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News Round-up for jmhg vol 3 no 2 (June 2006):
Update
News Round-up If you don’t get a yes, don’t have sex The UK government is running a campaign warning men that they must obtain explicit consent before having sex, or risk prosecution for rape. The national advertising campaign is aimed at men aged 18–24 years, and is intended to raise awareness of recent important changes to UK law. The Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force in 2004, requires that a defendant in a rape case can show that they had reasonable grounds to believe that the other person had given their consent to sex. The Act defines a person as consenting if he or she ‘‘agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.’’ The campaign warns men that prospective sexual partners must actively consent by saying yes to sex. Without such a response, the man should assume the answer is no. The £400,000 campaign, launched in March, consists of advertisements on national and regional radio stations, advertisements in magazines for men, including the gay press, and stickers and posters in pubs and clubs. Government minister Fiona Mactaggart said at the campaign’s launch: ‘‘I want young men to see these adverts and realise that they should not be having sex unless they have secured the consent of the other person. Our campaign is not saying ’don’t have sex’; it is about ensuring that sex is mutually agreed.’’ According to a government press release, the campaign is aimed at men ‘‘because the vast majority of sexual offences are committed by men.’’ The government’s Solicitor General, Mike O’Brien, said in a radio interview in early March that there may need to be some additional clarification of the law in future, on the issue of whether a person who has been drinking alcohol is able to give consent.
Scientists grow stem cells into prostate tissue A team of researchers from Australia and the USA has reported the successful
growth of human prostate tissue from embryonic stem cells, in a development labelled a ‘‘significant milestone’’ in prostate research. In the journal Nature Methods (2006;3: 179–81), the team describes how ‘‘using rodent mesenchyme to establish reciprocal
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
197
Update mesenchymal-epithelial cell interactions with human embryonic stem cells, we generated human prostate tissue expressing prostatespecific antigen within 8–12 weeks.’’ Co-author Dr Renea Taylor from Monash University in Victoria, Australia, said the discovery would allow scientists to monitor more easily the progression of the prostate from a normal to a diseased state. She said: ‘‘We need to study healthy prostate tissue from 15 to 25 year old men to track this process. Understandably, there is a lack of access to samples from men in this age group, so to have found a way we can have an ongoing supply of prostate tissue is a significant milestone.’’ Prue Cowin, a co-author and colleague at Monash University, added: ‘‘The tissue we’ve grown behaves as a normal human prostate, so it’s the perfect model for testing the different hormones and environmental factors we believe play a role in the onset of prostate disease.’’
Obesity prevalence in USA rises in men, levels off in women. . . The prevalence of obesity in the USA is continuing to rise in men but may have levelled off in women, according to the latest figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data, from the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), indicate that overall two in every three adults aged 20 years or over are overweight or obese. Of the more than 4,000 adults sampled in the survey, 66.3% had a body mass index of 25 or more, 32.2% had a body mass index of 30 or more (classified as obese), and 4.8% had a body mass index of 40 or more (classified as extremely obese). The breakdown by sex was as follows, although the differences between sexes were not significant:
Men: 70.8% overweight or obese, 31.1% obese, 2.8% extremely obese.
Women: 61.8% overweight or obese, 33.2% obese, 6.9% extremely obese. Comparisons with the findings of previous surveys reveal a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity in men (from
198
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
27.5% in 1999–2000) but not in women (33.4% were obese in 1999–2000). The prevalence of overweight was also significantly higher among children and adolescents, aged 2–19 years, in the latest survey (17.1%) than in the 1999–2000 survey (13.9%). The breakdown by sex in the 2003–2004 survey was as follows, although the differences between sexes were again not significant:
About 2,000 children are interviewed for the survey, which is conducted annually. Professor Denise Lievesley, chief executive of the Information Centre, which published the new data, said: ‘‘Whilst a relatively small sample, the survey supports the view that there is a longer term trend towards more obesity among children in England, and provides additional evidence to support concerns around children’s weight problems.’’
