Latest news with #JenniferMurnaneO'Connor
Agriland
a day ago
- Health
- Agriland
Farmers need to be ‘sun smart' to reduce skin cancer risk
With the sunny weather forecast in the coming days, the Health Service Executive (HSE) National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) and Healthy Ireland are reminding people that sun safety is not just for trips abroad. The sun can be strong enough to cause sun damage from the start of April to the end of September in Ireland, according to the HSE. Whether you're out in the fields, heading to the beach, grabbing a coffee or relaxing in the garden, it is important to use sun protection each day between April to September, even on cloudy days. Minister of State for public health, wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor said: 'Being active outdoors is good for our health and wellbeing, but everyone needs to be aware that exposure to the sun can be very harmful if we're not appropriately protected. 'I am encouraging everyone to take action to enjoy the sun safely and reduce their risk of skin cancer. It's very simple, just follow the five Healthy Ireland SunSmart steps whether you're at home or abroad. Your skin will thank you for it.' Skin cancer risk To reduce skin cancer risk, it is important to protect your skin when outside, especially from April to September when UV rays from the sun are strongest. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, with over 11,000 cases annually. Yet in most cases, skin cancers could be prevented, according to the HSE. Data from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) show that over 1,200 cases of melanoma, which is the most serious form of skin cancer, are diagnosed in Ireland every year. This figure is projected to rise to over 3,000 cases per year by 2045. Specialist in public health medicine at the HSE's NCCP, Dr. Breeda Neville said: 'Melanoma skin cancer is strongly linked to intermittent, high-intensity UV radiation exposure which can occur during outdoor recreational activities like sunbathing or water sports, or if you use a sunbed. 'The more time you spend unprotected in the sun, the more UV damage your skin is exposed to which increases your risk of skin cancer, including the deadliest form – melanoma. Follow the SunSmart 5 S's whether at home or abroad this summer.' Almost nine in 10 cases of skin cancer could be prevented by following the Healthy Ireland SunSmart 5 S's to protect your skin: Slip on clothing that covers your skin such as, long sleeves, collared t-shirts; on clothing that covers your skin such as, long sleeves, collared t-shirts; Slop on sunscreen – use sunscreen with SPF 30+ for adults and 50+ for children which provides high UVA protection and is water-resistant. Reapply regularly; on sunscreen – use sunscreen with SPF 30+ for adults and 50+ for children which provides high UVA protection and is water-resistant. Reapply regularly; Slap on a wide brimmed hat; on a wide brimmed hat; Seek shade – sit in the cover of trees to avoid direct sunlight. Use a sunshade on your buggy or pram. Keep babies and children out of direct sunlight; – sit in the cover of trees to avoid direct sunlight. Use a sunshade on your buggy or pram. Keep babies and children out of direct sunlight; Slide on wraparound sunglasses. As well as the 5 S's the HSE has said that it is important to remember not to deliberately try to get a suntan. Avoid getting a sunburn and never use a sunbed. Patient advocate for the 2025 SunSmart campaign, Jacinta O'Brien is raising awareness of the importance of skin protection: 'I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer when I was 38. I've had three surgeries, targeted treatment, immunotherapy and radiotherapy. 'While I feel that I was quite safe with the sun obviously being fair skinned, I do know that in my early 20s I was at many concerts and festivals and days out where I probably wasn't as good as I should be in applying sunscreen. 'When you're younger you think you're invincible and you don't think it's ever going to be you. You don't need to have prolonged exposure to the sun to get skin cancer. 'It's so important to sit in the shade where possible, cover up with clothing and apply sunscreen on exposed skin to protect yourself even when you do think it may be overcast.'
