Across Europe, 16 patients die every day waiting for the organs they need. However, there were over 800 more organ transplants in the EU in 2015, compared to 2014. This confirms an encouraging trend, with over 4000 additional transplants over 5 years, a 14{ddf8d179d1bf712bb2a88ff2ad95ebdf63eaa5463c845d2f093b25848387ba96} increase compared with 2010. The ‘EU Action Plan on Organ Donation […]
Organ donation and transplant in the EU Read More »
Food marketing has been identified as an important contributor to the “obesogenic” environment, in which foods high in fats, salt and sugars are promoted extensively, are more visible and are cheaper and easier to obtain than healthy options. Food marketing has been shown consistently to influence children’s food preferences and choices, shape their dietary habits
Children and the digital marketing of food Read More »
Health systems are continually being reformed but why? And how? An article in ‘Healthcare Reform, Quality and Safety: Perspectives, Participants, Partnerships and Prospects in 30 Countries’ analyses the impact that health-reform initiatives have had on the quality and safety of care in low-, middle- and high-income countries—Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Denmark, England, Ghana, Germany,
How to do better health reform Read More »
A new WHO report summarizing evidence on the health effects of green space in urban areas shows that they offer numerous public health benefits, including psychological relaxation and stress reduction, enhanced physical activity and a potential reduction in exposure to air pollution, noise and excessive heat. The report concludes that there is a need for
Urban green spaces deliver multiple health benefits Read More »
In the past two decades levels of overweight and obesity in Ireland have doubled with only 40{ddf8d179d1bf712bb2a88ff2ad95ebdf63eaa5463c845d2f093b25848387ba96} of the population having a healthy weight. This represents one of the biggest public health challenges Ireland is facing today and according to the WHO these levels are forecast to increase, so Ireland may top the European “League
A Healthy Weight for Ireland Read More »
Health systems have a substantial impact on the environment and are major consumers of energy and resources, according to evidence compiled in the new WHO policy paper “Towards environmentally sustainable health systems in Europe”. The paper explains that although health systems use up natural resources, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and produce large quantities of
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Lead poisoning is entirely preventable. Yet, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation estimates that in 2013 lead exposure accounted for 853,000 deaths globally and 16.8 million disability-adjusted life years due to its long-term effects on health. Lead poisoning can lead to developmental, behavioural and neurological disorders, anaemia, tiredness and muscle weakness, as well as
Lead Poisoning in Europe Read More »
On average across the EU, only 1 in 7 people aged 15 or over eats at least 5 portions of fruit or vegetables daily……while 1 in 3 have days when they do not eat any fruit or vegetables at all. Regular consumption of fruit and vegetables is considered an important element of a healthy and
Consumption of fruit and vegetables Read More »
The Joint Action on Reducing Alcohol-related Harm (RARHA) has been a three year project co-financed by the EU Health Programme. It has now completed its work and published its findings which include: Monitoring of drinking patterns and alcohol-related harm, including data and survey results on heavy episodic drinking, attitudes towards alcohol policy, and harm to
Reducing alcohol-related harm Read More »
Out-of-hours (OOH) services provide urgent primary care when primary care physician (PCP) offices are closed, most often from 5pm on weekdays and all day on weekends and holidays. Based on a policy survey (covering 27 OECD countries) and the existing literature, this paper describes the current challenges associated with the organisation of OOH primary care
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