Dementia

In Ireland, over 55,000 people are living with dementia and over half a million of us have had a family member with dementia.  Behind the numbers there are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, neighbours, workmates and friends.

All are living with a brain condition that deeply affects their lives and the lives of people who care for them.  Find out more about dementia and how you can play your part in supporting people affected by dementia at www.understandtogether.ie

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LGBT Safe and Supportive School’s Toolkit

The LGBT Safe and Supportive School’s ‘Toolkit’ for is for Post-Primary staff who want to create safe and supportive schools that are fully inclusive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people. The toolkit outlines a Whole-School Community model, with 6 key action areas, that can effectively be implemented through strong school leadership and senior management support.  The rationale for each key action area is explained in the toolkit as well as suggestions of ‘what your school can do’.

A Rapid Assessment Tool has been created to accompany the toolkit, which allows schools to self-evaluate where they are at in relation to each key action area.  The Rapid Assessment Tool is a good starting point for schools wanting to engage in this work. 

The model has been piloted and evaluated in two Donegal schools.  See www.belongto.org for the full report including research findings.

For more information on implementing the toolkit please contact Belong To (01 670 6223 Monday - Friday from 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm)

Download the LGBT Safe and Supportive School’s ‘Toolkit’
Download the Rapid Assessment Tool

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Be active after school activity programme

The Be Active ASAP aims to improve the physical activity patterns of school children by introducing them to a wide variety of activities in a fun, supportive, positive environment, fostering positive attitudes toward physical activity during children’s crucial formative years. 

Be Active ASAP

 
• Takes place after school on school grounds.
    This offers a safe, familiar, convenient setting for an age-appropriate introduction to after-school physical activity.
 
• Designed for 7-8 year olds.
    This is an age at which children begin to make decisions regarding their likes/dislikes or abilities regarding physical activity.
 
• Led by trained teacher leaders.
    Teachers were chosen to lead the programme as they have the knowledge to adjust activities to challenge children appropriately, irrespective of ability.
 
• Involves parents in their children’s physical activity.
    Parental support is crucial to the programme to improve the adult:child ratio, to support the teacher and to set a good example for the children.
 
• Gives children the chance to succeed.
    This programme concentrates on building confidence across a broad range of activities echoing the Physical Education Curriculum for Primary Schools experienced by children during the school day.`

To find out more about Be Active ASAP visit www.beactiveasap.ie or send a message here

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Campaign to take on childhood obesity

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Alcohol and breastfeeding

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HSE encourages people to ‘Keep Active’

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Breastfeeding and Work

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National   Breastfeeding Week

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Schools

School can make a substantial contribution to the health and well-being of the whole school community. Schools for health in Ireland provides a framework for a school to assess health needs and begin a process of working towards better health for all who learn and work within the school setting.

There are four publications available for download here,
1.) Schools for Health in Ireland Framework - Post Primary which gives an overview of the health promoting school concept and will help school leaders to support health promotion work within their school.
2.) Schools for Health in Ireland Co-ordinator’s Handbook - Post Primary which details how to implement the framework within the school.
3.) Schools for Health in Ireland Framework - Primary which gives an overview of the health promoting school concept and will help school leaders to support health promotion work within their school.
4.) Schools for Health in Ireland Co-ordinator’s Handbook - Primary which details how to implement the framework within the school.

The publications will also be of use for health personnel and others who may be working with schools and who want an understanding of health promotion in the school setting.

 

LGBT Safe and Supportive School’s Toolkit

The LGBT Safe and Supportive School’s ‘Toolkit’ for is for Post-Primary staff who want to create safe and supportive schools that are fully inclusive of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) young people. Read more

 

Eat Smart Move More

Eat smart move more is a useful resource to encourage children to get active and eat sensibly. You can download the booklet here or place an order for it here

 

 

 

 

Healthy Eating

Food and drink are an essential part of our daily lives. They play an important role in the development of young people.  Making the right choices to support our nutrition
requirements satisfies our physiological needs, and also contributes to our mental and emotional development. What we eat and drink is directly related to our state of health.

Adolescence is a time for developing the skills to make informed choices and decisions throughout life. What we eat and drink is one such choice. Young people need to be aware of the importance of good nutrition for health in order to optimise their growth, health and developmental potential through their teenage years and beyond.

Schools can contribute by developing a Healthy Eating Policy that reflects and represents the whole-school community. The aim of such a policy should be to improve the eating choices and habits of young people.

