Health and Society Blog Archive
Here you will find an archive of Health and Society Blog articles published before 1 May 2022, divided into their relevant categories.
Children and Families
Breastfeeding in public is often a topic for debate. Although a very personal decision for parents, breastfeeding in public spaces is viewed as a social issue with divided opinions….
The draft Programme for Government contains a commitment to running a pilot family drug and alcohol court in Northern Ireland. Such courts have been used in England for some…
Community Relations
One area that has created considerable political division in Northern Ireland is how to deal with a contested past. Broadly, ‘dealing with the past’ tends to refer to issues…
Culture and Sport
Women participate in physical activity much less than men and Northern Ireland is more imbalanced in this regard than the European average. Why is this the case and what…
Equality
By Michael Scholes & Aidan Stennett To highlight International Women’s Day, this blog article updates a previous one examining the Gender Pay Gap in Northern Ireland, by presenting the…
Please note that more up-to-date statistics on gender representation can be found in the RaISe research paper Who Runs Northern Ireland? A Summary of Statistics Relating to Gender and…
By Michael Scholes & Aidan Stennett Please note: we have posted a new version of this blog article using the most recent data, see here. To highlight International Women’s…
Health and Social Care
by Max Larkinson & James Bamford Earlier this year the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) published a report on Addiction Services in Northern Ireland (NI), highlighting a steady increase of…
Women’s gynaecological health refers to, menstruation, sexual health, fertility and menopause. Health inequalities experienced by women have long been apparent, often described by campaigners as the ‘gender-health gap’. Evidence…
The World Health Organisation recommends that every country should have a cancer strategy regardless of resource constraints. The proposed 10-year Cancer Strategy for Northern Ireland (NI) aims to improve…
Housing
What is the distinction between an estate agent and a letting agent? Why is it important for consumers in Northern Ireland to distinguish between the two? Are the negative…
The private rented sector plays a vital role in the Northern Ireland housing market. There has been a focus on the regulation of the sector in recent years in…
Homelessness strategies across Europe have traditionally focused on a housing-led approach. This approach prioritises treatment and addiction recovery. Service users transition through stages of temporary accommodation before permanent housing is…
Immigration
This paper presents a brief demographic profile of Northern Ireland, updating a previous article on this subject in 2016. It shows emerging trends in the population, and comparisons with…
The most recent Global Report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) states that over 71 million people were ‘of concern’ in 2017. This includes refugees, asylum…
Please note: we have posted a new version of this blog article using the most recent data, see here. This article presents a brief demographic profile of Northern Ireland,…
Third Sector
The Third Sector makes a substantial, but at times unrecognised, contribution to society in Northern Ireland. It is a key provider of health/social care; housing/housing support; education and training;…
Welfare
Foodbanks are an increasingly useful resource for many in Northern Ireland. They provide a valuable service to communities and are continually helping to feed those in need. An interactive…
The Welfare Reform Bill was undoubtedly one of the most contentious pieces of legislation to come before the Assembly in the last mandate. Where have we got to and…