Health & Wellbeing

What is this theme about?

The key issues being considered are:

• The difference in life expectancy between wards is high and there is a ten year difference between the highest and lowest
• Obesity levels in children are rising and impacting on health and mortality rates
• Smoking is the single biggest preventable cause of the difference in childhood deaths and life expectancy in deprived areas compared to other parts of the town
• Smoking is the single greatest cause of illness and premature death in England today
• Bournemouth has the highest rate in Dorset and Somerset for emergency hospital admissions of children aged under five suffering from chest infections. This may be related to being exposed to smoke
• There is a strong link between social deprivation with sexually transmitted infections, abortions and teenage conceptions
• Teenage mothers and their babies are more likely to suffer poor health, education and social outcomes and require state support
• Unintended pregnancies increase the risk of poor social, economic and health prospects for both mother and child and girls from the poorest backgrounds are ten times more likely to become teenage mothers than girls from wealthier backgrounds
• Many women do not start or prematurely give up breastfeeding because of lack of support in dealing with problems encountered including non-supportive environments for breastfeeding at work and in public places
• Breastfeeding can make a major contribution to infant health and development and research indicates that the risk of some cancers, heart disease and childhood obesity would be reduced by breastfeeding
• There is a need for the provision of good quality care and housing-related support to enable people to live independently
• Carers themselves are twice as likely to have mental health problems if they provide substantial care
• Mental health problems are more common among people who are socially deprived, such as people who are homeless and who are living in poverty
• Adults with mental health problems are one of the most excluded groups in society. They have the lowest employment rate for any of the main groups of disabled people and often do not have other activities to fill their day and spend their time alone. Social isolation is a significant
  risk factor for deteriorating mental health and suicide
• Two-thirds of men under the age of 35 with mental health problems who commit suicide are unemployed
• Over 50% of women in the mental health system are survivors of violence and abuse
• There is a strong link between living in poverty, having less control of one’s life, poor self esteem, depression and anxiety as well as having poorer access to a good diet, exercise opportunities and support