Health Board: Upcoming conferences, talks, campaigns and events

1) A public seminar on clinical trials will be held in the Trinity Translational Medicine Institute at St James's Hospital, Dublin, on Wednesday, December 5th from 5pm to 8pm. Organised by the Centre for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation, the free event will offer people the chance to learn how clinical trials for new medicines are carried out and how to participate. To register in advance see awareforall.org.

2) The annual Christmas Run in aid of the depression/bipolar disorder support group, Aware, will be held in the Phoenix Park on Saturday, December 8th. Online registration for five or 10km runs cost €25 per person. See aware.ie/events.

3) A half-day chemsex education and training course will take place in HIV Ireland's headquarters in 70 Eccles Street in Dublin 7 on Wednesday, November 21st from 9.30am to 1.30pm. The free course aims to increase participants' knowledge and awareness of chemsex and issues related to this type of drug use. The training is aimed to be beneficial for people working across a range of services including sexual health workers, health advisers, drug service providers, LGBT services, mental health practitioners, GPs, counsellors, social workers, nurses, and other professionals. The training is facilitated by the Gay Men's Health Service, HSE.

4) To mark the centenary of the first outbreak of the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland is hosting a series of talks on Wednesday November 21 at 5pm.  Speakers will discuss the historical, medical and social impact of the pandemic, as well as current research being carried out in the area of epidemiology and public health.

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5) The Irish Doctors Choir, with soloists and instrumentalists from specialist early music group, Sestina will perform Bach for Advent in Newman University Church, St Stephen's Green, Dublin on Sunday, November 25 at 7.30pm.  Proceeds from the concert will be donated to the ARC Cancer Support services. Tickets at €22.20.

6) To mark 100 years of midwifery regulation in Ireland, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland is hosting a national conference to celebrate the regulation and development of the midwifery profession. The conference (with registration at 8.30am) will be at the Clayton Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 on Thursday, November 22nd.

7) Exercise Through Your Cancer Journey is the theme of a free public talk by chartered physiotherapist, Aoife McGovern on Thursday, November 22 at 8pm.  The talk will be held in Total Physio in Sandyford, Dublin 18 (opposite Sandyford Luas stop).  Advance booking on info@totalphysio.ie or call 01-2137000.

8) Young people can judge which health-related apps are relevant to their age and bodies, source appropriate digital content and dismiss app content that might be harmful to them, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Birmingham found that many young people are "critical participants" of digital health technologies. The study also found that as apps and devices are highly accessible, they can offer private spaces in which to engage in health-related activities, away from communal spaces that young people may find intimidating. One third of young people aged between 13 and 18 said they were active users of apps and devices related to exercise, diet and wellness. Research lead, Dr Victoria Goodyear, from the University of Birmingham's school of sport, exercise and rehabilitation sciences, said: "Our research has shown that young people think through their uses of health apps and devices in impressive and well-informed ways. For some young people, they use apps to find information related to their bodies, and they can do this without an adult, and in ways that work around the school pressures of homework. However, not all young people experience positive impacts and some can develop a very narrow view of health."

[ sthompson@irishtimes.com ]