HSE report - No room for complacency on health

The Health Service Executive report published yesterday might be summarised as much done with a lot left to do. Life expectancy in Ireland is at its highest level ever, but more could be done through education.

The figures show a marked improvement over the decades – from 58 years in the mid-1920s to 76.8 years for males and 81.6 years for females in 2006. Life expectancy in Ireland is now higher than in the European Union as a whole. But there is no room for complacency, because the Irish rate is slightly lower than the 77.1 years for males and 82.7 years for females in the 15 countries that previously made up the EU.

The Irish population is at its highest level since 1861. Mortality among infants and children has fallen below the EU average. Much of that reduction is attributed to the improved control of infectious diseases. The effectiveness of vaccination was demonstrated by the falling level of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Ireland had one of the worst infant morality rates throughout Europe in the early 1950s, so our health authorities can take satisfaction from this.

There has also been a marked reduction in deaths attributed to circulatory disease. Half of the decline resulted from a reduction in risk factors, and the other half was due to treatment.

When it comes to treatment of heart problems, however, the report suggests “that people outside of the Dublin area have significantly less access to cardiac interventions”. Yet the recent emphasis has been on centralising such services.

Cancer deaths have also fallen to below the EU-15 average for males, but the rate is above the average for females. The respiratory death rates among males and females have shown a similar discrepancy.

Respiratory disease is the second highest cause of deaths among Irish females. There has been a decline in the number of people smoking on a daily basis, down from 33% to 29% from 1998 to 2007. Ireland now ranks sixth lowest in the percentage of daily smokers within the EU. Whereas more men smoke than women, more girls smoke than boys in Ireland, which suggests an educational deficit for girls.

Irish people are the third highest consumers of alcohol in the EU, which highlights dietary problems.

The report estimates that as many as one in 20 people in Ireland suffer from diabetes, but half of those have not yet been diagnosed. Yet the disease is the leading cause of blindness, renal failure, and non-traumatic amputation of the lower limbs, as well a major risk factor for circulatory disease.

This really demonstrates the importance of education. The higher prevalence of obesity in Ireland suggests the importance of proper diet is not understood.

It is absurd that such an important facet of life is being overlooked within the school curriculum.