Over 75% health board staff stressed

MORE than three-quarters of Southern Health Board (SHB) staff suffered from psychological or emotional stress last year, according to the board’s annual report.

Violence, conflict, bullying, needlestick injuries and work-related accidents all gave rise to workplace stress, while personal difficulties, including family trauma, relationship difficulties, domestic violence and unplanned pregnancies were all cited as factors behind personal stress.

The board's employment assistance programme (EAP) responded to 22 requests for stress management workshops, double that requested in 2001.

Up to 8.5% of staff presented with psychiatric issues, including depression and anxiety, 6.3% had general medical problems, 4.1% had addiction problems, including alcohol and drugs or family-related addiction problems and 5% had other problems including financial and employment issues.

A total of 1,490 staff sought medical assessment in 2002; 183 were exposed to needlestick injuries and 617 were involved in violent incident follow-ups, compared to 414 the previous year.

In terms of health problems in the SHB region, heart disease remains the number one killer in Cork and Kerry, accounting for more than four in 10 deaths.

A study conducted by the board's Department of Public Health in 2002, found that men have higher death rates from all diseases including heart disease and cancer.

Men also have a five-and-a-half year shorter life span on average than women in the region and experience more mental health problems.

In general, men don't exercise enough, have less healthy diets than females and are more likely to engage in risk-taking behaviour.

High accident rates and high suicide rates are cause for concern.

Other figures in the report show that church marriages remain the most popular with 2,482 in 2002, as against 554 civil marriages during the year.

However the number of civil marriages appear to be on the increase up 16% on 2001.

Studies of asylum seekers showed general health was good but mental wellbeing was poor.

There were 9,065 births and almost 5,000 deaths in the year.

The report also details a €200 million expansion project which includes a new €75m maternity hospital and a €28m Accident and Emergency facility, doubling the size of the existing department which treats more than 56,000 patients annually.

Chief executive of the SHB Seán Hurley warned that the board was now operating within tighter financial constraints.

"Maintaining and improving the health status of our population is a complex task in an environment where financial resources are finite.

"Our immediate challenge now is to deliver a more effective health service within the existing level of exchequer funding," he said.