Asthma:
Asthma is a common condition that causes coughing, wheezing, tightness of the chest and breathlessness. Most people with asthma who take the appropriate treatment can live normal lives, but left untreated, asthma can cause permanent damage to the airways.
Cancer:
One in three people will be affected by cancer at some stage in their life. There are many different types of cancer and this page doesn’t cover them all, but the general information will help you to access further information and support.
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD):
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a preventable disease that was responsible for the deaths of 88,000 people in the UK in 2008 (British Heart Foundation CHD Statistics 2010). In all, 191,00 died from heart and circulatory disease in the UK. Death rates are highest in Scotland and North of England and lowest in the South of England. CHD is the biggest killer in the country.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD):
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. The main symptom of COPD is an inability to breathe in and out properly. This is also referred to as airflow obstruction.
Diabetes:
The Diabetes Network brings together people living with diabetes, carers, and health and social care professionals working in partnership with Diabetes UK on the design and delivery of better diabetes services.
There are currently almost 115,000 people in Northern Ireland living with diabetes and this rises annually by more than 3,000 due to our ageing and growing population. It is estimated around 12,000 people are also living with Type 2 diabetes and have not yet been diagnosed.
Mental Health:
Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave. One in four people in the UK have a mental health problem at some point in their lives, which affects their daily life, relationships or physical health.
Mental health disorders take many different forms and affect people in different ways. Schizophrenia, depression and personality disorders are all examples of mental health problems. Diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia generally develop in old age, whereas eating disorders are more common in young people.