Irish Independent
08-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
The Sunday Independent's View: The Leaving Cert is the least of young people's worries
It may be worth asking whether having the eyes of the whole country fixed on them as they go through that rite of passage only adds to the pressure under which students are labouring right now. Worth asking even more is whether we would be better off as a society if half as much attention was paid to young people's struggles with mental health all year round as opposed to the Leaving Cert for those few weeks each June. A survey of young people published last week by the Irish Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) team at University College Galway made for predictably grim reading. It reported that almost 50pc of Irish children and teenagers between the ages of 10 and 17 report 'feeling low' at least once a week — a figure that has more than doubled since 1998. The outlook for girls is particularly concerning, with 57.6pc disclosing being regularly unhappy, compared to 35.2pc of boys. Data from HBSC teams around Europe tells the same story. Worryingly, nearly one in four of the young people surveyed suffer from headaches. Just under one in two experience sleep disturbances. That latter figure may have much to do with excessive screen time. The devices to which we all seem to be addicted, adults and children alike, devour our waking hours. By feeding us an unending diet of anger and negativity, they contribute to a vicious cycle of worsening mental health. The irony is that the main concern in previous decades used to centre on teenage drinking and drug abuse The younger a person gets a smartphone, the more likely they are to suffer from depression later on. The more they use them, the worse their mental health. From the climate crisis to the horrors of the war in Gaza, their minds are bombarded 24/7 with reasons to feel anxious. Not knowing if they will ever be able to afford to rent or buy their own home or earn enough to keep pace with the rising cost of living adds to that unease. The irony is that the main concern in previous decades used to centre on teenage drinking and drug abuse. As the HBSC report confirms, young people are now less likely than every previous generation to report being 'really drunk' at some point, down sharply from 33pc in 1998 to 17.8pc now. Chemical highs have merely been replaced by mental and emotional lows in a world that increasingly feels as if it is falling apart. Teenagers can be forgiven for thinking that the Leaving Cert is the least of their problems. Older generations used to envy the young. No more. Until their angst is properly recognised as a public crisis, the most vulnerable among them will continue to be left to struggle alone What can be done to ease this malaise is the real issue. Addressing the launch of the HBSC report via a pre-recorded video message last week, Fianna Fáil's Junior Public Health Minister Jennifer Murnane O'Connor acknowledged the pressures undermining children's well-being, and declared: 'We need to support equality and ensure that no young person is left behind.' ADVERTISEMENT Few would disagree with that fine, if slightly glib, sentiment. Making it happen is harder. As with housing, the mental challenges being experienced by young people need to be the focus of a resolute cross-departmental approach, encompassing every arm of government. Until their angst is properly recognised as a public crisis, the most vulnerable among them will continue to be left to struggle alone, long after the annual messages of solidarity as they sit the Leaving Cert have been forgotten.
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Number of schoolchildren feeling low doubles over 25 years
Fewer Irish children are reporting high life satisfaction and feeling happy with their lives, compared to a study measuring the same indicators among their counterparts in 1998. The proportion of school-going children who said they regularly feel low (46.3%) has doubled over a period of 25 years. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Trends Report 1998-2022 revealed that the youth of today also feel more pressured by schoolwork compared to in 1998. The report was led by researcher Louise Lunney in collaboration with the HBSC research team at the Health Promotion Research Centre at University of Galway. The HBSC survey is carried out every four years in collaboration with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. In 2022, 45 countries and regions participated. In Ireland, the report brings together data from over 70,000 children on their health behaviours, health outcomes and the social contexts of children's lives. Some of the key changes over the 25 years include: The proportions of children smoking, drinking and using cannabis have reduced very significantly. Smoking rates reduced from 23% to 5%, the numbers reporting ever being really drunk reduced from 33% to 18%, and cannabis use in the previous 12 months reduced from 12% to 7%. There has been an increase in the number of children consuming fruit daily from 18% to 25%, while daily soft drink consumption has reduced from 37% to 7%. There was an increase in the number of children feeling able to talk to their mother and father about things that bother them – mother from 73% to 82%, and father from 47% to 70%. The number of children reporting that they had good places to socialise locally has risen from 45% to 63%. There were also significant increases in the proportions of children using seatbelts from 41% to 81% and regularly brushing their teeth from 58% to 73%. However, the report revealed that despite an overall decline in reported sexual activity, with the proportion of 15-17-year-olds reporting ever having sex has fallen from 26% to 20%. Fewer young people - 55.2% in 2022, down from 78.0% in 2010 - report using a condom during last sexual intercourse. Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, said the results are used to inform policy development. "It is particularly encouraging to see improvements in areas such as reduced smoking, alcohol use and cannabis use. We continue to develop robust policies to further protect young people from these harms. "Under our Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act we banned the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, a measure which aims to reduce young people's use of these products and ultimately to further reduce smoking rates," said Ms Murnane O'Connor. "Collectively, these policies provide a strong foundation upon which families, schools and communities can work together to create healthier environments in which our young people can thrive." The HBSC mental health-related results showed decreases in the number of children reporting bullying others from 22% to 13%, while the number reporting being bullied has increased from 25% to 29%. There were also increases in the number of children reporting experiencing headaches and sleep disturbances. And a decrease in the proportion of children being happy with life at present from 88% to 79% and high life satisfaction, from 76% to 62%, with an increase in those reporting feeling low on a weekly basis from 23% to 46%. Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Ellen Crushell said: "Overall, the HBSC report shows welcome increases in the proportions of young people engaging in healthy behaviours, creating a generational improvement that will impact on overall population health. The mental health budget has been increasing year on year, reaching just under €1.5 billion in 2025." Meanwhile, Principal Investigator of HBSC Ireland at the University of Galway, Professor Saoirse Nic Gabhainn said: "A study like HBSC, that tracks trends in health behaviours, outcomes and social context of children's lives over such a long period is a huge resource to anyone interested in children's lives." Ms Nic Gabhainn added that while many indicators have improved over time, the pressures that children feel from school and society are increasing. "Now is the time for our society to support teachers and parents in schools and communities to protect and promote youth well-being."
RTÉ News
03-06-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Number of children feeling 'low' doubles over 25 years
Fewer Irish children are reporting high life satisfaction and feeling happy with their lives, compared to a study measuring the same indicators among their counterparts in 1998. The proportion of school-going children who said they regularly feel low (46.3%) has doubled over a period of 25 years. The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Trends Report 1998-2022 revealed that the youth of today also feel more pressured by schoolwork compared to in 1998. The report was led by researcher Louise Lunney in collaboration with the HBSC research team at the Health Promotion Research Centre at University of Galway. The HBSC survey is carried out every four years in collaboration with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. In 2022, 45 countries and regions participated. In Ireland, the report brings together data from over 70,000 children on their health behaviours, health outcomes and the social contexts of children's lives. Some of the key changes over the 25 years include: The proportions of children smoking, drinking and using cannabis have reduced very significantly. Smoking rates reduced from 23% to 5%, the numbers reporting ever being really drunk reduced from 33% to 18%, and cannabis use in the previous 12 months reduced from 12% to 7%. There has been an increase in the number of children consuming fruit daily from 18% to 25%, while daily soft drink consumption has reduced from 37% to 7%. There was an increase in the number of children feeling able to talk to their mother and father about things that bother them – mother from 73% to 82%, and father from 47% to 70%. The number of children reporting that they had good places to socialise locally has risen from 45% to 63%. There were also significant increases in the proportions of children using seatbelts from 41% to 81% and regularly brushing their teeth from 58% to 73%. However, the report revealed that despite an overall decline in reported sexual activity, with the proportion of 15-17-year-olds reporting ever having sex has fallen from 26% to 20%. Fewer young people - 55.2% in 2022, down from 78.0% in 2010 - report using a condom during last sexual intercourse. Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, said the results are used to inform policy development. "It is particularly encouraging to see improvements in areas such as reduced smoking, alcohol use and cannabis use. We continue to develop robust policies to further protect young people from these harms. "Under our Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Act we banned the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, a measure which aims to reduce young people's use of these products and ultimately to further reduce smoking rates," said Ms Murnane O'Connor. "Collectively, these policies provide a strong foundation upon which families, schools and communities can work together to create healthier environments in which our young people can thrive." The HBSC mental health-related results showed decreases in the number of children reporting bullying others from 22% to 13%, while the number reporting being bullied has increased from 25% to 29%. There were also increases in the number of children reporting experiencing headaches and sleep disturbances. And a decrease in the proportion of children being happy with life at present from 88% to 79% and high life satisfaction, from 76% to 62%, with an increase in those reporting feeling low on a weekly basis from 23% to 46%. Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Ellen Crushell said: "Overall, the HBSC report shows welcome increases in the proportions of young people engaging in healthy behaviours, creating a generational improvement that will impact on overall population health. The mental health budget has been increasing year on year, reaching just under €1.5 billion in 2025." Meanwhile, Principal Investigator of HBSC Ireland at the University of Galway, Professor Saoirse Nic Gabhainn said: "A study like HBSC, that tracks trends in health behaviours, outcomes and social context of children's lives over such a long period is a huge resource to anyone interested in children's lives." Ms Nic Gabhainn added that while many indicators have improved over time, the pressures that children feel from school and society are increasing. "Now is the time for our society to support teachers and parents in schools and communities to protect and promote youth well-being."
Irish Examiner
03-06-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Irish teens drinking and smoking less — but mental health concerns continue to rise
Teenagers in Ireland are smoking and drinking less than their peers did in 1998, but are struggling more with their mental health, according to an in-depth new report. More than 8,000 pupils from 191 schools — including fifth and sixth class in primary schools and up to fifth year in secondary — took part in the study. They answered questions about their mental health, diet, smoking and drinking habits, sexual behaviour, and relationships with parents. The report, titled Trends in Health Behaviours, Outcomes and Contexts: 1998–2022, has been conducted regularly since the late 1990s. It found a significant increase in the number of children who reported feeling low once a week or more over the previous six months. Other findings include a notable decline in tobacco use among children, as well as a drop in the number who reported having been drunk or having used cannabis in the past year. There was also a decrease in the proportion of young people aged 15–17 who said they had their first alcoholic drink at age 13 or younger. However, the study also identified a slight increase in the number of children trying to lose weight, either through dieting or other methods. Poverty was a recurring issue, highlighted by several indicators. Overall, 18.3% of children aged 10–17 reported going to school or bed hungry because there was not enough food at home—a slight increase from 2002, and more prevalent among girls. The rise in food insecurity was most noticeable among younger children and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. In 2022, fewer children reported spending evenings out with friends—just 28%, compared to 38% in 1998. This decline was more pronounced in lower-income groups. The number of children drinking soft drinks daily dropped sharply from 37.4% in 2002 to just 6.6% in 2022. Daily fruit consumption remained largely unchanged, while the percentage of children engaging in vigorous exercise declined slightly, from 52.6% to 50.3%. There was also a small decrease in the proportion of 15–17 year olds who reported having had sexual intercourse. However, condom use among this group dropped significantly, from 78% in 2010 to just 58% in 2022. The study was launched on Wednesday by Minister of State at the Department of Health, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor. She welcomed the report, saying it provides 'vital information regarding the health of our children, highlighting both positive trends, such as the reductions in tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use since 1998, but also the more concerning ones, such as many of the indicators relating to mental health and the pressures of schoolwork.' The research was led by Louise Lunney, in collaboration with the HBSC (Health Behaviour in School-aged Children) research team at the Health Promotion Research Centre at the University of Galway. Professor Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, Principal Investigator at the Centre, said over 70,000 children have participated in the surveys since 1998. 'While many indicators have improved over time, the pressures that children feel from school and society are increasing,' she warned. 'Now is the time for our society to support teachers and parents in schools and communities to protect and promote youth well-being.' Read More CHI cites legal advice in withholding report on children's care delays