Boys and male adolescents: 34.8% overweight or at risk of overweight (body mass index for age at 85th percentile or higher), 18.2% overweight (body mass index for age at 95th percentile or higher). Girls and female adolescents: 32.4% overweight or at risk of overweight, 16.0% overweight. Both groups showed significant increases in prevalence compared with the 1999– 2000 survey, when 14.0% of boys and male adolescents and 13.8% of girls and female adolescents were overweight. The survey findings, available in summary form at the CDC’s website (www.cdc.gov), were published in full in the 5 April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2006;295:1549– 55). Dr William Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, was quoted in press reports at the time as saying: ‘‘I’d like to think this shows women are leading the way in recognizing obesity as a health threat.’’
Schools use dance videogame to promote exercise The US state of West Virginia is putting a popular dance videogame into every school in a project aimed at promoting exercise and reducing the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The game Dance Dance Revolution, manufactured by Konami, requires players to dance on a mat containing sensors, moving their feet in a pattern dictated by symbols appearing on screen. According to press reports in early 2006, the state’s middle schools for pupils aged 10– 14 years will be the first to receive the game, which is intended to complement physical education classes. The plan is to put the game into all of the state’s public schools – more than 700 schools – reaching more than 250,000 pupils within the next 2–3 years.
. . .and obesity prevalence in UK children rises sharply
Report highlights effect of homophobia on mental health and well-being
New statistics released by the UK government in April show that the prevalence of obesity in children has increased 70% in the past decade. The Health Survey for England 2004 found that 19.2% of boys and 18.5% of girls aged 2–15 years were obese. These figures represents significant increases compared with 1995 (the first year of the survey to collect data on children), when 10.9% of boys and 12.0% of girls were obese. An additional 13.9% of boys and 16.6% of girls were overweight in 2004.
A research project investigating the mental health of young gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland has highlighted the adverse effects of repeated exposure to incidents of homophobia. In the ‘Out On Your Own’ project, 190 gay and bisexual men aged 25 years or younger completed questionnaires, and 16 completed face-to-face interviews. The results were published in a report, Out On Your Own: An Examination of the Mental Health of Young Same-Sex Attracted Men, in March. The quantitative findings include:
Update About one-third of those who completed
the questionnaire had a potential psychiatric disorder, as indicated by the GHQ-12 score. About one-third had been diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lives. About one-quarter had attempted suicide. 71% had thought about suicide; of these, 80% said this was related to being attracted to other men. About two-thirds had experienced problems at school due to their sexual orientation, typically homophobia and bullying. About one-third had experienced negative attitudes at work due to their sexual orientation. Two-fifths had encountered homophobia when receiving goods, facilities, or services; 16% had encountered it from neighbours or other tenants. More than half had not used the services of existing support groups for young gay or bisexual men, for reasons including distance, lack of awareness, and anxiety.
The report’s author, researcher Helen McNamee from the Rainbow Project in Belfast, concludes that the mental health needs of young gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland are not being met, and that ‘‘changes need to be made to the psyche of our culture’’. She adds: ‘‘An analysis of the findings and the narratives confirmed that homophobic incidents had an effect on the young men’s emotional well-being. It appears that it is not just one instance of homophobia that affected the young men, rather, it is repeated instances of homophobia that had a negative effect on their mental health.’’ In the report, McNamee makes a series of 10 recommendations based on the findings. These include a call for governmentfunded training on sexual orientation issues for all professionals working with young people. In addition, the Department of Education needs to ensure that schools provide
non-heterosexual students with appropriate support and protection, she writes. The full 100-page report can be downloaded from the website of the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland, at www.mhfi.org, and from www.rainbow-project.org.