Download the Guidelines for Developing a HEALTHY EATING POLICY in Post-Primary Schools

Contact our Schools’ Teams in your Area

HSE Schools’  Health Promotion Teams that can be contacted to discuss participation in the Health Promoting Schools Initiative

HSE West
  Health Promotion Dept, 1st Floor St Conals,  Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Tel: 074 9104694
  Health Promotion Dept, JFK House, JFK Parade, Co. Sligo.  Tel: 071 9135080
  Health Promotion Dept, 2nd Floor, HR Building, Merlin Park Hospital, Co. Galway.  Tel: 091 737262.
  Health Promotion Dept, Parkview House, Pery Street, Co. Limerick.  Tel: 061 204532

HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster
  Health Promotion Dept, Block 4, Central Business Park, Clonminch,  Tullamore, Co. Offaly. 057 9357800
  Health Promotion Officer, Athlone Education Centre, Moydrum Road, Athlone, Co.  Westmeath Tel:  090 6420400

HSE Dublin North East
  Health Promotion Dept., Railway Street, Navan, Co. Meath.  Tel: 046 9076407
Health Promotion Dept., St Davnet’s Hospital Complex, Co. Monaghan.  Tel: 047 77043

HSE South
  Health Promotion Dept., St. Canices Hospital, Dublin Road, Co. Kilkenny.  Tel: Ph: 056 7734860
  Health Promotion Dept., HSE South, Western Road, Co. Cork.  Tel: 021 4921641
  Health Promotion Dept., Floor 3, Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre, Mallow, Co. Cork. Tel: 022 58634
  Health Promotion Dept., Coolnagarrane, Skibbereen, Co. Cork.  Tel: 028 40418
  Health Promotion Dept., Block 1, St Columbanas Hospital, St Margaret’s Rd, Killarney,  Co Kerry. Tel: 064 6670763
Health Promotion Dept., Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry. Tel: 0667195617

Please ask to talk to someone in the Schools’ Team.

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Health Promotion

There are Health Promotion and Improvement Offices serving all counties. You can find the contact details below. Most have people working in the following areas.

• Health Promotion Training.
• Schools Health Promotion
• Community Health Promotion
• Workplace Health Promotion
• Physical Activity
• Smoking Cessation Services
• Community Dietetic Services
• Consumer Health Information and Publications

 

HSE South
Cork, Kerry	021 4921641
Wexford	053-23522
Kilkenny	056-7761400
Waterford	051 842911
Carlow	059 9143630
South Tipperary	052-77327
HSE West
Galway	(091) 737251
Limerick City	061-483215
Limerick County	069 61430
Clare	065 686 5837
Mayo	(094) 9042589
Sligo/Leitrim	(071) 9135075
Letterkenny	(074) 9104694/ (074) 91 04693
Roscommon	090 663 7549
HSE Dublin North East
Meath, Louth, Cavan, Monaghan	046 907 6400
North County Dublin	01 897 6124
North Dublin City	01 897 6124
Dublin North East	01 897 6124
HSE Dublin Mid Leinster
South Dublin City	01 463 2800
South County Dublin	01 463 2800
Wicklow, Kildare	01 201 4296
Longford	1800 242 505
Laois, Offaly, Westmeath	057 935 7800

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Health Promotion Strategic Framework

The Health Promotion Strategic Framework (HPSF) is the first national strategic framework for health promotion in the HSE. It has been developed to support the HSE’s strategic objectives of promoting and improving the health of the population. The framework sets out clear, consistent, national objectives for the HSE in relation to its health promotion priorities. The framework will not only guide the activity of the Health Promotion workforce, but sets out a model for developing a health service that integrates health promotion into all aspects of HSE services in line with international best practice. This framework is guided by the HSE’s Corporate Plan and identified National Priorities.

International evidence recommends health promotion approaches that are focused on how and where people live, work, and play; these are known as settings for health promotion. This framework acknowledges the key role that health and social care services have in promoting the health of the population across these key settings, while recognising the greater significance of the social determinants of health and the unequal health status experienced by different population groups. 

The framework outlines a model of health promotion that addresses the broad determinants of health and health inequalities, through health services, community and education settings.  It describes the approaches that are to be applied in each setting and sets out priority objectives and actions for national processes to support the implementation of the framework and for each of the three priority settings identified. With appropriate investment, the long-term outcomes of these approaches have been demonstrated internationally to improve health and reduce inequalities, disease and costs on the health system.

