Your Health, the seven-part series which concluded in this newspaper yesterday, examined the main illnesses faced by people on the island of Ireland in the 21st century. The articles by Dr Muiris Houston, Medical Correspondent of The Irish Times, provided essential information on these diseases and their treatments.
A number of pivotal issues emerged. Inevitably, the shortcomings of our health system were exposed - yet again.
It is clear that there is an unnecessary loss of life among those who suffer an acute stroke in the Republic each year because they cannot access treatment in dedicated stroke units. This regrettable situation is in contrast to the health service in Northern Ireland, where 70 per cent of stroke patients receive such optimum treatment and, as a result, there are lower mortality and disability rates.
Inequalities in health also emerged. People were more likely to die of cancer or suffer a heart attack if they were in the lowest socio-economic group on the island. Geographic inequalities were also evident; those living on the western seaboard were less likely to be offered radiotherapy treatment for cancer or a bypass operation for heart disease. Women fared worse than men in the treatment of heart disease and older people had their cancers less actively treated than those in younger age groups.
However, the series also emphasised the importance of self-care in preventing many illnesses. If we exercised more, ate better and stopped smoking, this in itself would help to reverse the high levels of heart disease, stroke and cancer we experience.
Of all the topics covered, probably the most frightening was the rapidly emerging epidemic of childhood obesity. It clearly illustrated how social, psychological and physical factors can coalesce to produce children and adolescents who are setting themselves up for a lifetime of chronic ill-health. In the most severe cases it is now predicted that obese children will die before their parents.
Some of the answers to childhood obesity and other common diseases lie outside medicine. It may be more important to change the environment in which people live and the transport choices they can make if true prevention is to take place.
Governments can help, but ultimately change for the better will mean empowering local communities and individuals to make healthy choices across a broad spectrum of issues.