous. No action today means no cure tomorrow. At a time of multiple calamities in the world, we cannot allow the loss of essential medicines – essential cures for many millions of people – to become the next global crisis.”

To view the WHO news press release, please click here 

World Health Day and RSPH
For a list of our Training Solutions courses and to see the difference you can make please click here. 

World Health Day provides a great opportunity for us to raise awareness of current health issues, but more importantly to highlight the critical role we can play in understanding and improving health.  By understanding the needs of different people and the health barriers they face, we can help people take responsibility and make healthier life choices.

Shish' of a Time? The Health Implications of Waterpipe Smoking

“Every human being is the author of his own health or disease” Buddha

Smoking through a waterpipe, otherwise referred to as shisha, attracted attention in this weeks BBC health news: 'Shisha pipe smoking among young 'rising in Leicester'. The article expressed concern over the recent increase in Shisha users and once again challenged the misconception that Shisha smoking is safer than cigarettes. There is clearly a need for more to be done to get the health message across that smoking, in any form, is dangerous.

Over the past two decades tobacco smoking using waterpipes has become a massively popular and fashionable pastime among younger people. An activity normally shared with friends in homes, restaurants and cafes, shisha smoking has become socially accepted and widely regarded as a relaxing and an enjoyable experience. However, the rise in shisha smokers gives cause for concern because of the multiple associated health risks, of which people are either unaware or choose to ignore.  A report conducted in 2006 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) entitled, "Tobacco use in Shisha: Studies on waterpipe smoking in Egypt", claims that waterpipe smoking represents both a "modern renaissance of an old public health threat and the emergence of a new tobacco epidemic". 

Tobacco consumption has been linked to a high death rate worldwide (5 million deaths each year) and is considered to be the second major cause of death in the world that is completely preventable. With this statistic in mind, it raises the question; why do so many continue to smoke? 

The studies carried about by the WHO examining the effects of waterpipe smoking have all concluded that it is hazardous for our health. However, its growing popularity as a social, glamorous and harmless activity means much of the research has been overshadowed by people's misconceptions. Shisha smokers are thus left ill-informed and ignorant of the risks.

Dr Alan Shidaheh of the American University in Beirut says; "The historical lack of evidence has unfortunately allowed many Shisha users to believe that the practice was safe, or at least safer than other forms of tobacco use. We have recently learned otherwise.”

The History

The 2005 WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation "Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking: Health Effects, Research Needs and Recommended Actions" found that shisha has been smoked by people in Africa and Asia for at least four centuries. It is believed that a waterpipe was invented in India by a physician named Hakim Abul Fath who suggested that tobacco would be rendered less harmful if smoke was passed through a small receptacle of water. Thus, this widespread and unsubstantiated belief held by shisha users today - that the practice is safe - is as old as the waterpipe itself. 

Since the 1990s waterpipe smoking has become increasingly popular and is no longer dominated by older males in Middle Eastern countries.  Shisha smoking appears to have spread to new populations such as college students and young persons in the United States, UK and other European countries. 

Health Awareness - Battling the misconception

Although waterpipe smoking has not been studied as intensively as cigarette smoking, the preliminary research claims that it is associated with many of the same risks as cigarettes, and may in fact involve unique health risks.

The evidence affirms that the smoke that emerges from a waterpipe contains numerous toxicants which are responsible for causing oral cavity cancer, heart disease, tuberculosis and respiratory diseases. 

Waterpipe smoking, compared to cigarettes, is characterised by less frequent exposure (one to four sessions per day) but with a much more intense exposure per session, which can typically vary between 15 and 90 minutes. The uptake of tobacco nicotine is equivalent to 2-12 cigarettes per portion of tobacco used (hagar) and one person usually smokes several hagar per session. This translates into a nicotine intake equivalent to more than one pack of cigarettes per session. However, the waterpipe produces more smoke than cigarette smoking and thus overall smoke exposure could be as much as 100-200 cigarettes per session.

In addition, the temperature of burning tobacco in waterpipes is much lower than that in cigarettes, and the force needed to pull air through the high resistance of the water pathway, causes the smoke to be inhaled very deeply into the lungs. This is likely to cause patterns of cell injury in the oral and respiratory tracts. Smoking has also been shown to cause an accelerated decline in lung function.    

