Subject: Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-02-09 From: "HR-Net News Distribution Manager" CONTENTS [01] Greek women more at risk of depression than migrant women or men, survey finds [02] Actors, writers, singers to sell street magazine 'Shedia' on Saturday [03] Authorities declare state of emergency in Kordelio for bomb disposal operation [04] Traffic towards 'Macedonia' airport restored after farmers end blockade --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [01] Greek women more at risk of depression than migrant women or men, survey finds Nationality and ethnic origin are among the risk factors for depression among Greek women, who are more prone to suffering from the disease than either men or migrant women living in Greece, according to a survey presented in Athens on Thursday. According to the findings of the survey "Inequalities in the health sector for the migrant population," the same phenomenon is not observed among men, where depression is more linked to educational level and largely independent of race or nationality. The survey found the highest rates of depression among Greek women (40 pct), compared to 30 pct for women of Albanian origin and 25 pct for women from other countries. The rate was even higher among Greek women with a low level of education (45 pct) compared with their more educated counterparts, while the link to education also held true for women from third countries, where those with low levels of education had higher rates of depression than Greek women as a whole. Depression also spiked significantly among women that are retired or disabled, whether Greeks or migrants, though there was tellingly no difference in the rate of depression between Greek women in employment or education and Greek women that are unemployed. Rates of depression among men are just under 30 pct, regardless of race or nationality, but education again plays a significant role, with the percentage rising to 40 pct among the less educated and falling to 25 pct for those with high levels of education. In terms of overall health, education also played a role in the health problems reported by survey participants, with most problems reported by migrant women with low education. Migrants rarely reported difficulties in gaining access to treatment, however, while migrant men reported better health than Greek men and self-reported better rates of physical activity and abstinence from smoking and drinking, though worse rates for exposure to workplace hazards. The survey was part of the MIGHEAL programme financed by the European Economic Area and conducted by the National Centre for Social Studies in collaboration with NTNU, the Norwegian University for Science and Technology. [02] Actors, writers, singers to sell street magazine 'Shedia' on Saturday Actors, singers, writers and other professionals will don the red vest usually worn by the vendors of the Greek street magazine "Shedia" on Saturday (Feb. 11) and sell magazines in Athens and Thessaloniki for an hour, in a message against poverty and social exclusion. The action will start at 12:00 in several areas of Athens and Thessaloniki, during which the volunteers will test they ability in street sales. The event is organized for the fourth time in Greece and is part of the "International Vendors Week" which takes place every year on the first week of February. In Athens, the magazine will be sold at the farmers market of Exarchia, at Kolonaki square, Kapnikareas square, outside the Acropolis metro, Korai square, on Voukourestiou and Ermou streets, at Monastiraki square, Syntagma, Varvakios market and at Agias Irinis square. In Thessaloniki, vendors will be standing on at Aghia Sofia square, and on several corners of Tsimiksi street: with Agias Sofias, with Karolou Deal, with Aristotelous, Pavlou Mela, with Paleon Patron Germanon and with Komninon. [03] Authorities declare state of emergency in Kordelio for bomb disposal operation Greek authorities have declared a state of emergency in the Thessaloniki municipality Kordelio-Evosmos due to the operation underway to dispose of an unexploded WWII bomb found under a petrol station. The operation, which will involve the evacuation of the population over a radius of 1,900 metres around the bomb's location, is to take place on Sunday. It will involve a massive operation to move 62,000 people from the area by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday morning and return them to their homes after the operation is concluded. Local authorities have already started the process by distributing flyers and posters door-to-door to all homes in the area, providing residents with instructions on the evacuation procedure, the waiting areas and the points where coaches will pick up passengers to transport them from the bomb zone. [04] Traffic towards 'Macedonia' airport restored after farmers end blockade Traffic towards Thessaloniki's "Macedonia" airport resumed on Thursday evening after farmers and live-stock breeders ended their seated protest held at the only bypass serving the airport. For half an hour, cars driving to and from the airport were halted, while access from the main road leading to "Macedonia" has been blocked since the afternoon from farmers who said they intend to stay there until Friday.