November is the month for the following awareness days that foster understanding and honour diverse identities within our community. The Reading Observatory is a resource for data and information relevant to these events.
2-6 November 2023: International Stress Awareness Week 2023 – There are connections between stress and mental health conditions. The Reading Mental Health Needs Assessment 2022 includes a chapter on common mental health disorders, which covers the prevalence of these conditions and the services available for patients.
12 November 2023: Diwali (Hindu) and Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikh) – These are important festivals celebrated by the Hindu and Sikh community respectively. See the Population & Demographics report for information on the population in the Borough by ethnicity and religion.
14 November 2023: World Diabetes Day – Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disease, and effective control and monitoring can reduce mortality and morbidity. The Data Explorer function provides the QOF Prevalence of diabetes among those aged 17+, which is the percentage of all patients registered in GPs who have the condition.
19 November 2023: International Men’s Day – November is also Men’s Health Awareness Month. See the reports on Population & Demographics and Adult Health & Social Care, which give insight on the different health outcomes between male and female residents. There are other reports under Needs Assessments and Further Resources page which highlight the different risk factors and health outcomes faced by men.
23 November 2023: Carers Rights Day – This is a national day to make carers and the wider public aware of the rights and support available to carers. The Adult Health and Social Care report provides the latest figures on the provision of unpaid care, as recorded in the Census 2021.
25 November 2023: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – This is designated by the United Nations and raises awareness that women are subjected to rape, domestic violence, and other forms of violence. The Place Summary on the Observatory provides a narrative summary on domestic abuse in the borough, which shows that there are more women victims than men among calls that the police responds to.