Public health

Local prevention and health information for the residents of Nantes are provided via themed campaigns covering the whole of the area. The first major theme to be handled is that of excessive drinking by young people, by mans of the “alcohol plan” drawn up at the end of 2007. Over a period of three years this aims to reduce the risks and change the behaviour of young people towards alcohol by means of preventive actions and regulatory measures.

On the ground, three times a week a team of night watchmen visits the places of entertainment frequented by young people to give them the prevention message and encourage exchanges. The Charte de la Vie Nocturne (Night Life Charter) was signed on 8 December by local and national players: retailers, the university, national education bodies, the police, etc. An information brochure entitled “l’alcoolisation c’est trop risqué” (getting drunk is too risky) has been written and distributed, in particular on the welcome evening for new students.

Detection, education, protection, integration and support for children by making them aware of health problems: these are the objectives Nantes has set itself in terms of public health in schools. In 2008, the city initiated the territorialisation of the schools public health service so as to better identify local partners, better understand the needs of the different districts and ensure coordination internally to each area.

The overall action plan is run within each school by a multidisciplinary team: the doctor carries out health checks, whilst a nurse educates the children about health and gets involved in the life and the projects of the particular establishment, and a social assistant creates or maintains the link between school and home. They all participate in the schooling of children who have health problems and identify and monitor any who might be at risk.

In Nantes, health is featured at district level in terms of the events that are organised there. At les Dervallières, the health professionals’ stand was set up at the “Place O Gestes” (place for gestures) event so that they could answer visitors’ questions and give them information about a vaccination session that was being held. The opening of the health organisations centre and the open day held in October enabled residents to be made aware of the preventive campaigns run there. At Malakoff, the focus was on food and dental hygiene with an event developed in the context of the “Fraîch’Attitude” week. In the Nantes-Nord district, at the Social and Cultural Centre in la Boissière, a prevention campaign was run for three days to encourage the residents, and in particular young people, to talk about sexuality and AIDS.

Figures on health

€164,000 in grants for health organisations
10,000 baths and showers were taken during 2008 at the municipal baths and showers

Action to change behaviours

2,950 young people, of which 37% were students and 29% sixth form pupils, came into contact with the night watchmen during their 102 evening walks 400 young people visited the Renc’arts young people’s health centre

Prevention in schools

92% of children benefited from a wide-scale compulsory medical check at nursery school
1,300 children took part in “health classes”
2,000 children followed the programme of emotional and sexual education in year 6, or 73% of the population of this age.
300 children followed the abuse and sexual aggression prevention programme, of which 81 were in priority locations.