Statements on Men's Health - 1st and 8th February 2006

Strategy for Men’s Health: Statements
1st February 2006

Mr. Norris: I welcome the Minister of State at
the Department of Health and Children, Deputy
Sea´n Power, to the House. I will have sufficient
time to finish a point which I believe to have
some practical application and which comes from
my own limited experience of hospitals.
I have had some difficulties with my prostate
which obliged me to be taken into hospital for an
examination. It is a fairly simple and routine
matter entailing the insertion of a fibre optic camera.
As one is knocked out for this procedure, I
thought it would be all right, would cause no
bother and so on. However, the insertion of such
a device into the urethra has a tendency to dislodge
germs. Moreover, particularly if the surgeon
fumbles somewhat or encounters some kind
of problem, it can also create bleeding. In a small
number of cases, this can lead to infection. I
ended up with septicaemia, an extremely serious
infection, was hospitalised for a number of weeks
as a result and was quite desperately ill.
4 o’clock
However, it is important that men know this
need not happen. I was informed that this happens
once in every 3,000 procedures. Consequently,
given the low incidence
level, antibiotic cover is not provided.
However, four or five of the
men in a gym which I attend in the centre of
Dublin have experienced exactly the same infection.
Hence, I believe the rate is considerably
higher than one in 3,000.
Septicaemia is very dangerous. It is extraordinarily
weakening, extremely painful and disorientating.
I went into a form of shock, my temperature
rose and fell repeatedly, I was unable to hold
the telephone and was half-hallucinating.
It is important that a patient discuss with his
doctor whether he or she thinks it appropriate to
get full antibiotic cover. Were I to have this procedure
again, I would insist on it. I should note
that I have had the procedure performed again in
experienced only mild discomfort. I am not sure
whether it a question of the skill of the surgeon
but I know that there is a serious risk in that
regard.
An Cathaoirleach: The three minutes are up.
Mr. Norris: If I may finish the point, I was not
encouraged on my way into the hospital by listening
to a radio programme which discussed the
prostatectomy operation and reported that
among the fairly common side affects were impotence
and incontinence. I am not sure how true
that is but patients need the truth.
I thank the Cathaoirleach for his indulgence. I
look forward to continuing the debate on the next
occasion because there are important issues to
raise, including testicular cancer. I also possess a
series of quite worrying statistics on the incidence
of prostate cancer and of mortality in this country
and I look forward to putting them on the record.
Minister of State at the Department of Health
and Children (Mr. S. Power): The Senator will
keep us in suspense yet again.
Mr. Norris: I am afraid so.
^ Strategy for Men's Health: Statements (Resumed). ^
8th February 2006
Mr. Norris: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. It is somewhat confusing as I have been spread out like Marmite over the past few days. I was talking about prostate cancer, which is a serious problem accounting for almost 25% of male cancers. There has been an apparent significant increase in the incidence in the past ten or 15 years. That is partly related to higher rates of detection. It is very much to be welcomed, in particular the prostate specific antigen, PSA, test. This is a blood test taken once a year. I do it. It is very useful and all men in my age group, which is 60 plus, should take it because apart from anything else, this cancer has a tendency to increase in manifestation as one gets older. It is clearly age related. Very few cases are registered in men under 50. More than 60% of the cases occur in men over 70 years old and the largest number of cases diagnosed were in the 70 to 74 and the 75 to 79 age groups. Worldwide, 650,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. That is an indication of the significance of the problem.
The figures for Ireland are worrying. The latest figures I have show that in the totality of Europe, we are third highest in the mortality league. That is something that should worry all of us, particularly because there have been news reports on the matter and new information appears to be coming in all the time. Since I last spoke I have read newspaper reports which indicate that very little, proportionally, is spent on research into prostate cancer. That is something the Minister could examine profitably.
If we compare the shining example of women, who have had a campaign about breast cancer and research into breast cancer, although the incidence of these two cancers - one related almost entirely to women and the other exclusively to men - is very similar, breast cancer research is given five times the amount of money. I approve of money spent on research into breast cancer but a proportionate amount should also be spent on research into this form of cancer, which affects males only. Since 2000, €1.76 million has been invested in breast cancer research in Ireland while in the same period only €0.35 million was spent on research into prostate cancer. Our medical teaching hospitals and the medical faculties of our universities have had significant success in research into cures for illness. In my university, for example, one of my very distinguished colleagues was involved in the discovery of a cure for leprosy. A significant advance has been made in the treatment of blindness, retinitis pigmentosa. Comparatively small amounts of money spent on this kind of research can yield results that have a significant effect on people's health. In addition to the education campaigns, which I fully support, money must be put into research.