HIV/AIDS legislation in China New national legislation has been introduced in China to clarify the legal rights and duties of people with HIV/AIDS, according to a report in the China Daily newspaper (13 February 2006). The Regulation of AIDS Prevention and Control, introduced in January and taking effect from 1 March, protects the rights of employment, marriage, health care, and education, for people with HIV/AIDS and their families. It is now illegal for individuals, employers, or organisations to discriminate in any way on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. People with HIV/AIDS are required to inform their sexual partners and doctors of their status, and to take necessary measures to avoid passing on the infection. They face civil or criminal charges if they fail to do so. Joel Rehnstrom, country coordinator for UNAIDS China, welcomed the legislation, which he said ‘‘constitutes a crucial part of the country’s overall anti-AIDS strategy.’’ About 650,000 people in China currently have HIV, and about 75,000 have AIDS, according to a joint estimate earlier this year from UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, and China’s Ministry of Health.
Fewer young men commit suicide The suicide rate among young men in England has fallen for the first time since 1970,
new figures suggest. Suicide rates among prisoners and mental health inpatients have also fallen. The National Institute for Mental Health in England published its National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Annual Report on Progress 2005 in April. The overall national suicide rate for the latest 3-year period, from 2002 to 2004, was 8.56 deaths per 100,000 population, down from 9.2 per 100,000 in 1995–1997 and the lowest rate since records began. The latest suicide rate among men aged 20-34 years was about 18 per 100,000 population, down from a peak of about 24 per 100,000 in 2000. Before this, between 1970 and 2000, suicide rates in young men had risen steadily. In a foreword, Professor Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health, writes: ‘‘Although the majority of suicides occur in young adult males, we are now seeing evidence of a sustained and welcome fall in this high-risk group.’’ The improved figures are attributed to the combined effect of a series of ongoing initiatives, described in detail in the full report. As an example, mental health providers are now required to ensure early follow-up of highrisk patients discharged from hospital. The progress report can be downloaded from the institute’s website at www.nimhe. csip.org.uk. An evaluation report of three pilot programmes of mental health promotion for young men is expected to be published later in the year.
Wanted: your news and comments We would like your input and feedback. Please send news story suggestions, or your comments on published news stories, to News Round-up writer Paul Haines (p.haines@elsevier. com) or the ISMH office (office@ismh. org).
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
199
News Round-up If you don’t get a yes, don’t have sex The UK government is running a campaign warning men that they must obtain explicit consent before having sex, or risk prosecution for rape. The national advertising campaign is aimed at men aged 18–24 years, and is intended to raise awareness of recent important changes to UK law. The Sexual Offences Act 2003, which came into force in 2004, requires that a defendant in a rape case can show that they had reasonable grounds to believe that the other person had given their consent to sex. The Act defines a person as consenting if he or she ‘‘agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.’’ The campaign warns men that prospective sexual partners must actively consent by saying yes to sex. Without such a response, the man should assume the answer is no. The £400,000 campaign, launched in March, consists of advertisements on national and regional radio stations, advertisements in magazines for men, including the gay press, and stickers and posters in pubs and clubs. Government minister Fiona Mactaggart said at the campaign’s launch: ‘‘I want young men to see these adverts and realise that they should not be having sex unless they have secured the consent of the other person. Our campaign is not saying ’don’t have sex’; it is about ensuring that sex is mutually agreed.’’ According to a government press release, the campaign is aimed at men ‘‘because the vast majority of sexual offences are committed by men.’’ The government’s Solicitor General, Mike O’Brien, said in a radio interview in early March that there may need to be some additional clarification of the law in future, on the issue of whether a person who has been drinking alcohol is able to give consent.
Scientists grow stem cells into prostate tissue A team of researchers from Australia and the USA has reported the successful
growth of human prostate tissue from embryonic stem cells, in a development labelled a ‘‘significant milestone’’ in prostate research. In the journal Nature Methods (2006;3: 179–81), the team describes how ‘‘using rodent mesenchyme to establish reciprocal
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
197
Update mesenchymal-epithelial cell interactions with human embryonic stem cells, we generated human prostate tissue expressing prostatespecific antigen within 8–12 weeks.’’ Co-author Dr Renea Taylor from Monash University in Victoria, Australia, said the discovery would allow scientists to monitor more easily the progression of the prostate from a normal to a diseased state. She said: ‘‘We need to study healthy prostate tissue from 15 to 25 year old men to track this process. Understandably, there is a lack of access to samples from men in this age group, so to have found a way we can have an ongoing supply of prostate tissue is a significant milestone.’’ Prue Cowin, a co-author and colleague at Monash University, added: ‘‘The tissue we’ve grown behaves as a normal human prostate, so it’s the perfect model for testing the different hormones and environmental factors we believe play a role in the onset of prostate disease.’’
