Young Hearts and Minds

It's a recurrent theme that Cumbria is a county of extremes: Its mix of rural, sometimes remote communities juxtaposed against industrial landscape and pockets of urban sprawl is just one physical aspect affecting our daily lives.

Yesterday saw publication of the third Annual Report by our Director of Public Health, which addresses the impact of such factors or 'health inequalities' upon our local population. Measuring exactly how inequalities affect a large number of people is a process too complex to detail here, but the elements themselves which enhance or endanger well-being are universal: The quality of family life, education, housing, employment, economic status, proximity to amenities, plus neighbourhood and community 'spirit' all have a bearing on our own individual health. From a public health perspective, indeed no man is an island.

This year's report looks particularly at mental illness, which accounts for a fifth of all diseases in the UK and ranks even higher than cancer or heart disease. One key concern raised was that thirty thousand children in Cumbria could be at risk of developing poor mental health, as emotional problems in early years often undermine long-term health. As a result, the new report recommends greater emphasis and investment into children’s emotional wellbeing.


NHS Cumbria’s Director of Public Health, Dr John Ashton, said: “As we prevent the physical causes of ill health and early death, the emotional and psychological side has become more prominent. We spend a lot of resource making sure babies are healthy, but by the time children leave school, around 10-20 per cent are in trouble of one kind or another; either emotional, behavioural or lifestyle due to obesity, alcohol or drugs."

“This is where a lot of the inequality in health comes from. We need to make sure
that we are doing our best by the next generation. That begins with planned parenthood, and more support for parents. In this age of fragmented extended families, the support that used to be on hand isn’t around in many cases."

“We therefore need to build on the support that’s available through Sure Start, health visitors, children’s centres and of course schools. Through these parents need help to set boundaries, provide good guidance for children and get them into good habits for life. The cost of not doing this from delinquency, crime and poor health is vast."

Dr Ashton continued: “All children need mental health coping skills, a personal life plan, and a passion for something that isn’t going to get them into trouble."

Read the report in full here.