The "new man" may really exist, according to British research commissioned by Johnson & Johnson. It found men with pregnant partners would rather go to an ante-natal class than spend a night in the pub, and almost half of the 3,000 expectant mothers surveyed said their partners knew as much, if not more, about pregnancy than they did. Workplace attitudes were not so positive, with 37 per cent of women saying they believed pregnancy would lead to their being overlooked for promotion. (BBC)
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre is running a course to help primary school teachers and principals deal sensitively with pupils who may be victims of sexual abuse. Approved by the Department of Education and Science, the five-day course begins on August 23rd and costs £50. Further details from 01-6614911.
New treatments can dramatically improve the lives of the one in five Irish women suffering from urinary stress incontinence, and the same number who suffer from excessive menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia). Incontinence, caused by childbirth, menopause, loss of oestrogen, strenuous exercise and gynaecological surgery, tends to worsen with age. Ninety per cent of women could be cured by a new treatment, the tension-free vaginal tape (TVT), which involves a simple medical procedure carried out under local anaesthetic. Menorrhagia, which leads to anxiety and a lack of energy, could be cured in 85 per cent of cases by a minimally-invasive technique called the ThermaChoice uterine balloon therapy, which does not affect the possibility of becoming pregnant.
TWO studies on bullying among adolescents have found that both the bully and the victim have an increased risk of depression and suicidal thoughts. The Australian study found 60 per cent of schoolchildren experienced or participated in bullying, and that bullies (who tended to be unhappy at school) were often as depressed as the victims (who tended to like school but to feel alone). The Finnish study suggested depression could be prevented by psychiatric assessment and treatment of bullies and their victims. (British Medical Journal)
NOT thinking straight? Now you can blame it on the weather, according to scientists in the Ukraine who found minute changes in air pressure can affect mental activity and performance. Atmospheric disturbances such as storms can cause air pressure to fluctuate several times a minute, and the test showed these random changes interfere with the ability to concentrate. (New Scientist)
EXPERTS on cot death are warning parents to ignore New Zealand research which suggests babies can sleep safely under duvets. The problem is in the definition of duvet, which is a thin, crocheted cover in New Zealand. Parents should continue to avoid duvets for babies under one year, say British experts. (BBC)