Obesity prevalence in USA rises in men, levels off in women. . . The prevalence of obesity in the USA is continuing to rise in men but may have levelled off in women, according to the latest figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data, from the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), indicate that overall two in every three adults aged 20 years or over are overweight or obese. Of the more than 4,000 adults sampled in the survey, 66.3% had a body mass index of 25 or more, 32.2% had a body mass index of 30 or more (classified as obese), and 4.8% had a body mass index of 40 or more (classified as extremely obese). The breakdown by sex was as follows, although the differences between sexes were not significant:
Men: 70.8% overweight or obese, 31.1% obese, 2.8% extremely obese.
Women: 61.8% overweight or obese, 33.2% obese, 6.9% extremely obese. Comparisons with the findings of previous surveys reveal a significant increase in the prevalence of obesity in men (from
198
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
27.5% in 1999–2000) but not in women (33.4% were obese in 1999–2000). The prevalence of overweight was also significantly higher among children and adolescents, aged 2–19 years, in the latest survey (17.1%) than in the 1999–2000 survey (13.9%). The breakdown by sex in the 2003–2004 survey was as follows, although the differences between sexes were again not significant:
About 2,000 children are interviewed for the survey, which is conducted annually. Professor Denise Lievesley, chief executive of the Information Centre, which published the new data, said: ‘‘Whilst a relatively small sample, the survey supports the view that there is a longer term trend towards more obesity among children in England, and provides additional evidence to support concerns around children’s weight problems.’’
Boys and male adolescents: 34.8% overweight or at risk of overweight (body mass index for age at 85th percentile or higher), 18.2% overweight (body mass index for age at 95th percentile or higher). Girls and female adolescents: 32.4% overweight or at risk of overweight, 16.0% overweight. Both groups showed significant increases in prevalence compared with the 1999– 2000 survey, when 14.0% of boys and male adolescents and 13.8% of girls and female adolescents were overweight. The survey findings, available in summary form at the CDC’s website (www.cdc.gov), were published in full in the 5 April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2006;295:1549– 55). Dr William Dietz, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, was quoted in press reports at the time as saying: ‘‘I’d like to think this shows women are leading the way in recognizing obesity as a health threat.’’
Schools use dance videogame to promote exercise The US state of West Virginia is putting a popular dance videogame into every school in a project aimed at promoting exercise and reducing the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The game Dance Dance Revolution, manufactured by Konami, requires players to dance on a mat containing sensors, moving their feet in a pattern dictated by symbols appearing on screen. According to press reports in early 2006, the state’s middle schools for pupils aged 10– 14 years will be the first to receive the game, which is intended to complement physical education classes. The plan is to put the game into all of the state’s public schools – more than 700 schools – reaching more than 250,000 pupils within the next 2–3 years.
. . .and obesity prevalence in UK children rises sharply
Report highlights effect of homophobia on mental health and well-being
New statistics released by the UK government in April show that the prevalence of obesity in children has increased 70% in the past decade. The Health Survey for England 2004 found that 19.2% of boys and 18.5% of girls aged 2–15 years were obese. These figures represents significant increases compared with 1995 (the first year of the survey to collect data on children), when 10.9% of boys and 12.0% of girls were obese. An additional 13.9% of boys and 16.6% of girls were overweight in 2004.
