The Association of Cold Weather and All-cause and Cause-specific Mortality in the Island of Ireland Between 1984 and 2007

Background: This study aimed to assess the relationship between cold temperature and daily mortality in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI), and to explore any differences in the population responses between the two jurisdictions. Methods: A time-stratified case-crossover approach was used to examine this relationship in two adult national populations, between 1984 and 2007. Daily mortality risk was examined in association with exposure to daily maximum temperatures on the same day and up to 6 weeks preceding death, during the winter (December-February) and an extended cold period (October-March), using distributed lag models. Model stratification by age and gender assessed for modification of the cold weather-mortality relationship. Results: In the ROI, the impact of cold weather in winter persisted up to 35 days, with a cumulative mortality increase for all-causes of 6.4% (95% CI = 4.8%-7.9%) in relation to every 1°C drop in daily maximum temperature, similar increases for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, and twice as much for respiratory causes. In NI, these associations were less pronounced for CVD causes, and overall extended up to 28 days. Effects of cold weather on mortality increased with age in both jurisdictions, and some suggestive gender differences were observed. Conclusions: The study findings indicated strong cold weather-mortality associations in the island of Ireland; these effects were less persistent, and for CVD mortality, smaller in NI than in the ROI. Together with suggestive differences in associations by age and gender between the two Irish jurisdictions, the findings suggest potential contribution of underlying societal differences, and require further exploration. The evidence provided here will hope to contribute to the current efforts to modify fuel policy and reduce winter mortality in Ireland. Keywords: Cold weather, Case-crossover, Cardiovascular, Distributed lags, Mortality, Respiratory, Strok

Fuel Poverty, Older People and Cold Weather: An All-Island Analysis

The research presented in this report is the culmination of 18 months of work which has been funded by The Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI). The research is concerned with older people and how they cope with cold weather, and whether they are able to keep sufficiently warm in winter. This report is structured into a number of distinct chapters, with each chapter dealing with a specific aspect of the fuel poverty issue

Smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland- Snapshot report 2017.

Reducing second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure has become a central component of tobacco control policies across the island of Ireland. The expansion of smoke-free spaces directly reduces exposure of children and adults and further denormalises tobacco use in a variety of social contexts. Challenges remain in terms of persistent health inequalities and significant exposure to SHS in the home, particularly in the context of children. This snapshot report presents a brief overview of progress on the development of smoke-free spaces on the island of Ireland. This snapshot updates on an earlier document published in June 2016. • Smoke-free legislation in the workplace has been implemented successfully across the island of Ireland. Legislation prohibiting smoking in cars where children are present has been in place in RoI since January 2016, with similar measures proposed for NI. • In RoI 19% of all children aged 10-17 years were exposed to SHS in the car (Gavin et al, 2015). • Among children aged 11-16 years who reported that they lived with an adult smoker in NI, 3 in 10 reported that smoking was permitted in the family car (YPBAS, 2013). • In NI among households who own a car, 85% of adults reported smoking is not permitted in any car. Of adults in the most deprived quintile, 51% reported that smoking is not permitted in any car, compared to 81% in the least deprived quintile (HSNI, 2016). • In 2007/08 in NI 61% of adults reported that smoking was not permitted in the home, increasing to 80% in 2015/16 (CHS, 2007/08 and HSNI, 2016). • In NI, over half of children aged 11-16 years in the most deprived areas lived with an adult smoker. Children living in the most deprived areas were more than twice as likely to live with a smoker compared to children living in the least deprived areas (57.9% vs 25.2%) (YPBAS, 2013). • In RoI 18% of the population aged 15+ was exposed to SHS on a daily basis. SHS exposure was highest among those aged15-24 years (28%). Non-smokers in more deprived areas were more likely to be exposed to SHS than those in more affluent areas (Department of Health, 2016b). • In RoI there were slightly stricter rules around smoking in the home, compared to the family car, with pre-teen children more protected than teenagers. 12% of 10-17 year old children reported that adults were allowed to smoke in their house (Gavin et al, 2015). • In RoI more than twice as many 9 year olds living in families in the lowest income quintile (32.7%) were exposed to SHS in the home compared to children in families in the highest quintile (14%) (McAvoy et al, 2013)

The association of cold weather and all-cause and cause-specific mortality in the island of Ireland between 1984 and 2007

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Background This study aimed to assess the relationship between cold temperature and daily mortality in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI), and to explore any differences in the population responses between the two jurisdictions. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover approach was used to examine this relationship in two adult national populations, between 1984 and 2007. Daily mortality risk was examined in association with exposure to daily maximum temperatures on the same day and up to 6 weeks preceding death, during the winter (December-February) and cold period (October-March), using distributed lag models. Model stratification by age and gender assessed for modification of the cold weather-mortality relationship. Results In the ROI, the impact of cold weather in winter persisted up to 35 days, with a cumulative mortality increase for all-causes of 6.4% (95%CI=4.8%-7.9%) in relation to every 1oC drop in daily maximum temperature, similar increases for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and stroke, and twice as much for respiratory causes. In NI, these associations were less pronounced for CVD causes, and overall extended up to 28 days. Effects of cold weather on mortality increased with age in both jurisdictions, and some suggestive gender differences were observed. Conclusions The study findings indicated strong cold weather-mortality associations in the island of Ireland; these effects were less persistent, and for CVD mortality, smaller in NI than in the ROI. Together with suggestive differences in associations by age and gender between the two Irish jurisdictions, the findings suggest potential contribution of underlying societal differences, and require further exploration. The evidence provided here will hope to contribute to the current efforts to modify fuel policy and reduce winter mortality in Ireland

