A round-up of today's other stories in brief
WORKING ON DEPRESSION:A new campaign, aimed at raising public awareness in the workplace about depression. has been launched.
"The workplace is a very important aspect of everyday life, since much of the day is spent there, so it is central for employers to have a healthy working environment for their staff," said Mary Maguire, secretary of the Occupational Health Nurses Associaton of Ireland.
Her organisation, along with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA)and pharmaceutical company Lundbeck are involved in the campaign which has published a Mind Yourself at Work information resource pack for employers and employees. It may be obtained free by calling 01-4689800.
TEXT SUPPORT:More than 3,000 people have used a free text message service, since its launch in August.
The free service, called Headsup, provides a text message list of contact numbers for support services and helplines that deal with issues such as sexuality, suicide and addiction.
The service, which is supported by Meteor, can be accessed by mobile phone users on all networks by texting Headsup to 50424.
The service, organised by Rehab, is to undertake an awareness campaign in the run-up to Christmas.
Research on the service to date has shown that "teen issues" is the topic on which users have most frequently sought advice, followed by sexual health and sexuality, followed by health and suicide. The majority of texts occur between 11pm and midnight.
RARE NEEDS:A research project by RehabCare, the health and social care division of Rehab Group, is to examine the support needs of people affected by rare disorders, across the island of Ireland including Prader Willi Syndrome, Cornelia de Lange, Rett Syndrome and Fragile X.
Funded by the Health Research Board (HRB), the research will initially include consultation with a randomly selected sample of about 700 GPs in the Republic and 300 GPs in Northern Ireland.
"GPs will receive a short questionnaire seeking their views on the provision of information on rare disorders and on the specific support services for patients and their families," according to RehabCare. "In addition to consulting with GPs on both sides of the Border, Rehab-
Care researchers will also speak individually to other professionals, including social workers and geneticists."
PREMATURE SUPPORT:Irish website, www.premature baby.ie, has just been launched, giving advice, information and tips for parents. The risk of giving birth prematurely is higher in women under 17 and over 35, those carrying twins or other multiples, those who have already had a premature baby and women who have had several elective terminations.
OBESITY THREAT:Obesity is one of the "greatest threats" to women of childbearing age in Britain, experts warned yesterday. A new report showed that more than half of women who die in pregnancy or shortly after birth are overweight or obese. These women are putting themselves and their babies at risk of complications that could lead to death, the study warned.
The latest report from the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH) also called for better communication between staff to cut down the number of avoidable deaths due to other causes. Obese pregnant women are more at risk of dying, suffering heart disease, miscarriage, diabetes, infections and thrombo- embolism.
FAECES TREATMENT:A pensioner who fought off a deadly bug after being fed her daughter's faeces has recommended the treatment.
Ethel McEwen had the pioneering procedure at a hospital to help her combat a prolonged bout of Clostridium difficile. Mrs McEwen (83), was referred to a doctor thought to be the country's only faecal transplant therapy expert, Dr Alasdair McConnachie, at Glasgow's Gartnavel Hospital.
He asked for a volunteer to supply the substance and Mrs McEwen's daughter Winnifred stepped forward. Doctors liquidised the faeces, then fed the liquid down a tube through the grandmother's nose and into her gut. The faeces' natural "good bacteria" fought off the C diff bug and she was given the all clear in a fortnight.