[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow].

  • Harrow (London, England). London Borough.
Date:
[1969?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: [Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Harrow]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    53/162 page 51
    51 HEALTH EDUCATION Following last years comments on health education of the adult male, preretirement health was featured in the health department exhibit at the Civic Delegate Conference. Statistics for Harrow showed that in the age group 45-55 years the percentage of total male deaths from all causes in 1966, which were due to cardio-vascular diseases was 46.25%, compared with a figure of 17.4% in 1937. Obesity, heavy smoking, excess alcohol and lack of exercise, are four contributory factors, all of which can be controlled by the individual. By comparison the proportion of deaths in women of the same age group from the same causes has dropped from 17.7% to 12.8%—perhaps an indication that the fashion conscious woman of today is more diet conscious than her husband, who probably pays more attention to the inner workings of his automobile than his own body. Mental Health Week was inaugurated with a coffee morning in Sopers restaurant—again a sell out when the Mayor and 180 represent atives of local organisations met the serious side of Mr. Derek Nimmo, who opened the week. This year it was decided to take the exhibition to the public, and thanks to the generous co-operation of Messrs Kodak Limited a mobile exhibition and information centre toured the Borough, spending a day in each of six shopping centres. Even so it was still difficult to lure the public in, although those interested were often surprised to learn what the department was doing in the field of community care. All the Council's mental health establishments held open days during the week and visits were arranged to Shenley and Leavesden Mental Hospitals. Talks were also given to senior students at local secondary schools. Further progress was made in health education in schools, more of which took advantage of the talks or courses which were available from health department personnel. In the past most of these have been directed to secondary students, but during the year, last year pupils in two primary schools received instruction in personal health and hygiene from the health visitors, which involved sex education. Sex education is never dealt with in isolation, but is always integrated into such a course. Parents at one primary school who were invited to preview the films shown were most enthusiastic, and no-one took the opportunity of opting their child out of the talk. Their comments showed that some were only too pleased to have the onus removed from themselves. There is no doubt that the age 10-11, before menstruation and other changes associated with puberty occur, is a good time to introduce this subject, the child not being emotionally involved. The Principal School Dental Officer extended what is now an annual dental campaign to cover a further eight thousand children of all ages in the Edgware, Kenton and Stanmore districts, involving ninety-six talks by a team of speakers from dental clinics within the Borough. Miss Land from
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3