Men's Health (Hansard, 10 March 2004)

§ Miss Melanie Johnson

The evidence base or coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer and obesity has been and continues to be extensively developed by the Health Development Agency (HDA) for both men and women. In particular, in 2002–04 the HDA publishes evidence briefings on obesity, physical activity, smoking cessation and alcohol. Furthermore, the HDA produced guidance on CHD and cancer in response to and support of the national service frameworks.

In 2004–05, the HDA will be commissioning consortium of the University of Oxford, the University of Loughborough and the South East Public Health Observatory, as an evidence and guidance collaborating 1605W centre, on physical activity. The HDA is currently involved in producing guidance on the treatment and prevention of obesity in conjunction with the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Specifically in relation to men's health, the HDA will be taking men's health forward as a cross-cutting issue. As a result of the work it has undertaken, the HDA will be producing a database of intervention and prevention strategies related to men's health. There are two pieces of commissioned work on the research priorities and a mapping exercise of published and on-going research in the field of men's health.

The HDA is focusing on the complete range of social diversity in the population, including, gender, as well as age, geography, socio-economic grouping and ethnicity. This is consistent with the Wanless II Report, published in February. The range of social diversity is reflected in all aspects of programme development and implementation across the HDA.

A number of publications have been made available from work in this area, as follows:

Health Development Agency (2000). Coronary Heart Disease. Guidance for implementing the preventive aspects of the national service framework. Available at http://www.hdaonline.org.uk/documents/chdframework.pdf.

Health Development Agency (2002). Cancer Prevention. A resource to support local action in delivering The NHS Cancer Plan. Available at http://www.hda-online.org.uk/documents/ cancer prevention.pdf.

Hillsdown M, Foster C, Naidoo B and Crombie H (2004—forthcoming). The effectiveness of public health interventions for increasing physical activity among adults: a review of reviews. Available at http://www.hda.nhs.uk/evidence/EBBD. html#pub.

Mclean C, (2002). UK Men's Health Review. Available at http://www.hda-online.org.uk/documents/mens health mapping 10–02.doc.

Mulvihill C, Quigley R (2003). The management of obesity and overweight: An analysis of reviews of diet, physical activity and behavioural approaches. Available at http://www.hda.nhs.uk/ evidence/EBBD.html#pub.

Naidoo B. Edited by Quigley R, Taylor L and Warm D (2004—forthcoming). The effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce smoking initiation and increase smoking cessation: a review of reviews. Available at http://www.hda.nhs.uk/ evidence/EBBD.html#pub.

Waller S, Naidoo B, Thorn B (2002). Prevention and reduction of alcohol misuse: Evidence briefing. Available at http:// www.hda.nhs.uk/evidence/EBBD.html#pub. Watson J (2004—forthcoming). Men and health: Report of a Delphi study to scope themes for evidence-based reviews.