Download Health Promotion Strategic Framework

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3 Week Menu Plan

The menu plan provides a guide for breakfast, lunch, tea and snack suggestions for five days of the week.  A full selection of tried and tested child-friendly recipes is included.  Ingredients required to make meals for groups of 10, 20 or 30 children are detailed.  The menu plans have been analysed to ensure they meet the recommended daily amounts of key nutrients for pre-school children aged 18 months to three years.  During the pilot testing, the resource was rated with respect to ease of use, popularity of the menus with children, wastage, value for money and availability of ingredients.  Colour coding is used for easy reference across sections.  Plain English is used throughout.  The resource was short-listed as a finalist for the 2009 Crystal Clear MSD Health Literacy Awards.

Download the English Version

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Healthy Eating

Eating well is important for all of us. In the short-term, it can help us to feel good, look our best and stay at a healthy weight. And in the long-term, a healthy, balanced diet can reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers.  But what exactly is a healthy, balanced diet?

In simple terms, to eat a balanced diet you need to combine several different types of foods - from each of the main food groups - in the right amounts so your body gets all the nutrients it needs while maintaining a healthy weight.  This means you should eat:

• Plenty of bread, rice potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
• Plenty of fruit and vegetables
• Some milk, cheese and yoghurt
• Some meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein, and
• Just a small amount of foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar

3-Week Menu Plan – A Resource for Pre-schools

Pre-schools nationwide can benefit from an innovative three-week menu planning resource designed to ensure that pre-schoolers receive all their daily nutritional requirements.  Piloted in seven pre-schools based in South Dublin and Kildare, the resource was developed by the HSE’s Community Nutrition and Dietetic Team in Tallaght in consultation with pre-school officers, environmental health professionals and pre-school providers.  The menu plan was devised as a practical tool to support pre-school services to implement the recommendations of the National Food and Nutrition Guidelines for Pre-school Services published by the Department of Health and Children in 2004.

You can find out more and download the menu plan here.

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Get walking

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GetIrelandActive.ie

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One in Every Two Smokers

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National Breastfeeding Week 2011

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Contraception and pregnancy for women with diabetes

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You can quit

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Busy Bodies

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Busy Bodies

Busy Bodies Adolescent Development Programme provides information on the physical and emotional changes that children may experience during puberty, to reassure them that puberty is a normal part of growing up.  Busy Bodies is a useful resource to help support both teachers and parents in providing information on puberty to children aged between 10 and 14.

Busy Bodies was developed to support the teaching of the 5th and 6th class component of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) within the context of Social Personal and Health Education. It was produced by the Health Service Executive South working in partnership with the RSE Support Service, the National Parents Council (Primary) and the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme.

The programme includes an animated child friendly DVD, booklets in English and Irish and a user guide for teachers.

Busy Bodies Booklet - English

Busy Bodies Booklet - Irish

Busy Bodies User guide for teachers - English

All resources can be ordered here

How do I order the DVD and Booklets?

Parents: To order a free copy of the DVD and booklet Free Text BUSY plus your name and address to 50444 or you can order here

Teachers: To order a free copy of the DVD and student copies of the booklet you need to register as a professional on healthpromotion.ie, log in and you can order here

Watch the DVD

Click on the links below to view the individual chapters of the DVD. You can also download the relevant section of the booklet.

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Local sports partnerships

These organisations work in most areas to promote access to sports and physical activity, they are great sources of information about active things you can do in your area.

• Carlow www.carlowsports.ie
• Cavan www.cavansportspartnership.ie
• Clare www.claresportspartnership.ie
• Cork City www.corkcity.ie
• County Cork www.cclsp.com
• Donegal www.activedonegal.com
• Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown www.dlrcoco.ie/sports
• Fingal www.fingalsportspartnership.ie
• Galway City www.galwaycity.ie
• Galway County www.galwaycoco.ie
• Kerry www.kerrylsp.ie
• Kildare www.kildaresp.ie
• Kilkenny Tel: 056 7720870 
• Laois www.laoissports.ie
• Leitrim wwww.leitrimcoco.ie
• Limerick City www.limerickcitysports.ie
• Limerick County www.cllsp.ie
• Longford Tel: 043 43307
• Louth www.louthlsp.ie
• Mayo www.mayosports.ie
• Meath www.meathlocalsportspartnership.ie
• Monaghan www.monaghansports.ie
• North Tipperary www.ntsp.ie
• Offaly www.offalysports.ie
• Roscommon www.rosactive.org
• Sligo www.sligosportandrecreation.ie
• South County Dublin www.sdcsp.ie
• South Tipperary www.stsp.ie
• Waterford www.waterfordsportspartnership.ie
• Westmeath www.westmeathsports.ie
• Wexford www.wexford.ie
• Wicklow Tel:01 2878180