While it has been noted that the water does absorb some of the nicotine, waterpipe smokers can be exposed to a sufficient dose of this drug to cause addiction. Nicotine level intake in a standard session is similar to a single cigarette, yet the tar intake is 20 times greater. It is likely that the reduced concentration of nicotine in waterpipe smoke may result in smokers inhaling higher amounts of smoke and thus exposing themselves to higher levels of cancer-causing chemicals, alongside higher levels of arsenic, chromium and lead, as well as hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide.   

Professor Mostafa Mohamed, Professor of Community Medicine in Cairo and author of the 2006 WHO report stated that, “Heat sources that are commonly used in Shisha pipes to burn the tobacco are likely to increase the health risks because when they burn they produce their own toxins".

The report also points out that waterpipe smokers are exposed to a large number of genotoxicants via ingestion, respiration or absorption through the skin. Tobacco has been linked to mutations in the p53 tumour suppressor gene which leads to uncontrolled cell division and is found in over 50% of all human tumours.   

The study found that people who were waterpipe smokers were significantly more prone to develop hypertension and have higher blood pressure than non-smokers. The report also identified that waterpipe smokers are prone to repeated infections due to lowered immunity, and the habit of sharing waterpipes heightened the chance of contracting communicable diseases such as tuberculosis and hepatitis. There was ample evidence which showed that people who smoked were more likely to experience sleep disturbance. Thus the perception that smoking will help them relax and elevate their mood is, in fact, incorrect. 

The report highlighted that although further research needs to be done, there is strong viable evidence that exposure to waterpipe smoking is as harmful as the exposure to cigarette smoking, if not more so. 

Professor Mohamed affirmed that "Waterpipe smoking is growing epidemic. Any intervention programme to prevent this new threat must disabuse the public notion that waterpipes are less risky than cigarettes."  

What can we do?  

Changing our behaviour and habits is hard. Many people are reluctant to give up something they enjoy, particularly if its a social activity with friends. Hence it is easier to ignore the facts and live for the "now" rather than thinking about the consequences of our actions or wrongfully assuming that "it won't happen to me". 

We have to remember that our health is paramount and making sensible choices now can prevent unnecessary suffering later. 

Both the studies by the WHO point out that despite the strong evidence of health risks associated with waterpipe smoking, there remains few published studies on its negative effects. This has created an ambivalent and misguided picture of Shisha smoking.  More needs to be done to ensure people are educated about the dangers so that its reputation as a harmless and glamorous pastime gets demoted to unfashionable and unsafe!   

  

Education of health professionals, regulators and the public at large is urgently needed to make information more available. The WHO researchers stressed, “Waterpipes should be subjected to the same regulations as cigarettes and other tobacco products and should contain health warnings". 

RSPH  

The Royal Society for Public Health offer a course on Understanding Health Improvement Level 2 designed to provide knowledge and understanding of the benefits of good health and well being, and of the barriers to making a change of lifestyle.  For further information please contact Gina Mohajer. 

       

Getting It Out In The Open - Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People
Reducing Health Inequalities!

Sometimes as a society we tend to avoid issues that we do not feel comfortable with or perhaps do not understand and we may even falsely assume that everyone has the same health needs.  As a result, some people who are perceived as the most vulnerable and most in need of help, either get side stepped or fall through the net.  The Public Health White Paper Healthy Lives Healthy People, advocates a new approach to "reach across and reach out" to address the root causes of poor health to the people who need the most support.  With a particular emphasis on tackling health inequalities, high alcohol levels, smoking, mental health, sexual transmitted infections (STIs) and obesity.  We therefore have a responsibility to ensure people who experience health inequalities and are likely to be the most susceptible to the above, are not isolated or discriminated against, but are brought to the forefront of public health.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people tend to be vulnerable to a number of health risks because of people's reactions to their identity.  This can leave them feeling stigmatised and they are often unrecognised in health and social care settings.  Healthcare and other professionals have a misconception that LGB people's health needs are the same as those of heterosexual people, unless their health needs are related to sexual health.

A briefing written in 2007 by Dr Julie Fish as part of the Department of Health's Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Advisory Group's work programme entitled "Reducing health inequalities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people - briefings for health and social care staff" sought to highlight that LGB people can be younger, older, bisexual, lesbians, gay men, trans, from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities and disabled, and to dispel assumptions that they form a homogeneous group. 

