Belfast Men's Health Group's latest podcast features Matt Shields - who is the Country Manager for Parkrun on the island of Ireland.  Matt talks about his life, his passion for running, and how Parkrun has grown well beyond his expectations.  Parkrun is a free weekly gathering for both experienced runners and beginners, and this interview highlights that it is not only about being a top athlete, but also about keeping fit, making friends, building connections, having a routine, staying healthy, volunteering ...  Listen in at: https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-h9uxu-13ae023

Applications are now being invited for the Masters in Advanced Facilitation Skills for Health and Wellbeing course in South East Technological University.  This programme offers participants a unique opportunity to finely tune their facilitation and personal skills through practical experience, group process and advanced personal development.  It is an IUHPE accredited Health Promotion Course, and graduates will be recognised as ‘Accredited Health Promotion Practitioners’.  Find out more at: www.setu.ie/se92h

Are you a researcher, policy maker or practitioner working in the areas of mental health, self-harm or suicide prevention? ...  If so, you might like to register for an event which will showcase findings from some innovative research projects supported by the HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention.  This will take place in Dublin, on Wednesday 26th April 2023, from 9.30am to 3.45pm.  Find out more at: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/suicide-prevention-connecting-research-and-practice-tickets-569162709987

Most people living in Ireland have fair skin - the type which burns easily and tans poorly - so are at high risk of UV damage and skin cancer.  It is particularly important to protect skin during childhood and if you are an outdoor worker (who is likely to have more sun exposure than other groups).  The aim of the SunSmart campaign is to increase awareness of the steps you can take to protect your skin from the sun and reduce your risk of skin cancer.  Find out more at: https://www.hse.ie/sunsmart

Twenty-five years on from the Good Friday Agreement, what progress has been made to reduce Northern Ireland’s poverty rate? ...  This ARK event will focus on social and economic inequalities - exploring potential solutions with a panel of policy and research experts.  It will be held on Wednesday 26th April 2023, from 2.30pm - 4.00pm, in the Ulster University's Belfast Campus.  Register for a place at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poverty-in-northern-ireland-where-are-we-now-tickets-601372018897

Men account for three-quarters of all suicide deaths in many Western countries.  Whilst extensive research has examined risk factors for suicidal ideation and behaviour in men, protective factors remain under-explored - particularly social support, resilience and coping behaviours.  Such factors are particularly important to examine in the context of COVID-19, when enforced isolation (among other negative lifestyle effects) created widespread risk for the development of suicidal ideation.  This mixed-methods study aimed to examine the associations of various protective factors with suicidal ideation in men.  Read about the findings at: https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-023-04539-9

Existing literature indicates that unemployment leads to deteriorated mental and somatic health, poorer self-assessed health, and higher mortality.  However, it is not clear whether, and to what extent, the health consequences of unemployment differ between men and women.  This study, in Sweden, found that: hospital admission is somewhat more common among unemployed males than among unemployed females; receiving sick pay is much more common post-unemployment for men than for women; and excess mortality is higher among unemployed males than among unemployed females.  Read more about this research at: https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14899-8

The aim of this study was to examine trends in sperm count among men from all continents.  The data generated suggest that a world-wide decline is continuing at an accelerated pace, and that research on the causes of this decline - and actions to prevent further disruption of male reproductive health - are urgently needed.  Read about the findings at: https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/29/2/157/6824414