The HSE is not responsible for any of the information listed on external websites. The links are provided for information purposes only. If you think that you have an underlying medical condition, or have not been active for some time you should talk to your doctor before you make any changes to your activity levels.

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Sporting organisations

Here are the contact details for a range of sporting organisations, they should be able to provide you with information about how to get involved with a particular sport.

The Irish Sports council also have lots of information about a wide range of sports throughout the Island of Ireland.

Swimming

www.swimireland.ie

Football

www.fai.ie

Gaelic Games

www.gaa.ie

Hockey

www.hockey.ie

Tennis

www.tennisireland.ie

Sailing

www.sailing.ie

Horse Riding

www.aire.ie

Rugby

www.irishrugby.ie

Cricket

www.irishcricket.org

Martial Arts

The Irish Association of Martial Arts

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Get walking

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get active and it is free!

Walking regularly will:

• give you more energy
• help you feel good and sleep better
• help you manage your stress
• increase your stamina
• tone your muscles and burn up calories
• strengthen your heart
• lower your blood pressure and cholesterol
• protect against osteoporosis
• reduce your risk of developing diabetes

 

Little steps to walking safely:

• Be safe, be seen! Wear reflective bands when it is dark.
• Walk with a companion or a dog.  If walking on your own tell a family member or friend where you are going and how long you plan to be.
• Good shoes – if your feet aren’t comfortable, you won’t continue walking.  Wear comfortable trainers or invest in a good pair of walking shoes.  If you walk to and from work, the bus, train or car – think about leaving your work shoes in the office and wearing runners when walking.
• Water – drink a glass of water before and after you walk.  If you are going for a long walk, think about taking a bottle of water with you.
• Wear layers!  Whether you are walking to the office or heading off in your tracksuit – it is a good idea to wear layers so you can take off your sweater or raincoat or put it on depending on the weather.
• Warm up!  Gradually warm up at the start and end of each walk by walking at a slower pace, stretching your arms and legs.
• If you have health problems, check with your doctor before you begin walking.
   

Little steps to fit walking into your everyday routine

• Step outside and walk in any direction for five minutes, then walk back again – you’ve just had a 10 minute walk!
• Go for a walk during your lunchtime.
• Go walking with a friend.  This will give you an added incentive to walk and make it safer for you. 
• Get of the bus one or two stops before your final destination and walk the rest of the way.
• If you would normally drive to see a friend who lives nearby, walk instead.
• Use the stairs.  If you live in an apartment or work in an office building – forget the lift and take the stairs instead.
• Walk your children to or from school – walk at a faster pace when you are on your own.
• Walk to the shops – if your local shop is close by, take a longer route to give yourself more walking time.  

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Activity and children with a disability

How do I help my child who has a disability get active?

The benefits of physical activity can be even greater for children with a disability.  It can give them a good opportunity to socialise as well as improve physical skills such as co-ordination and balance. 

Here are some ideas that should help get your child active.

• Be patient, and encourage your child with praise for any progress
• When doing activities with other children explain why your child may have to do things slightly differently
• Try not to be overprotective.  If you are worried about what your child should be allowed to do check with your GP or other health professional.
• If you would like your child to take part in an organised activity or sport, arrange to meet the leader or coach to discuss your child’s particular needs and capabilities.
• Visit www.specialolympics.ie for details for your nearest Special Olympics group. 
• Most local councils around the country run Local Sports Partnerships. Their role is to promote involvement in sports and they are a good source of information about sport in your local area. Some of them have Sports Disability Inclusion officers who can give you advice on activities for young people with disabilities. You can find contact details for your nearest Local Sports Partnership here.

It is easy to adapt active games and sports to suit individual needs. By making small changes to equipment, time and rules everyone can get active and enjoy taking part.