I would like to return to the question of the difference between men and women in terms of the way in which they regard their own health. Women regularly examine themselves; men do not. That is very important, particularly in terms of conditions such as testicular cancer, something about which we have heard virtually nothing. There was a veil of silence over this area and I would like to pay tribute to people like Ferdia MacAnna, who is a very popular figure in the entertainment world. He developed this cancer and wrote about it both in book form in his autobiography and also in mass circulation newspapers. That took a good deal of courage and it is something we should be grateful for because it alerted men to the possibility of this cancer, the need to be aware of changes in that area of the body including lumps and so on and to get early treatment because this form of cancer, like many others, is amenable to treatment if it is found early. Unfortunately, many men who find changes in the testicular area or a lump are embarrassed. They do not want to go to the doctor and ask about it. We ought to maintain an education programme to try to get rid of that false sense of shame because they will be much more worried, shamed and scared if they find themselves in a situation where they have to have radical surgery in that area.
Broadening out the debate on men's health somewhat, there is the question of the alcohol culture. I had a long argument with a friend of mine who is not from Ireland. He maintained that alcohol was part of the Irish culture. That is a very curious definition of "culture", particularly when one considers the way in which we drink. I do not believe in restricting people or playing the old granny in Irish society but young people should be educated about the dangers of alcohol and in that regard we should look at the drinks industry, which has a massive and extremely effective lobby. If we are serious about the health of our population, and specifically young men because they are disproportionately affected - the young are particularly affected - we should examine the way they are targeted by the drinks industry to encourage them to drink, particularly the question of sports sponsorship and so on. The Government had a report which indicated that sponsorship and advertisements for alcohol should be banned, particularly where it related to sport. The Government has not acted on that and if it is serious about health and men's health, that should be examined.
Suicide is a very severe problem in this country. Whereas it is always tragic when somebody takes his or her own life, there is a disproportionate concentration of figures at the lower end of the age spectrum. Once again, if one refines the examination further one will find a disproportionate number of young males commit suicide. We need to examine that and get some facts and figures. We have them, for example, for the United Kingdom and the North but we do not have any detailed figures. It would be useful if the Minister would ask for a report on what lies behind these suicides. I would say part of it is because of the changing role of men in society. Many young men are confused because they are getting conflicting messages. The alpha male syndrome, the idea of the man as a hunter-gatherer and so on, has been changed in a very positive direction but young men do not have the clearly defined role model they had previously and a number of them find that confusing.
Underneath that there is the question of sexuality. Despite the fact that we are bombarded as a society by sexually explicitly advertising and programmes to a degree that I, now that I am in my 60s, find astonishing, the level of intelligent sexual awareness has not increased and the Government has a responsibility in that regard in terms of education.
One of the most significant aspects is that in terms of bullying patterns in schools, for example, a total of 90% of bullying incidents included some degree of anti-gay message. That is an astonishing figure yet almost none of the schools has taken on board a fully comprehensive sexual education programme. I am not suggesting the promotion, for example, of alternative lifestyles or-----

An Leas-Chathaoirleach: The Senator has one minute remaining.

Mr. Norris: I thought I would not need all the time. I am like one of those gases - I expand to fill the space available.
There is a serious point to be made, namely, it would be useful if a mutual information pack about sexuality was available and classes were conducted in this area. That would give some reassurance to the 10% minority of school children who will inevitably turn out to be gay.
I apologise that the Minister of State was kept waiting for such a long time outside the Chamber but it was not just because of the extended Order of Business.


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It was also because we were paying tribute to a beloved former colleague in this House, the late Senator Ruairí Brugha.
We were talking about road safety on the Order of Business, among other issues. I pointed out, as others have, that there is an opportunity to give young people driving lessons within the school context. Questions have been raised about insurance and responsibility, etc., but I am sure these matters can be sorted out because in Germany this is a compulsory part of the school curriculum. Imagine the impact this might have on the incidence of fatalities. I do not have the exact figures, but a high proportion of the people killed at weekends are young males who sometimes are on their own. There is even the suggestion that in a proportion of these cases, the accidents are not entirely accidental. This is a way some young people have of ending their own lives and it is very tragic.