Results from Ireland North and South’s 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents

BackgroundThe Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity (PA) for Children and Adolescents aims to monitor progress in PA participation across a range of internationally established indicators.MethodsData were collated for 11 indicators and graded following the harmonised Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance report card process. Six representative studies (sample size range n = 898 to n = 15,557) were primarily used in the grading, with many indicators supplemented with additional studies and reports. Data collected since the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures in March 2020 were excluded.ResultsGrades were awarded as follows: ‘Overall physical activity’, C-; ‘Organised Sport and Physical Activity’, C; ‘Active Play’, INC; ‘Sedentary Behaviours’, C-; ‘Physical Fitness’, INC; ‘Family and Peers’, D+; ‘School’, C-; ‘Physical Education’, D; ‘Community and Environment’, B+ and ‘Government’, B. Separate grades were awarded for disability as follows; ‘Overall physical activity’, F; ‘Organised Sport and Physical Activity’, D; ‘Sedentary Behaviours’, C-; ‘Family and Peers’, C; ‘School’, C- and ‘Government’, B. ‘Active Play’, ‘Physical Fitness’, ‘Physical Education’ and ‘Community and Environment’ were all graded INC for disability. Since the last report card in 2016, four grades remained the same, three increased (‘Overall physical activity’, ‘School’ and ‘Physical Education’) and two (‘Family and Peers,’ and ‘Government’) were awarded grades for the first time.ConclusionGrades specific to children and adolescents with disability were generally lower for each indicator. While small improvements have been shown across a few indicators, PA levels remain low across many indicators for children and adolescents

Results from Ireland North and South’s 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents

BackgroundThe Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity (PA) for Children and Adolescents aims to monitor progress in PA participation across a range of internationally established indicators.MethodsData were collated for 11 indicators and graded following the harmonised Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance report card process. Six representative studies (sample size range n = 898 to n = 15,557) were primarily used in the grading, with many indicators supplemented with additional studies and reports. Data collected since the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures in March 2020 were excluded.ResultsGrades were awarded as follows: ‘Overall physical activity’, C-; ‘Organised Sport and Physical Activity’, C; ‘Active Play’, INC; ‘Sedentary Behaviours’, C-; ‘Physical Fitness’, INC; ‘Family and Peers’, D+; ‘School’, C-; ‘Physical Education’, D; ‘Community and Environment’, B+ and ‘Government’, B. Separate grades were awarded for disability as follows; ‘Overall physical activity’, F; ‘Organised Sport and Physical Activity’, D; ‘Sedentary Behaviours’, C-; ‘Family and Peers’, C; ‘School’, C- and ‘Government’, B. ‘Active Play’, ‘Physical Fitness’, ‘Physical Education’ and ‘Community and Environment’ were all graded INC for disability. Since the last report card in 2016, four grades remained the same, three increased (‘Overall physical activity’, ‘School’ and ‘Physical Education’) and two (‘Family and Peers,’ and ‘Government’) were awarded grades for the first time.ConclusionGrades specific to children and adolescents with disability were generally lower for each indicator. While small improvements have been shown across a few indicators, PA levels remain low across many indicators for children and adolescents

Results from Ireland North and South's 2022 report card on physical activity for children and adolescents

The Ireland North and South Report Card on Physical Activity (PA) for Children and Adolescents aims to monitor progress in PA participation across a range of internationally established indicators. Data were collated for 11 indicators and graded following the harmonised Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance report card process. Six representative studies (sample size range n = 898 to n = 15,557) were primarily used in the grading, with many indicators supplemented with additional studies and reports. Data collected since the implementation of COVID-19 public health measures in March 2020 were excluded. Grades were awarded as follows: 'Overall physical activity', C-; 'Organised Sport and Physical Activity', C; 'Active Play', INC; 'Sedentary Behaviours', C-; 'Physical Fitness', INC; 'Family and Peers', D+; 'School', C-; 'Physical Education', D; 'Community and Environment', B+ and 'Government', B. Separate grades were awarded for disability as follows; 'Overall physical activity', F; 'Organised Sport and Physical Activity', D; 'Sedentary Behaviours', C-; 'Family and Peers', C; 'School', C- and 'Government', B. 'Active Play', 'Physical Fitness', 'Physical Education' and 'Community and Environment' were all graded INC for disability. Since the last report card in 2016, four grades remained the same, three increased ('Overall physical activity', 'School' and 'Physical Education') and two ('Family and Peers,' and 'Government') were awarded grades for the first time. Grades specific to children and adolescents with disability were generally lower for each indicator. While small improvements have been shown across a few indicators, PA levels remain low across many indicators for children and adolescents. [Abstract copyright: © 2023 The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness. Published by Elsevier (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Tackling health inequalities. An All-Ireland approach to social determinants.

The report by the Institute of Public Health in Ireland and Combat Poverty Agency has highlighted the extent to which health outcomes are influenced by social factors, such as poor housing, nutrition and education