Health Issues: What We Don’t know
Many young people know they are lesbian, gay or bisexual by the age of 11 or 12, but do not come out until they are 15 or 16 years of age.  The period between 11-16 years, has been described as the isolation years and has been identified as the time when young LGB’s need the most support and information.  During these critical “isolation years” LGB's may feel alone, confused and stigmatised particularly as it is also the period where they may encounter homophobic bullying in schools.  Evidence suggests that between 30% to 50% of young people in secondary schools, attracted to people of the same sex, would have experienced homophobic bullying, and that "gay" is the most frequent term of abuse in the playgrounds.  Young LGB people are also at risk of violence and victimisation and are likely to face verbal abuse, teasing, physical assault both in schools and on the streets. 

Feelings of isolation, fear of being unable to talk about their sexual orientation and the consequences of homophobic bullying can have an impact on a young person's mental health and which could have negative repercussions during their adult life.  The evidence taken from the briefing into young lesbian, gay and bisexual people, highlights that these young people are at increased risk of mental problems, are more likely to suffer from depression, to have attempted suicide (as a result of family denial, self loathing and leaving home) and lead unhealthier lifestyles than their heterosexual peers.  The statistics reveal that compared to their heterosexual peers, lesbian and bisexual girls are more likely to smoke and binge drink.  There is also an increased risk that young gay and bisexual men may take illicit drugs and may not be aware of  health risks from unprotected sex.  

The unhealthy lifestyles experienced by young LGB people can follow them into adult life.  Researchers have pointed out that LGB’s may use drugs, alcohol and tobacco as coping mechanisms in dealing with their homophobia.  However, they have also argued that the lack of social spaces for LGB’s means they are more likely to congregate in clubs and pubs and hence are more obliged to use the "scene" and fit in with a drinking culture. 

The Statistics:

Smoking: Young lesbian and bisexual women were almost 10 times more likely to smoke at least weekly compared with heterosexual women.
- 25% of lesbians are smokers compared with 15% of heterosexual women.
- 33% of gay men are smokers compared with 21% heterosexual men

Alcohol: Lesbian and bisexual women aged 20-30 years reported higher weekly alcohol consumption and less abstinence compared with heterosexual women

Drugs: In comparison with young heterosexual people, young LGB’s are:
- 3 times more likely to use MBMA/ecstasy
- 8 times more likely to use ketamine
- 26 times more likely to use crystal methamphetamine. 

Eating disorders:
- Gay men are more likely to engage in recurrent binge eating and purging which is often linked to aspirations to the ideal gay male body shape (slim and muscular).
- Lesbians are believed to have a higher body mass index than heterosexual women and may be more at risk of obesity. 

Good health should include everyone and that means reaching out to all segments of the population and understanding that different groups have different needs and requirements.  The rising levels of STIs and the fact that LGB people still feel discriminated against and continue to experience a number of health inequalities, signifies that more needs to be done to support them.  This may include how commissioners and providers deliver their services and how they are perceived by LGB service users.    

What Can You Do?
Training Solutions are offering a programme on Addressing Health Inequalities Experienced by Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People on the 7th April.  The one-day course aims to raise awareness of the health and social care needs of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people, who are disproportionately affected by health and social inequalities. It will identify key research findings that affect LGB communities specifically, and examine how these relate to the statutory obligations for services. As the public health agenda broadens in the light of the forthcoming Equality Act, it is essential that health and social care services are accessible and meet the needs of all potential service users.

For further information please click here or contact Nicolette Smith 

Health and Wellbeing Conference – the 21st Century Agenda

Book now to receive your early bird discount!

There are only a few days left to take advantage of the early bird booking rate or submit a poster for consideration for oral and speed presentations at 'Health and Wellbeing- the 21st Agenda', the second International conference from the journal Public Health.

The journal Public Health is holding its second international conference in September 2011. Taking as its theme health and wellbeing, the conference will explore the relationships between health, wellbeing and the factors which influence them in a global environment. Come and join us in refocusing the agenda on
health and wellbeing as we move forward into the second decade of the 21st century. Over the two days we will be covering a wide variety of topics including men’s health, workplace health, sustainability and population ageing.

Speakers include: Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Jonathon Porritt, Professor Sir Andy Haines, Professor Richard Horton, Professor Dame Carol Black and Lord Hunt of Kings Heath. The conference also features master classes from Dr Ian Banks, Dr Steve Boorman, Professor Tim Lang and Dr John Beard, among others.

