Key indicators on Scotland's health and the performance of parts of the health service were published. A third of children aged 12 in Scotland were overweight in 2001-02 - 18 per cent were obese and 10-11 per cent were severely obese. More than a quarter of Scottish women smoked at the start of pregnancy. The number of babies breastfed up to at least 6-8 weeks was increasing: but, at 36.5 per cent, it was below the target of 50 per cent set for 2005.
Source: Clinical Outcome Indicators, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (0131 623 4300)
Links: Report (pdf) | QIS press release
Date: 2003-Dec
An official survey of health in England in 2002 focused on the health of children and young people, and on the health of infants, aged under one, and their mothers. Almost a third of all children were obese.
Source: Kerry Sproston and Paola Primatesta (eds.), Health Survey for England 2002, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (links) | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Dec
The Lancet, a leading medical journal, called for the possession of cigarettes to be made a criminal offence.
Source: 'How do you sleep at night, Mr Blair', editorial in The Lancet 6 December 2003 (020 7424 4910)
Links: Article
Date: 2003-Dec
A statistical compendium on smoking in England. In 2001, 27 per cent of adults aged 16 and over smoked cigarettes in England; 28 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women. The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults had dropped substantially since 1980 (from 39 per cent), although it levelled off in the 1990s. In 2001, the prevalence of cigarette smoking continued to be higher for people in manual than non-manual socio-economic groups (32 per cent compared with 21 per cent). In 2001, 66 per cent of smokers in England wanted to give up smoking. In 2002, 10 per cent of children aged 11-15 smoked cigarettes regularly; 9 per cent of boys and 11 per cent of girls. More than 120,000 deaths were caused by smoking in the United Kingdom in 1995 - 1 in 5 of all deaths.
Source: Statistics on Smoking: England, 2003, Statistical Bulletin 2003/21, Department of Health (020 7972 5581)
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2003-Dec
A report said that concerted and urgent action was needed to prevent an epidemic of child obesity.
Source: A Leaner Fitter Future: Options for action, Medical Research Council (020 7636 5422), Association for the Study of Obesity, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Links: Report (pdf) | MRC press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
An expert seminar concluded that a review had provided sufficient evidence to indicate a causal link between promotional activity and children's food knowledge, preferences and behaviours.
Source: Outcome of Academic Seminar to Review Recent Research on Food Promotion and Children, Food Standards Agency (020 7276 8000)
Links: Report | FSA press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The Health and Safety Executive said that the United Kingdom was one of the world leaders on workplace health and safety, but needed to do more on occupational health issues.
Source: Delivering Health and Safety in Great Britain: Health and Safety Commission Annual Report and the Health and Safety Commission/Executive Accounts 2002/03, Health and Safety Executive, HSE Books (01787 881165)
Links: Report (pdf) | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Nov
In 2001, 27 per cent of adults aged 16 and over smoked cigarettes in England - 28 per cent of men and 25 per cent of women. The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults had dropped substantially since 1980 (from 39 per cent), although it had levelled off in the 1990s. The prevalence of cigarette smoking continued to be higher for people in manual than non-manual socio-economic groups (32 per cent compared with 21 per cent); 66 per cent of smokers wanted to give up smoking; 10 per cent of children aged 11-15 smoked cigarettes regularly (9 per cent of boys and 11 per cent of girls).
Source: Statistics on Smoking: England, 2003, Statistical Bulletin 2003/21, Department of Health (020 7972 5581)
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
The food standards watchdog published options for action on the promotion of foods affecting children's diets and health, including the possibility of bans on TV advertising aimed at children, and health warnings on foods high in salt, sugar and fat.
Source: Food Promotion and Children: Options, Food Standards Agency (020 7276 8000)
Links: Report | FSA press release | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
An official working group report examined the needs of people in Scotland with co-occurring substance misuse (including alcohol) and mental health problems. It called for education on the problems that drugs and alcohol could cause and greater understanding of mental health; 'firm but fair' means of crime prevention, management and justice; earlier detection of abusive experiences, by facilitating disclosure and acceptable intervention; early intervention and support; and the right conditions to enable participation in the community, including positive education experience and peer support.