Equipment

• choose larger or lighter bats and racquets
• experiment with various types of balls – different size, weight, colour or texture
• use larger goals or targets
• try scoops for catching activities

Playing area:

• create a ‘level playing field’, an area that is suitable to all
• reduce the size of the playing area if necessary

Time:

• slow down the pace of the game or activity
• increase the time allowed to perform tasks
• remove time limits altogether
• include frequent rest periods

Rules: 

• alter, reduce or simplify the rules
• give players prompts for what comes next 

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How active do I need to be?

• Children and young people need to be moderately active for at least 60 minutes (1 hour) every day. 
• Adults should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.

The full amount of activity doesn’t all have to be done at once.  You can build it up over the day – but you will need to be active for at least 10 minutes each time. 

If you or your child is not regularly active at the moment, start gradually and build up to your target.  A little activity is better than none – concentrating on having fun will make it more enjoyable and easier to reach your target. Our active games section has instructions for over 20 active games suitable for children up-to 11 or 12.

For your child to enjoy all the benefits of an active life, they need to be active at home and during their leisure time as well as at school.  Most schools do not have the time to provide all the activity your child needs every day. The little steps for being active on this site give lots of ideas to help get the whole family active.

What is moderate activity?

Moderate activity is any activity that raises your heart beat, causes you to perspire (sweat slightly), breath quicker but still be able to carry on a conversation.  Examples of moderate intensity activities include:

• brisk walking 
• games and active play
• dance
• cycling
• swimming
• most sports

Visit the activities in your area section to find out where you can get information about all these activities. You can also get instructions for active games that younger children will enjoy in the games section of the website.

Remember to include some activities to develop muscular strength, flexibility and bone health a few times a week also.  Some examples of these activities include:

• skipping
• jumping
• climbing
• gymnastics
• yoga or pilates
• swimming

These activities will all help to make you stronger, more flexible and are good for your bones.

You can find out more about physical activity at www.getirelandactive.ie 

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Get active with your family

Being active is fun for all the family. Research shows that children whose parents are active are more than 5 times as likely to be active than those whose parents are not. Below are some ideas and links to websites that will give you info about how to get started. If you are still stuck for ideas after looking at the links below you can always visit sites like dayout.ie,  fundays.ie.

Walking

Walking is a great way to build up to your daily activity target. Whether, it is round your local park, a forest trail or something more adventurous in the countryside. All you need is a good pair of shoes or runners and clothes that will keep you warm and dry.

http://www.walkireland.ie/ has lots of routes and information about walking throughout the country.

The Irish Heart Foundation has information about the Slí na Sláinte walks. These are routes around towns that are signposted and ideal if you want to get out of the office for 40 minutes at lunch time or have half an hour to spare in the evening. You can download the routes from the Irish Heart Foundation Website.

The Fáilte Ireland website www.discoverireland.ie/walking has over 70 routes all around the country. It is not just for tourists, it is a great source of information about other activities through out the country.

Forest trails

Coilte has over 10 forest parks and 150 recreation sites around Ireland. Most of the recreation sites have forest trails to suit all ages. The forest parks have a wide range of activities that will keep the whole family entertained. Take a picnic and you can easily find things to keep you busy for the whole day. http://www.coillteoutdoors.ie/

Swimming

Swimming is a great way to get active particularly if it’s wet outside. You can find contact details for a swimming pool in your area by looking in the golden pages or on the golden pages website

Cycling

Discover Ireland has around 20 cycling routes.

Beaches

Ireland has some of the best beaches in Europe. If you live close to a beach, and many people do, they are a great place to spend an activity packed day. Soccer, hurling, paddling, building sandcastles and kite flying are fun for the whole family and you can take along a healthy picnic which means you can stay out for the whole day. Most city or county council websites will have information about beaches in your area. Irish Water Safety has a list of beaches that have are manned by life guards during the summer months.

Parks

There are parks in most towns around Ireland. They are great places for the whole family to get active whether it is kicking a ball, throwing a Frisbee or playing on of our active games.

Heritage sites, castles and gardens

You’d be surprised how just getting out into the fresh air encourages children to run around, many of the heritage sites and castles around the country have large open areas where the kids can burn off some energy. Many sites have walking trails so the whole family can get active. You can find out more about places of interest in your area on the Heritage Ireland website www.heritageireland.ie

Organised sport

Getting children involved in organised sport is a great way to set them on the road to being active right through to adult hood. Most sports have associations that can put you in contact with your local club. If you want to find out more about sport in your local area you can contact your Local Sports Partnership. Look out for sporting summer camps in July and August organised by sporting organisations such as the FAI and GAA.