The conference is being held on Thursday 8^th and Friday 9^th September 2011 at Friends House in Euston, London.

We are also inviting poster submissions for oral, speed and poster presentations. The deadline for submissions is also fast approaching; all posters must be submitted by Friday April 1^st to be considered.

For more information regarding conference booking and poster submissions please visit www.rsph.org.uk/healthandwellbeing or contact Claire Robins at crobins@rsph.org.uk.  

Loneliness – A Public Health Issue?

“Friendship is a lot like food. We need it to survive” –  Hara Estroff Marano, Psychology Today.

We humans have an inherent need to be part of a group, to form friendships, to interact and to socialise with people.  Evidence suggests that these are all necessary in order for us to maintain good health and wellbeing.  However, what happens when we only have part or none of the above, when we are unable to socialise, when we don’t feel like interacting, when we loose touch with friends and family?  It is likely that we will feel a sense of loneliness, and this, the experts say, can be detrimental to our health.

Since the 1990’s an increasing number of studies measuring the impact of loneliness suggest it is an important public health concern.  The evidence reveals that the risk of developing and dying from heart disease can depend on the strength of one’s social network of friends and family.

What is Loneliness and how does it arise?

Loneliness, although easy to describe is harder to define because of its many dimensions.  Wikipedia defines loneliness as an unpleasant feeling in which a person experiences a strong sense of emptiness and solitude resulting from inadequate levels of social relationships.  Loneliness is however a subjective experience, in that, if a person thinks they are lonely, then they are lonely whether they are in solitude or in the middle of a crowd. 

The mental Health Charity MIND, believe that loneliness is a very intense feeling and "to feel lonely is to be overwhelmed by an unbearable feeling of separateness, at a deep level”. 

It is likely that many of us will have experienced loneliness at some point in our lives.  For some it may be a temporary feeling, resulting from certain events, while for others, it could feel like a permanent part of life. 

Loneliness can occur for a number of reasons and as highlighted above can depend on a persons state of mind.  However, feelings of loneliness may arise from losing connection with others through death, breakup of a relationship, moving away, being immobile or ill and working longer hours, or from being unable to form new connections due to shyness or lack of confidence.

A report called The Lonely Society? commissioned by the Mental Health Foundation, found that the way in which people now live is impacting on their ability to connect with others. More people live alone: the percentage of households occupied by one person doubled from 6% in 1972 to 12% in 2008. The divorce rate has almost doubled in the past 50 years and the number of lone parent households is rising. People are living longer but many older people are doing so alone. Because of people pursuing careers and education opportunities, many now live further away from their families and the communities they grew up in. 

The Health Implications of Loneliness

Loneliness, although a natural emotion, can be detrimental to our physical and mental health.  One of the main reasons why loneliness has negative implications is because it makes it harder for us to control our habits and behaviour.  A book written by John T Cacioppo and William Patrick entitled "Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection" suggests that loneliness leads to self destructive habits, such as overeating, relying on alcohol and avoiding physical exercise.

In their numerous studies, they reported that not only do lonely people tend to withdraw from society (becoming further isolated) but they express higher levels of stress and difficulties sleeping, leading to diminished restorative processes.  Tests also show that loneliness affects the immune and cardiovascular systems and that there is a strong correlation between loneliness and depression.  The Lonely Society report? found that four in ten people (42%) have felt depressed because they felt alone.

James J Lynch, loneliness expert and writer of  "A Cry Unheard: New Insights into the Medical Consequences of Loneliness" describes loneliness as a silent epidemic that is harming public health, leading to depression and early death.  He proposes that causes of death are notably higher for “divorced, single, and widowed individuals of both sexes and all races."

Cacioppo points out that, “being connected with others is so necessary to survival, that human brains have become hard-wired to seek regular social contact”. 

How Lonely are We - The Statistics

The UK report by The Lonely Society? reveled that 48% of us believe people are getting lonelier in general.  Only 22% of us never feel lonely and one in ten (11%) of us feel lonely often.  A third of us (37%) have a close friend or family member who we think is very lonely and over half of us (57%) who have experienced depression or anxiety isolated ourselves from friends and family.

The pain of loneliness is the sharp end of a milder feeling of social disconnection that research suggests is widespread: a recent Emotional Needs Audit of the UK by the Human Givens Institute, which involved 4,600 online respondents, reported that 24.1% of people did not feel emotionally connected to others; 34.8% did not feel connected to the wider community and 35.4% felt they did not receive enough attention.  The lonelier our society, the more likely we are to experience loneliness.