Source: Mind the Gaps: Meeting the needs of people with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report (pdf) | Report
Date: 2003-Nov
The Health and Safety Executive published statistics on workplace safety, work-related ill-health and enforcement action in Great Britain. The number of fatalities to workers decreased by 10 per cent to 226 in 2002-03, from 251 in the previous year. Overall self-reported work-related ill health prevalence in Great Britain stood at 2.3 million people in 2001-02, accounting for 33 million working days lost.
Source: Health and Safety Statistics: Highlights 2002/03, Health and Safety Executive, HSE Books (01787 881165)
Links: Report (pdf) | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Nov
A study of food labelling revealed that children who ate a regular diet of foods specifically marketed with them in mind could face future health problems.
Source: Food Labels: The Hidden Truth - What are our children really eating?, Consumers' Association (020 7770 7000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Consumers' Association press release
Date: 2003-Nov
The presidents of the Royal Colleges of medicine called for a legal ban on smoking in workplaces and enclosed public spaces. They said that passive smoking caused an estimated 1,000 deaths in adults each year and caused cot death, asthma, lung infections and middle-ear disease in children.
Source: Letter to The Times, 25 November 2003 | Tobacco Smoke Pollution: The Hard Facts, Royal College of Physicians (020 7935 1174)
Links: RCP report (pdf) | RCP press release | ASH press release | RSPH press release
Date: 2003-Nov
A private member's Bill was introduced to prevent food and drink advertising during pre-school children s television programmes and related scheduling.
Source: Debra Shipley MP, Children's Television (Advertising) (No2) Bill, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Debate 4 November 2003, columns 669-671, TSO
Links: Hansard | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Nov
Researchers sought to understand the relationship between social disadvantage and smoking over the lifetime of adults who had reached their 40s. Preventing social disadvantage at key life stages was found to be as important as directly focused health policies when trying to discourage smoking behaviour.
Source: Christine Power, Hilary Graham and Orly Manor, Socio-Economic Circumstances at Different Life Stages and Adult Smoking, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Nov
A statistical bulletin presented up-to-date information on alcohol use and misuse. In 2001, 27 per cent of men and 15 per cent of women aged 16 and over drank on average more than 21 and 14 units a week respectively: drinking at these levels among men had remained stable at about 27 per cent since 1992, although for women it had risen from 12 per cent to 15 per cent in the same period. In 2002, about a quarter (24 per cent) of pupils in England aged 11-15 had drunk alcohol in the previous week: the proportion doing so had fluctuated at about this level since the mid 1990s. Provisional estimates suggested that, in 2002, 6 per cent of road traffic accidents involved illegal alcohol levels, and that these accidents resulted in a total of 20,140 casualties.
Source: Statistics on Alcohol: England, 2003, Statistical Bulletin 2003/20, Department of Health (020 7972 5581)
Links: Bulletin (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
An annual survey provided answers to over 100 health-related behaviour questions from 37,150 young people aged 10-15. Up to 37 per cent of those aged 14-15, and nearly 45 per cent of those aged 12-13, felt unable to respond positively to a question about knowledge of methods of contraception. Up to 65 per cent said they had smoked by the time they were 14. Among boys aged 10-11, 25 per cent had drunk alcohol in the previous week; 42 per cent were not aware of AIDS. Among girls aged 10-11, 39 per cent felt afraid (at least 'sometimes') of going to school because of bullying. Up to 61 per cent of those surveyed aged 14-15 were fairly sure' or certain' that they knew a drug user. The percentage of boys aged 10-11 who read at playtime/dinner time had decreased from 29 per cent in 1997 to 17 per cent in 2002.
Source: Young People in 2002, Schools Health Education Unit/University of Exeter (01392 667272)
Links: SHEU press release and summary
Date: 2003-Oct
A parliamentary briefing paper considered the evidence that passive smoking caused disease; described government policy on passive smoking; and discussed options for reducing exposure of staff and customers in public places to tobacco smoke.
Source: Smoking in Public Places, Briefing 206, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (020 7219 2840)
Links: Briefing (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
A report said that the government was failing to ensure that children at primary schools were given healthy food that met its own nutritional standards, and that more money was spent on prison food than primary school lunches.
