Physical activity and mental health in ageing

This research brief examines the links between maintaining recommended levels of physical activity and positive effects on mental health and brain functioning as well as the public policy strategies in place to promote physical activity in the older population. It is based on three CARDI-funded projects:- Physical activity and core depressive symptoms in the older Irish adult population, led by Karen Morgan at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.- Using aerobic exercise to promote brain plasticity, conducted by Richard Carson at Queen’s University, Belfast.- Leading dance for older people, led by Sylvia O’Sullivan at the University of Limerick.

Information sources on ethnicity and health and healthcare

This report provides a summary of work to date on a joint regional mapping project of ethnicity and health inequalities. It also covers equity of access to health care and initiatives (national and local) to address health inequalities between ethnic groups.

Progress in tackling Health Inequalities in the East Midlands

This article, which is part of EMRA's State of the Region report for 2006, examines progress since the early 1990s across the East Midlands region in reducing the health gap on infant mortality and life expectancy by 2010, which are the Government's two key national health inequalities targets. It shows that although health is improving for the East Midlands population as a whole, there is a continuing widening of the inequalities gap as measured by life expectancy at birth between the overall East Midlands population and those living within local authorities in the East Midlands that are the most disadvantaged, and that the inequalities gap for the infant mortality rate has not reduced since the early 1990s.

Tackling Health Inequalities

This briefing paper provides an introduction to health inequalities. It is part of a series produced using learning gleaned from health action zones across the East and West Midlands. ISBN: 1842794337

Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004

This report first describes the prevalence of mental disorders among 5- to 16-year olds in 2004 and notes any changes since the previous survey in 1999. It then provides profiles of children in each of the main disorder categories (emotional, conduct, hyperkinetic and autistic spectrum disorders) and , where the sample size permits, profiles subgroups within these categories.

The Public Health Observatory Handbook of Health Inequalities Measurement (2005)

This SEPHO handbook primarily focuses on the measurement and interpretation of health inequalities. Written by Roy Carr-Hill and Paul Chalmers-Dixon of York University, it provides a comprehensive collection of material for those concerned to document and understand health inequalities.

Health equity audit - learning from practice briefing

This briefing provides a summary of learning from three workshops on HEA, and examples of completed or near-completed HEAs to illustrate these learning points. It is recognised that this experience is evolving.

Health and social inequalities in English adolescents: Exploring the importance of school, family and neighbourhood

The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study was established 22 years ago. It is cross-national research conducted by an international network of teams in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe. Its aim is to gain new insight into young people۪s health, wellbeing and health behaviour, including links with their social context. Researchers from three countries started the HBSC study in 1982 and since then, a growing number of countries and regions have joined the study. This report presents findings from the 2001/2 English part of the study, which was carried out on behalf of the Health Development Agency by BMRB Social Research. This is the third time the survey has been carried out in England; previous surveys took place in 1995 and 1997.

2007 Spearhead Health Inequalities Intervention Tool (and Press Release)

The Health Inequalities Intervention Tool, developed by APHO, highlights the key issues that Spearhead local authorities (with their PCTs) need to address to meet the Government۪s life expectancy targets. It can be used by any Spearhead Primary Care Trust or local council to find out what the underlying causes of the life expectancy gap are for that area. This Tool is designedto allow "Spearhead" Local Authorities/PCTs tounderstand better how they might reduce the inequalties between them and the national picture. (Please note that there are no "Spearhead" PCTs in the East of England. However, plans are being drawn up to address this and allow the developmentof this tool that is of use to all PCTs.)

Tackling health inequalities: 2007 Status Report on the Programme for Action

The status report provides a review of developments against the data since the publication of the Programme for Action in 2003. It considers progress against the Public Service Agreement (PSA) target, the national headline indicators and against government commitments. The report highlights the challenging nature of the health inequalities PSA target for 2010.

The London Health Commission prospectus 2006-2008: Partnership for health: challenges for action

The London Health Commission programme of work to 2008 has identified four Health Challenges to stimulate action on its top priorities durng the next three years. It is urging organisations to join in action to increase the number of disabled people in employment; introduce smoke-free workplace policies; improve access to effective language support services for their users; help improve the emotional health and well being of young Londoners.

Indications of public health in the English regions 5: child health

This report, focusing on child health, is the fifth in a series of reports commissioned by the CMO and produced by the Association of Public Health Observatories. It examines geographical and socio-economic variations in indicators of child health in the English regions.

Review of the health inequalities infant mortality PSA target

This review was established to consider why, despite a general improvement in infant mortality rates, health inequalities in infant mortality between different social groups remain. It identifies a range of issues and makes recommendations relevant to the health inequalities 2010 PSA target. Its recommendations are being shared with the NHS and others before the department issues further guidance.

Performing better? A focus on sexual health services in England. Full report

This report draws attention to the extent of sexual ill health in England and the wide variation of levels of this ill health between different communities. It highlights relevant policy and initiatives underway to tackle sexual health across England.

Regulation of endothelial derived nitric oxide in health and disease

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is the primary physiological source of nitric oxide (NO) that regulates cardiovascular homeostasis. Historically eNOS has been thought to be a constitutively expressed enzyme regulated by calcium and calmodulin. However, in the last five years it is clear that eNOS activity and NO release can be regulated by post-translational control mechanisms (fatty acid modification and phosphorylation) and protein-protein interactions (with caveolin-1 and heat shock protein 90) that direct impinge upon the duration and magnitude of NO release. This review will summarize this information and apply the post-translational control mechanisms to disease states.