British Heart Foundation encourages crucial blood pressure checks with farmers
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BHF NI partnered the Forum to help promote the Farm Family Health Checks team’s visit to farms and marts across communities over the past year to drive the importance of raising awareness of blood pressure.
Research involving Irish livestock farmers found that around 74% of screened male farmers had four or more risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the message shared by BHF NI around blood pressure is ‘check it, change it, control it’.
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Hide AdThis partnership led to over 500 additional blood pressure checks being carried out with over one in five being high or very high, resulting in many of these farmers being advised to see their GP.


Dr Rebecca Orr, Rural GP Registrar and Chair of the Northern Ireland Agri-Rural Health Forum commented: “We are delighted to celebrate the past year’s achievements made possible through the Forum’s partnership with the British Heart Foundation.
“Tailored resources are now available to everyone in the industry and several successful engagement events have taken place including the recent mart Mission FarmStrong roadshows which also raised money for British Heart Foundation's vital work.”
She added: “It is thanks to BHF NI we can continue to address rural health inequalities and we hope to continue working together in future to keep health at the centre of all farm businesses in NI.”
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Hide AdFearghal McKinney, Head of British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland said: “Our aim over the past year working with the Agri-Rural Health Forum has been to promote the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease amongst farmers by encouraging them to monitor and control their blood pressure.


“It’s encouraging that we received a strong response from farmers to the additional blood pressure checks offered at the marts and we will be continuing to help promote better health and wellbeing amongst those living and working in the agri-rural industry.”