Source: Food for Life: Healthy, local, organic school meals, Soil Association (0117 929 0661)
Links: Report (pdf) | Soil Association press release
Date: 2003-Oct
A paper examined the links between poor housing, homelessness and ill-health in Wales.
Source: Housing and Homelessness On the health agenda in Wales?, Shelter Cymru (01792 469400)
Links: Paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Oct
The government published an action plan to boost walking, cycling and bus travel to school, and tackle congestion around the school run. A good practice guide for local transport and education authorities was also published.
Source: Travelling to School: Action plan, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) and Department for Transport | Travelling to School: Good practice guide, Department for Education and Skills (0845 602 2260) and Department for Transport
Links: Action plan (pdf) | Good practice guide (pdf) | DfES press release
Date: 2003-Sep
An interim report said that many people gained health and social benefits from moderate drinking levels: but there was evidence that patterns of heavy and binge drinking might be particularly serious in the United Kingdom, leading to an increasing toll of premature deaths and health problems, and alcohol-related disorders and injuries. A separate paper described the economic costs of alcohol misuse. Campaigners said that the government would only be able to tackle the binge drinking culture if it started to match the drink industry's 'massive investment' in alcohol promotion.
Source: Interim Analytical Report (Alcohol Harm Reduction Project), Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1881) | Alcohol Misuse: How much does it cost?, Strategy Unit/Cabinet Office | Press release 18 September 2003, Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Costs paper (pdf) | Costs (annex) (pdf) | Cabinet Office press release | Alcohol Concern press release | Portman Group press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2003-Sep
A report said that cheaply-produced school meals could be putting children's health at risk. It called for more money to be spent on meals using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients to improve both the quality of food and the health of pupils.
Source: Kevin Morgan and Adrian Morley, School Meals: Healthy eating and sustainable food chains, Regeneration Institute/Cardiff University (029 2087 6412)
Links: Summary (pdf) | BBC report
Date: 2003-Sep
The Health and Safety Executive published a regular report on work-related illness. Males accounted for more working days lost than females. Among people of working age, days lost per worker generally increased with age, especially among males. In terms of socio-economic classification, lower managerial and professional workers had the highest prevalence numbers and rates.
Source: Occupational Health Statistics Bulletin 2002/03, Health and Safety Executive, HSE Books (01787 881165)
Links: Report (pdf) | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Sep
A report argued that, despite the importance attached to well-being, little thought and few resources went into tacking the underlying environmental causes of ill health. It urged government to take a wider look at public health policy and consider how a focus on healthy people through healthy environments could reap 'huge social, environmental and economic benefits'.
Source: Charlotte Marples (ed.), A Green Bill of Health: New agenda for health and environment policy, Green Alliance (020 7233 7433)
Links: Summary (pdf)
Date: 2003-Sep
A report said that people living with HIV were experiencing greater levels of poverty as a result of their diagnosis. The sudden impact of an unexpected HIV diagnosis could cause homelessness, loss of a job or even domestic violence, while the long-term impacts included debt, depression and difficulty in coping.
Source: Poverty and HIV: Lessons from the hardship fund, Terrence Higgins Trust (020 7831 0330) and Crusaid
Links: Report (pdf) | THT press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Sep
Researchers examined drug-related mortality among newly released offenders (following evidence that this group was particularly vulnerable). It was recommended that general education and awareness-raising about the risk of drug-related death in the immediate post-release period should be made available to all prisoners as part of their release preparation. It was also recommended that links to community-based services be improved: prisoners at higher risk should be identified and linked with community-based care services immediately on release.
Source: Nicola Singleton, Elizabeth Pendry, Colin Taylor, Michael Farrell and John Marsden, Drug-related Mortality among Newly-released Offenders, Online Report 16/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf) | Findings (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
The Northern Ireland Executive launched a five-year action plan (following consultation) aimed at reducing smoking, in particular by three key target groups: children and young people, disadvantaged adults, and pregnant women.
