WEBSITE OF THE MONTH: Good news on world health
World Health Statistics 2009 contains the World Health Organisation's (WHO) annual compilation of data from its 193 member states, and includes a summary of progress towards the health-related Millennium Development Goals and targets. Although, clearly, the number of people suffering due to bad health throughout the world is still too high, there are some very encouraging trends to report:
· The estimated 12.5 million child deaths reported in 1990 has been significantly reduced to an estimated 9 million in 2007.
· Overall, the proportion of children under five years of age suffering from under-nutrition (according to the WHO Child Growth Standards) declined from 27% in 1990 to 20% in 2005.
· Some 27% fewer children died before their fifth birthday in 2007 than in 1990.
· 27 countries reported a reduction of up to 50% in the number of malaria cases between 1990 and 2006.
· The number of people with access to safe drinking-water rose from 4.1 billion in 1990 to 5.7 billion in 2006.
The 2009 WHO report is also helpful in providing perspectives on world health and the massive differences between countries and regions of the world. For example, it certainly helps to put swine flu into perspective. (There’s a helpful map on swine flu here: http://www.who.int/csr/don/h1n1_20090527_0800.jpg)
The statistics can be viewed at: http://www.who.int/whosis/whostat/2009/en/index.html
Blokes want ‘proper hymns’ in church – and no hugging!
A survey for Christian men’s magazine Sorted has determined that men who go to church regularly prefer ‘proper macho hymns’ and feel uncomfortable with hugging – among other things! The on-line survey of 400 UK readers of the magazine identified that three quarters (75 percent) of men go to church to be intellectually and spiritually challenged.
Nearly 60 percent of respondents said they enjoyed singing, but were more motivated by ‘proclamational’ hymns such as All people that on earth do dwellthan sentimental-type ‘songs’. Male worshippers were also found to react positively to a strong motivating message and wanted to hear more discussion on how family issues and money relate to their lives. Half of those completing the survey said that they objected to dancing and 60 percent said embroidery and flowers in church turned them off.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1177585/Men-want-macho-hymns-fewer-flowers-dancing-church.html
http://www.sorted-magazine.com/news/item.htm?pid=2519
A quarter of adults are risking their health with alcohol
Statistics on Alcohol, England 2009, published by the NHS on 20 May presents a range of information on alcohol use and misuse drawn together from a variety of published sources. The report aims to present a broad picture of health issues relating to alcohol in England and covers topics such as drinking habits and behaviours among adults and school children, drinking related ill health and mortality, affordability of alcohol and alcohol related costs.
Between 1998 and 2006, the proportion of men drinking more than 21 units a week on average fell from 28 per cent to 23 per cent and the percentage of women drinking more than 14 units a week fell from 15 per cent to 13 per cent. However, in 2007, 33 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women (24 per cent of adults) were classified as ‘hazardous drinkers’, which means that damage to health is likely.
Among adults aged 16 to 74, the report shows that nine per cent of men and four per cent of women exhibit some signs of alcohol dependence. The prevalence of alcohol dependence is slightly lower for men than it was in 2000 when 11.5 per cent of men showed some signs of dependence but there was no significant change for women between 2000 and 2007.
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/alcohol09
Half of Britons fear the process of dying
According to the findings of a new research project on ‘death and dying’ conducted by the public theology think tank, Theos, 50% of Britons admit to fearing the process of dying.
In the poll of over 1,000 adults, one fifth (20 per cent) admit to fearing both the way they will die and death itself. Nearly one third (30 per cent) say that they fear the way they will die but not death itself while a quarter (25 per cent) claim to fear neither death nor the way they will die.
The highest proportion of people fearing both the way they will die and death itself is among 18 to 24-year-olds (26 per cent compared with a national average of 20 per cent). More than two in five (42 per cent) of people aged 65 and over indicate that their religious faith helps them to deal with the death of a loved one and prepare for their own death compared with less than a quarter (23 per cent) of 18 to 24 year olds.
http://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/Britons_fearful_of_dying,_new_study_reveals_.aspx?ArticleID=3112&PageID=14&RefPageID=5
Recession Watch
Recent reports provide evidence that the over 50s, the poorest youth and young adults are all suffering because of the recessions. Nevertheless, some in the business sector appear to be more confident.