A research project investigating the mental health of young gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland has highlighted the adverse effects of repeated exposure to incidents of homophobia. In the ‘Out On Your Own’ project, 190 gay and bisexual men aged 25 years or younger completed questionnaires, and 16 completed face-to-face interviews. The results were published in a report, Out On Your Own: An Examination of the Mental Health of Young Same-Sex Attracted Men, in March. The quantitative findings include:
Update About one-third of those who completed
the questionnaire had a potential psychiatric disorder, as indicated by the GHQ-12 score. About one-third had been diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in their lives. About one-quarter had attempted suicide. 71% had thought about suicide; of these, 80% said this was related to being attracted to other men. About two-thirds had experienced problems at school due to their sexual orientation, typically homophobia and bullying. About one-third had experienced negative attitudes at work due to their sexual orientation. Two-fifths had encountered homophobia when receiving goods, facilities, or services; 16% had encountered it from neighbours or other tenants. More than half had not used the services of existing support groups for young gay or bisexual men, for reasons including distance, lack of awareness, and anxiety.
The report’s author, researcher Helen McNamee from the Rainbow Project in Belfast, concludes that the mental health needs of young gay and bisexual men in Northern Ireland are not being met, and that ‘‘changes need to be made to the psyche of our culture’’. She adds: ‘‘An analysis of the findings and the narratives confirmed that homophobic incidents had an effect on the young men’s emotional well-being. It appears that it is not just one instance of homophobia that affected the young men, rather, it is repeated instances of homophobia that had a negative effect on their mental health.’’ In the report, McNamee makes a series of 10 recommendations based on the findings. These include a call for governmentfunded training on sexual orientation issues for all professionals working with young people. In addition, the Department of Education needs to ensure that schools provide
non-heterosexual students with appropriate support and protection, she writes. The full 100-page report can be downloaded from the website of the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland, at www.mhfi.org, and from www.rainbow-project.org.
HIV/AIDS legislation in China New national legislation has been introduced in China to clarify the legal rights and duties of people with HIV/AIDS, according to a report in the China Daily newspaper (13 February 2006). The Regulation of AIDS Prevention and Control, introduced in January and taking effect from 1 March, protects the rights of employment, marriage, health care, and education, for people with HIV/AIDS and their families. It is now illegal for individuals, employers, or organisations to discriminate in any way on the basis of HIV/AIDS status. People with HIV/AIDS are required to inform their sexual partners and doctors of their status, and to take necessary measures to avoid passing on the infection. They face civil or criminal charges if they fail to do so. Joel Rehnstrom, country coordinator for UNAIDS China, welcomed the legislation, which he said ‘‘constitutes a crucial part of the country’s overall anti-AIDS strategy.’’ About 650,000 people in China currently have HIV, and about 75,000 have AIDS, according to a joint estimate earlier this year from UNAIDS, the World Health Organization, and China’s Ministry of Health.
Fewer young men commit suicide The suicide rate among young men in England has fallen for the first time since 1970,
new figures suggest. Suicide rates among prisoners and mental health inpatients have also fallen. The National Institute for Mental Health in England published its National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England: Annual Report on Progress 2005 in April. The overall national suicide rate for the latest 3-year period, from 2002 to 2004, was 8.56 deaths per 100,000 population, down from 9.2 per 100,000 in 1995–1997 and the lowest rate since records began. The latest suicide rate among men aged 20-34 years was about 18 per 100,000 population, down from a peak of about 24 per 100,000 in 2000. Before this, between 1970 and 2000, suicide rates in young men had risen steadily. In a foreword, Professor Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health, writes: ‘‘Although the majority of suicides occur in young adult males, we are now seeing evidence of a sustained and welcome fall in this high-risk group.’’ The improved figures are attributed to the combined effect of a series of ongoing initiatives, described in detail in the full report. As an example, mental health providers are now required to ensure early follow-up of highrisk patients discharged from hospital. The progress report can be downloaded from the institute’s website at www.nimhe. csip.org.uk. An evaluation report of three pilot programmes of mental health promotion for young men is expected to be published later in the year.
Wanted: your news and comments We would like your input and feedback. Please send news story suggestions, or your comments on published news stories, to News Round-up writer Paul Haines (p.haines@elsevier. com) or the ISMH office (office@ismh. org).
Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 197–199, June 2006
199