Source: A Five Year Tobacco Action Plan, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0525)
Links: Plan (pdf) | NIE press release | Responses to consultation (pdf) | Consultation paper (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A survey examined smoking, drinking and drug use among children aged 11-15 (England: autumn term of 2002). Of those sampled, 10 per cent were regular smokers (compared to a government target of 11 per cent by 2005 and 9 per cent by 2010). 24 per cent had had an alcoholic drink in the previous week (this proportion had shown no sustained increase or decrease over time). Prevalence of having ever taken drugs decreased from 29 to 26 per cent, with a corresponding decrease in drug taking in the previous year (from 20 to 18 per cent).
Source: Richard Boreham and Sally McManus (eds.), Drug Use, Smoking and Drinking among Young People in England in 2002, Department of Health, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | DH press release
Date: 2003-Jul
A research report said that the evidence for a link between shift work and breast cancer was 'appreciable, but not definitive', and that further epidemiological research was needed to clarify the relationship.
Source: Anthony Swerdlow, Shift Work and Breast Cancer: Critical review of the epidemiological evidence, Research Report 132, Health and Safety Executive, HSE Books (01787 881165)
Links: Report (pdf) | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Jul
An official survey found that 88 per cent of people wanted restrictions on smoking in restaurants; 86 per cent thought there should be restrictions on smoking at work; and 54 per cent thought smoking should be restricted in pubs.
Source: Deborah Lader and Howard Meltzer, Smoking Related Behaviour and Attitudes: 2002, Office for National Statistics (0845 601 3034)
Links: Report (pdf) | ONS press release (pdf)
Date: 2003-Jul
A report examined research evidence on the impact of alcohol, smoking and illicit drug use on men of different ages and different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. Although the heaviest male drinkers were in the highest income brackets, problem drinking was twice as common in the poorest socio-economic groups. One study found that men aged 25-39 in the unskilled manual group were 10-20 times more likely than men in professional classes to die from alcohol-related causes.
Source: Betsy Thom, Risk-taking Behaviour in Men: Substance use and gender, Health Development Agency (020 7430 0850)
Links: Report (pdf) | HDA press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A study examined the relationship between psychiatric morbidity and smoking, drinking and cannabis use among adolescents aged 13 15. It was found that having a psychiatric disorder was associated with an increased risk of substance use, and that greater involvement with any one substance increased the risk of other substance use.
Source: A. Boys et al., 'Psychiatric morbidity and substance use in young people aged 13 15 years: results from the Child and Adolescent Survey of Mental Health', British Journal of Psychiatry, June 2003
Links: Abstract
Date: 2003-Jun
A report gave detailed survey information on the extent of work-related ill-health in 2001-02, confirming patterns which emerged from previous surveys in 1990, 1995 and 1998-99. The estimated number of working days lost due to work-related illness during the 12-month period was 33 million. On average, each person suffering took an estimated 23 days off work.
Source: J. Jones, C. Huxtable, J. Hodgson and M. Price, Self-reported Work-related Illness in 2001/02: Results of a household survey, Health and Safety Executive, available from HSE Books (01787 881165)
Links: Report (pdf) | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Jun
The Health and Safety Executive published a new code on workplace stress, which for the first time provided a yardstick for assessing preventative action by employers and any legal liability.
Source: Management Standards for Stress, Health and Safety Executive (webpage only)
Links: HSE stress webpage | HSE press release
Date: 2003-Jun
A report said that every year 1,200 people (three a day) died due to passive smoking at work - around 900 office workers, 165 bar workers and 145 manufacturing workers. It said that previous research had seriously underestimated the number of people killed by second-hand smoke at work.
Source: James Repace, A Killer on the Loose, Action on Smoking and Health (020 7739 5902)
Links: Report (pdf) | ASH press release | TUC press release
Date: 2003-Apr
A study found that one in ten children in England aged 15-17 feel drinking disrupted their education at the crucial GCSE stage, as well as their health and family life.
Source: Annabel Boys et al., Teenage Drinkers: Follow-up study of alcohol use among 15-17 year olds in England, Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377) and National Addiction Centre
Links: Report (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Mar
Researchers found a significant increase in obesity (measured by waist circumference) among children aged 11-14, particularly girls. In 1997, 28 per cent of boys and 38 per cent of girls were defined as overweight (against 9 per cent for both sexes in 1977-87), and 14 per cent of boys and 17 per cent of girls were defined as obese (3 per cent in 1977-87).