Coping with Loneliness

Loneliness is clearly a health concern, and we need to seek ways of overcoming it.  Making the effort to spend time with a friend or family can have a two way effect.  It will allow you to socialise and feel good as well as having a positive impact on the other person.

The UK mental health charity MIND, offers several suggestions on how to overcome loneliness.  Some of these include; learning to be with others, joining a class, a local interest group or volunteering for something.  For further information on dealing with loneliness click here to go to the MIND website.

We are interested to hear your opinions.  Are we becoming a lonely society? Has technology played a part or is it the changes in our lifestyles?  How else can we tackle the lonely issue? 

Women Smoking their way to Lung Cancer

This week is particularly important for public health for two reasons;  firstly, today is International Women's Day and secondly, tomorrow, Wednesday 9th March, is National No Smoking Day.  Consequently, many charities are using this opportunity to flag up important health issues, so as to raise awareness and discuss ways of overcoming them. 

Yesterday, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) revealed their latest figures showing that rates of lung cancer have more than doubled for women over the age of 60 since the 1970's.   The statistics show a notable rise from 88 per 100,000 in 1975 to 190 per 100,000 in 2008.  For women over the age of 80 the picture is even more alarming, with lung cancer rates tripling from 84 per 100,000 in 1975 to 273 cases diagnosed for every 100,000 women in 2008. 
 
Although lung cancer for men is still considerably high, the data demonstrates that there has been a slight decrease in recent years and CRUK believe this is a result of changes in smoking patterns.  While the proportion of male smokers peaked before 1960, women smokers on the other hand, increased during the 1960's and 1970's, which would now effect those over the age of 60.  Overall, the number of women diagnosed with lung cancer has risen from 7,800 cases in 1975 to more than 17,500 in 2008.  Whereas in 1975 the rates for men over 60 fell from 23,400 to 19,400 in 2008. 

Lung Cancer: The Facts

• Lung cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed in the UK after breast cancer.
• Around 41, 000 were diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 - equivalent to 112 people every day.
• In the 1950s, for every lung cancer case diagnosed in women in the UK, there were 6 in men.  That ratio is now 3 cases in women for every 4 in men.
• More than 8 out of 10 cases of lung cancer occur in people over 60 years of age.
• Rates of lung cancer in Scotland are among the highest in the world, reflecting their history of high smoking prevalence.
• Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world with an estimated 1.61 million new cases diagnosed in 2008.
• In the UK it is the most common cause of cancer death - accounting for more than 1 in 5 deaths.
• Around 35,000 people died from lung cancer in the UK in 2008 - which is 95 people every day.

What Causes Lung Cancer

• The link between tobacco and cancer was established more than 50 years.
• Smoking causes almost 90% of lung cancer deaths.
• It is estimated that exposure to passive smoke in the home causes around 11,000 deaths every year.
• A small proportion of lung cancer cases are caused by heavy exposure to industrial carcinogens and air pollutants, including diesel exhaust, asbestos and non-ferrous metals.

For further information visit the CRUK official website by clicking here.

Nonetheless, CRUK do point out that successful anti-smoking measures - such as the tobacco advertising ban and the legislation making public places smoke free - have meant the number of smokers has continued to drop.
Jean King, Cancer Research UK’s director of tobacco control, said: “These figures highlight how important tobacco control measures are in helping people to stop smoking. With the lung cancer rate rising among women we would like the government to introduce a comprehensive and well funded tobacco control strategy that targets at risk groups and stops young people from beginning an addiction that kills half of all long term smokers”
“Around nine in ten cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking and one in five people still smoke, so it’s vital that work continues to support smokers to quit and protect young people from being recruited into an addiction that kills half of all long term smokers. In particular we want displays in shops covered up so that young people are no longer being exposed to this form of tobacco marketing.”

What Can You Do?
Get Involved and Help Raise Awareness for Women's Health!
In aid of International Women’s Day this year, the Royal Society for Public Health is running a "Women's Health and Well Being" programme on 12th May.  The event will seek to raise awareness of interrelationship between lifestyle and health, while educating participants about the steps they can take to empower women to improve their physical and mental health.  For further information or to download our flyer please click here or please contact Nicolette Smith 020 3177 1625.