You can find information about getting involved in a range of sports from the National Associations or governing bodies. Find links for a range of sporting organisations here
The Irish Sports council haslots of information about sport in Ireland.

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HSE Launches Sexual Health Campaign

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Walking Matters

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Take Care

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TAKE CARE

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National Breastfeeding Week

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Don’t Sweat It

A head to toe guide to personal care and hygiene

Issues   in relation to personal care and hygiene can present challenges for those   working with young people. The importance of addressing hygiene/ personal care   has been identified as an essential element in building self esteem and   confidence in young people and promoting positive mental health. Carers and   those working with young people have also recognised how issues in relation to   personal care and hygiene can have a negative impact on young people’s social   interactions and access to employment.

Poor personal hygiene does not just affect the self-esteem and attitude of   the individual themselves. In a work or learning environment, it can also affect   the morale and performance of others. Poor hygiene and personal care habits can   result in negative attitudes affecting interactions with other people.  Individuals can be stereotyped, leading to stigma, rejection, prejudice and   discrimination. These can have a negative influence on the quality of life and   emotional and mental health of individuals. It can also have an impact on   education, employment and interpersonal relations. Therefore, it is an important   issue for young people.

This resource can be downloaded   here or you can contact the Health Promotion Service on 01 897 6179

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Your Service, Your Say

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Junior Cert Results

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HSE 2010 National Drugs Awareness Campaign - Radio

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Vitamin D and your baby

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National Drug Awareness Campaign

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Physical Activity

The benefits of being active for physical and mental health are huge.  Being active helps release chemicals in your brain (endorphins), which have a positive effect on your mood,   not to mention the benefits to your heart, lungs, muscles and bones.  Getting out and being active is also a great way to manage stress.   

Regular physical activity can help you reduce the risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer.  For children and young people being active helps reduce their risk of developing these diseases in later life too.  Increased levels of physical activity will help reduce body fat and maintain a healthy weight. 

Being active is fun for all the family.  Research shows that children whose parents are active are more than 5 times as likely to be active than those whose parents are not. Getting active does not have to be expensive and most of the ideas on this site are low cost or completely free. You can find out more about physical activity on the getirelandactive website

How active do I need to be?

Get active as a family

Get walking

How do I help my child who has a disability get active?

 

Visit getirelandactive.ie for information about how active you should be.

 

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Young People

Visit spunout.ie for health information and advice for young people aged 17-24.

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Mental Health

Visit yourmentalhealth.ie for information and advice about looking after your mental health.

 

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Drugs

For information, advice and support on drugs visit drugs.ie.

For information about legal and illegal highs visit drugs.ie

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Health Literacy

Literacy involves listening, speaking, reading, writing, numeracy and using everyday technology to communicate and handle information. It includes more than the technical skills of communication: it also has personal, social and economic dimensions. Literacy increases the opportunity for individuals to reflect on their situation and initiate change. Health literacy is defined as:

‘ability to make sound health decisions in the context of everyday life - at home, in the community, at the workplace, the healthcare system, the market place and the political arena’ (Kickbusch et al 2005).

Health literacy is an issue that challenges everyone to varying degrees. People who do not experience literacy difficulties in other areas of life may easily experience difficulty in healthcare settings because they are not used to the setting or indeed the vocabulary. They can struggle to make sense of health related materials with unfamiliar concepts. Emotions can also play a part - when people feel vulnerable and scared their ability to understand information is inhibited.

 Play Health Literacy Video »

 

The Institute of Medicine in the US provides a very relevant description:

‘Health literacy emerges when the expectations, preferences and skills of individuals seeking health information and services meet the expectations, preferences and skills of those providing the information and services’ (Institute of Medicine 2004).

Literacy Audit for Healthcare Settings

HSE Style Guide

Integrating Literacy Guidelines for Workplace Trainers (2013 National Adult Literacy Agency).  It may be a useful resource for those who deliver training programmes in the community and health service settings.