Source: David McCarthy, Sandra Ellis and Tim Cole, 'Central overweight and obesity in British youth aged 11-16 years: cross sectional surveys of waist circumference', British Medical Journal 22.3.03
Links: Article
Date: 2003-Mar
A report said many older men risk their health through seeing a visit to the doctor as a sign of weakness, while those who are divorced are most likely to indulge in heavy drinking and smoking. Divorced older men - a growing segment of the population - are 'significantly disadvantaged' when it comes to involvement in formal organisations, or with family, friends and neighbours. The authors called for policy makers to recognise the special needs of this group.
Source: Sara Arber, Kate Davidson, Tom Daly and Kim Perren, Older Men: Their Social Worlds and Healthy Lifestyles, ESRC Growing Older Programme/University of Sheffield (0114 222 6467)
Links: Findings (pdf) | ESRC press release
Date: 2003-Mar
Researchers analysed the health effects of several types of atypical or 'non-standard' employment - including seasonal and casual jobs, fixed-term contracts and part-time employment. They found that flexibility in the labour market may not have long-lasting detrimental effects on people's health.
Source: Elena Bardasi and Marco Francesconi, The Impact of Atypical Employment on Individual Wellbeing: Evidence from a panel of British workers, Working Paper 2003-02, Institute for Social and Economic Research/University of Essex (01206 873087)
Links: Paper (pdf) | Press release
Date: 2003-Feb
A report summarised a study (conducted in 2001) which examined the provision of healthcare services for asylum seekers in areas to which they had been dispersed. It investigated the accessibility and quality of healthcare provision for asylum seekers in dispersal areas; examined the impact of dispersal on the health of asylum seekers; and identified existing and emerging good practice. Although most asylum seekers were relatively healthy on arrival, there were sometimes health problems associated with travelling long distances during dispersal. This was particularly the case for certain groups of asylum seekers, such as elderly people and pregnant women.
Source: Mark Johnson, Asylum Seekers in Dispersal - Healthcare Issues, Online Report 13/03, Home Office (web publication only)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
The number of alcohol-related deaths registered in England and Wales more than doubled between 1979 and 2000, from 2,506 to 5,543.
Source: Allan Baker and Cleo Rooney, 'Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales', Health Statistics Quarterly 17, Spring 2003, Office for National Statistics, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Article (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
From 14 February 2003, tobacco advertising on billboards and in press and magazines was banned under the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002.
Source: Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Text of Act | DH press release | ASH press release | BMA press release
Date: 2003-Feb
Responding to a government consultation, psychiatrists said official strategy on alcohol should not only cover harmful alcohol use, but should also address severe alcohol dependence. They said that alcohol-dependent drinkers have a higher level and wider range of more severe problems, and are greater consumers of health and social care.
Source: National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy: Response, Royal College of Psychiatrists (020 7235 2351)
Links: Response | Consultation Document (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
A report said that the increasing population of African people with HIV is the most complex challenge posed by HIV and AIDS in the United Kingdom. Levels of need are also much greater for African than for white British people with HIV in many areas, especially getting enough money to live on, and housing and living conditions.
Source: Peter Weatherburn, Winnie Ssanyu-Sseruma, Ford Hickson, Susie McLean and David Reid, Project 'Nasah': An investigation into the HIV treatment information and other needs of African people with HIV resident in England, Sigma Research/University of Portsmouth (020 7737 6223), NAM, National AIDS Trust and African HIV Policy Network
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2003-Feb
A survey suggested that more than 12 million workers are concerned about the risks of developing lung cancer due to passive smoking at work. It also found that 68 per cent of people overestimate the chances of surviving lung cancer, while 20 per cent have no idea about survival chances.
Source: Press release 13.1.03, Action on Smoking and Health (020 7739 5902)
Links: Press release
Date: 2003-Jan
A cross-party group of MPs called on the government to achieve better co-ordination of its policies on alcohol addiction, and to adopt a more pro-active approach to the problem. It highlighted the decline in local alcohol treatment and counselling services from 517 in 1997 to 475 in 2001.
Source: All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse: Submission to the Strategy Unit consultation on a national harm reduction strategy, available from Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377)
Links: Response (pdf) | Alcohol Concern press release
Date: 2003-Jan