Research from Help the Aged and Age Concern indicates that workers aged 50 plus have two major concerns: many are afraid they will be forced out of their jobs due to their age and worried that their retirement incomes will be decimated by the recession.
More than a quarter (28 per cent) of over 50s questioned feared that their age will see them forced out of their jobs. Recent figures showing that over the past year the number of unemployed people aged 50 plus has risen by nearly 50 per cent suggest these concerns have become reality for many.
While the fear of unemployment persists‚ many are also seeing their pension prospects hit hard by the downturn. Nearly half of respondents (47 per cent) said they are less confident than six months ago that their pension and savings will provide them with a comfortable standard of living in retirement.
This situation means that the need to continue working is seen as more important than ever before. Almost two thirds (60 per cent) of respondents said the recession has meant they will have to – or want to – work longer than originally planned.
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/recession-retirement-release-260509.asp
A report by The Prince’s Trust and ESRC Centre for Giving and Philanthropy, Cass Business School, published on 27 May, warns that thousands of Britain’s poorest youngsters will bear the brunt of the recession. Furthermore, young people will be hit hardest in deprived areas as unemployment rises and local youth services become vulnerable to cuts, according to the report.
The report raises fears that youth charities may be unable to keep up with demand, as their services face spiralling demands from disadvantaged young people. For example, more than 450,000 under-25s in the UK currently claim Jobseeker’s Allowance – a figure that has risen by more than 80% in the past year. One in six young people are already claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance in some areas of the UK, including Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales and Wansbeck, Northumberland.
http://www.cass.city.ac.uk/media/stories/story_1_18491_160856.html
http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/about_the_trust/what_we_do/research/rethinking_recession.aspx
http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/pdf/Princes%20Trust%20Rethinking%20Recession%20may09.pdf
A report from Post Office Financial Services has revealed that many 18 to 24-year-olds believe their living standards will not return to pre-recession levels for more than a decade forcing them to rethink their spending habits.
The research found that nearly 50 per cent of the young people surveyed believe they will reduce their use of credit as a result of the ‘crunch’. This implies that the recession is causing a marked change in the attitudes and the potential behaviour of the younger generation – most of whom have only known relatively good economic times.
Having been forced to learn financial lessons the hard way, the research suggests that the next generation of adults believe they are likely to adopt a more responsible approach to credit and spending. Half of the young adults surveyed felt that the long-term impact of the recession would be that people would have to learn to live within their means and a similar proportion (48 per cent) said they were more likely to build savings to protect themselves. Over 20 per cent of young people said the legacy of this recession for their generation would be retiring into a lower standard of living than their parents and grandparents
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/may/26/recession-young-people-credit-unemployment
http://www.news.royalmailgroup.com/article.asp?id=2537&brand=Post_Office_network
Confidence among business professionals has risen for the first time since the end of 2007, the Institute of Chartered Accountants' (ICA) index of business confidence indicates: it rose to minus 28.2 at the end of March 2009 from minus 45.3 at the end of the previous quarter.
The ICA interprets these findings as suggesting that companies have heeded warnings and were managing the consequences of the global recession ‘remarkably well’. However, despite the apparent improvement in confidence, the ICA cautioned that while the change in outlook is encouraging, it still believes that difficult times lie ahead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8066076.stm
http://www.icaew.com/index.cfm/route/165727/icaew_ga/en/Home/Press_and_policy/Press_releases/Business_confidence_increases_as_economic_downturn_slows
Christians risk rejection and discrimination for their faith
The Sunday Telegraph has reported on what it calls the “first poll of Churchgoers’. Clearly, one off the main objectives of the research will have been to generate copy and some of the more headline-grabbing findings include:
· 50 per cent of British Christians revealed that they had suffered some sort of persecution for their faith.
· 44 per cent said they had been mocked by friends, neighbours or colleagues for daring to be Christian.
· 20 per cent said that they had faced opposition at work because of their beliefs.
· 19 per cent said they had been ‘ignored’ or ‘excluded’ for the same reason.
The Telegraph report also points to new guidance from the government to employers which warns that evangelising in the workplace is 'very likely' to be seen as 'harassment'. It is less clear whether or not a non-Christian telling a Christian that their beliefs are untrue would equally qualify …
http://churchmousepublishing.blogspot.com/2009/06/first-poll-of-churchgoers-opinions.html
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