Helpmykidlearn.ie

A website for parents which contains activities that parents can use with their children to help build their literacy and numeracy skills.  The activities are presented in a manner that will help parents with low literacy strengthen their own skills while engaging with their children. Visit helpmykidlearn.ie (opens in new tab)

 

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Breastfeeding

For information, advice and support on breastfeeding visit breastfeeding.ie.

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Want to quit smoking?

If you are thinking about making your world smoke-free you don’t have to do it alone. There is lots of help and advice available and if you spend some time planning you stand a better chance of giving up for good.

Visit quit.ie to start your quit plan today.

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Alcohol

For information, advice and support on alcohol visit askaboutalcohol.ie.

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videofaqs

Display flash

What are the different types of legal and illegal highs?

- Powders and bath salts

- Herbal highs and smokable products

- Party pills

- Hallucinogens

What effects to the powders and bath salts have?

Why do people use drugs?

What psychological problems can they cause?

Are there any particular risks for young people?

How serious a problem are they?

What are the physical side effects?

Are there any long term side effects?

Are they safe to use if pregnant?

Can they damage the brain?

Can they cause death? (since recording an Irish death has been linked to a drug purchased from a head shop)

Is it dangerous to use them with other drugs such as alcohol?

Are they as dangerous as other drugs?

What about mental health problems?

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Menopause - A guide

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Your drinking, their drinking

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Log Files

Technical details in connection with visits to this website are logged by our internet service provider for statistical purposes. No information is collected that could be used by us to identify website visitors. Our log records do not contain any personal information about users. Statistical information that is gathered does not constitute “personal data” for the purposes of the Data Protection Acts, 1988 & 2003.

If any changes are made to the Privacy Policy or Disclaimer, they will be available here .

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Cookies

This Cookie Policy sets out how the HSE uses any information we collect from you, or that you provide to us, when you use this website. By using the site, you indicate that you accept these terms of use and that you agree to abide by them.
 
In order for the site to work properly we need to collect some information. Below are the details of the cookies and what they are used for, there is also information about how you can control them.

Visitors to our website
When someone visits the website we collect standard internet log information. This information is anonymous and is not combined with any other information that you may submit on the site. The only personal information that is recorded on this site is the information that is submitted by you when ordering publications, this information is used only for the purpose of fulfilling your order and is submitted to the storage and distribution facility to do so.

Necessary cookies

PHPSessID - This is a unique identifier for the user’s session, so the   content management system knows where they are in the site. This is deleted   when the browser is closed.

exp_tracker, exp_last_activity, exp_last_visit, exp_perpage - These cookies are set by our content management system upon arrival to our site. They are not used by the HSE. Some of these cookies are deleted when a user   closes their browser, others have a variable expiry date.

Other Cookies

__utma, __utmb, __utmc, __utmz - These are Google Analytics cookies. They are used to collect information about how visitors use our website. This information is used to monitor the number of visitors to different sections of the site. The information collected is anonymous.

Use of cookies and how to control and delete cookies

If you want to restrict or block the cookies which are set by this website you can do this through your browser settings. Restricting cookies may change the way the website functions.
  To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org

Third Party Cookies

The site uses Google Analytics to supply site analytics for our website usage. You can read the google privacy policy here. Google – www.google.com/intl/en/privacypolicy.html.

You can opt not to have your activity recorded by these cookies here tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set and how to manage and delete them, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

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Disclaimer:

While every effort is made in preparing material for publication on this website, no responsibility is accepted by the Health Service Executive or its agents for any errors, omissions or misleading statements on these pages or on any site to which these pages connect. The information contained within this site is of a condensed and general nature only and can change from time to time. Users are advised to verify by direct and live contact with the Health Service Executive any information on which they rely.

This site sometimes links to external sites over which the Health Service Executive has no control and for which it accepts no responsibility .

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Privacy Policy:

This statement relates to our privacy practices in connection with this site. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of any other linked sites.

The Health Service Executive website does not store or collect any personal information about site users. Any personal information which you choose to send to the Executive via the website will be treated with the highest standards of security and confidentiality, strictly in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988 & 2003.

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Little steps Physical Activity radio ad ROI 2009

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Little Steps Physical Activity radio ad ROI 2009

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Little Steps Physical Activity Radio Ad NI 2009

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Little Steps Healthy Eating Radio Ad NI 2009

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Little steps TV ad 2009

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2009 Underage Drinking Campaign Radio Ad

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2009 HSE quit smoking campaign TV Ad

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2009 HSE quit smoking campaign Radio Ad

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