Talking cure
The second in the Irish Times and Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland lecture series will take place on Tuesday November 27th. Prof Aidan Halligan, director of clinical governance for the NHS (and graduate of Trinity College, Dublin) will talk about his experience of changing the front-line delivery of patient care in the UK. The lecture will be held at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, on Kildare Street, Dublin, at 8 p.m. The series is open to anyone with an interest in healthcare, and is free.
Men behaving badly
Despite having had most of the social determinants of health in their favour, men have higher mortality rates for all 15 leading causes of death and have a life expectancy about seven years shorter than women's. The British Medical Journal was prompted recently to ask whether men are in danger of extinction. There is a sustained increase in psychosocial disorders in men, including alcohol and substance abuse, midlife crisis, depression and domestic violence. Men's reluctance to embrace preventive strategies has also contributed substantially to the spread of AIDS. With the advent of sperm banks, in vitro fertilisation, sex-sorting techniques, human cloning and same-sex marriages, it is reasonable to wonder about men's future role in society, according to the journal, which says there is an urgent need to promote men's health in a positive way.
Quit while you're ahead
Keen to give up smoking and looking for help to get started? If so, go along to one of this week's free lectures by Dr Stephen Murphy, a GP and expert in stopping smoking. Call 01-6690030 to book a place at the Radisson Hotel, Galway, today; the Mont Clare Hotel, Dublin, tomorrow; or the Imperial Hotel, Cork, on Wednesday. All of the lectures begin at 7.30 p.m.
Body of evidence
Men with body dysmorphic disorder are most commonly preoccupied with their skin (with acne or scarring, for example), hair (thinning), nose (size or shape) or genitals. A recently recognised form of body dysmorphic disorder that occurs almost exclusively in men is muscle dysmorphia, a preoccupation that one's body is too puny, which may lead to abuse of anabolic steroids. Patients with body dysmorphic disorder may require admission to hospital, become housebound or attempt suicide. According to a recent report, the challenge is to enhance both physicians' and the public's awareness of body dysmorphic disorder, so that effective treatments can be offered and unnecessary suffering and morbidity avoided.
Family matters
Emotional support for patients is the key to better management of diabetes, according to preliminary results from an international study. A network of supportive family members, friends and colleagues appears to be at least as important as medication in helping a patient manage the condition, which requires both medical check-ups and self-management in the form of blood-glucose monitoring, a healthy diet and regular exercise. The study has found that people who are cut off from a community of support - especially young people and old people living alone - do not manage the disease effectively; they also feel worse in themselves. The full results of the study will be available next year. The Diabetes Helpline is at 1850-909909.
Sleeping sickness
About 3,000 Irish people have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea syndrome, and there are thought to be more than 30,000 undiagnosed sufferers. The condition is characterised by repetitive pauses in breathing during sleep. It is often first identified by a spouse or partner, who might notice symptoms such as loud snoring, restlessness, irritability and excessive daytime sleepiness. You can find out more about the Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust from the organisation's website, at www.isat.ie
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