Irish 'incredibly positive' on health outlook

Irish people have an "incredibly positive" outlook on their health despite some of the highest rates of cancer and heart disease in Europe, according to a new report.

The average Irish person rates their health at nearly eight (7.9) out of 10, though more than a third (36 per cent) claim to have a medical condition. The most common complaints are blood pressure, high cholesterol and asthma.

However, nearly half of them said their condition had no effect on the quality of their lives, according to the 2007 Pfizer Health Index.

The figures would appear to be at odds with the facts. Mortality rates for cancers, heart conditions and respiratory illnesses are higher in Ireland than the EU average, and it is estimated that half of all people over 50 have high blood pressure.

The index, now in its second year, is an attempt by the pharmaceutical giant to examine attitudes towards health in Ireland. It involved a survey of more than 1,000 people nationwide and included a sample of 120 immigrants to Ireland for the first time.

The perception of good health is even more pronounced among non-Irish nationals who, on average, rate their health at 8.8 out of 10, though the lower age profile of immigrants may be the reason behind it. Nine out of 10 of them are aged between 18 and 44.

The survey also revealed that 42 per cent of immigrants definitely want to return to their home country, with only 23 per cent saying they were committed to staying in Ireland for good.

Perceptions of Ireland as a place to live and work are overwhelmingly positive, with less than 10 per cent dissatisfied with their experiences here.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) is to publish a major intercultural health strategy within two months on health issues affecting immigrants to Ireland, who make up one in 10 of the population at present and are projected to rise to nearly one in five by 2030.

HSE national health promotion development manager Maria Lordan Dunphy said the strategy would be based on a "huge body of work" already done on immigrants' health in Ireland and would address provision of health services and information.

The strategy will include the work of the Slán survey of lifestyles and attitudes in Ireland, which has a section on country of origin for the first time.

She said a national group had already been set up in the HSE, which has been looking at developing a national action plan to address health inequalities within ethnic minorities. One HSE region, Dublin and the North East, had already appointed a health promotion officer for ethnic minorities.

"This is a huge challenge for our society. We need to support people to improve their health, but we also need to look at influencing the wider determinants of health such as housing, education and environment.

"Non-Irish nationals need to be supported to maintain and improve their health," she added.

Lucy Gaffney, chairwoman of the National Action Plan Against Racism, said a lack of understanding could lead to "terrible trauma" in the treatment of ethnic minority patients.

She said new-born black or Asian babies usually have a "Mongolian spot" on their backs which could be mistaken for a bruise, while the children of asylum seekers are four times more likely to be referred to an accident and emergency department by GPs, but less likely to need admittance to hospital.

"We hope the intercultural strategy will highlight the specific needs of all the ethnic communities in Ireland. It will have a range of policies and strategies that are going to address those needs," she said.

"For example, with implementation of the HSE's new intercultural strategy, a woman whose culture does not allow examination by a male teacher may no longer fear going to a hospital if she needs care."