Following on from my post yesterday about screening tools for depression in later life, here is a new meta-analysis that explores the efficacy of antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in patients aged ≥ 55 years. The researchers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy just searched PubMed for [read the full story…]
Depression often occurs in later life and people in poor physical condition tend to be more susceptible than others. Older people in hospital who get depressed have poorer outcomes, so it’s important that we know how to detect depression and manage it in the acute setting. This systematic review conducted by researchers in Swansea set [read the full story…]
Healthcare providers are always on the look out for ways to improve the detection and diagnosis of depression in primary care. It’s a prevalent illness amongst Europeans with 6.9% of people suffering from it in any 12-month period. We know that 50-70% of depressed patients consult their GP during an episode, so improving systems for [read the full story…]
We know that exercise helps people who are going through mental health difficulties, but how can we encourage people to become more active? Exercise referral schemes aim to identify inactive adults in the primary care setting. The GP or healthcare professional then refers the patient to a third-party service, with this service taking responsibility for [read the full story…]
The demand for psychological therapies far outstrips the supply and in this ongoing period of austerity we surely need to produce some cost-effective alternatives. One method that patients can attempt pretty much on their own is self-help provided through books, CDs, DVDs and websites. This new systematic review claims to be the first to bring [read the full story…]
The most recent MeReC Bulletin (December 2011) considers the problem of the implementation gap: the best evidence often does not get adopted quickly into practice. It highlights relevant evidence and ideas from educational theory, decision-making theory, information management and implementation science and brings them together in one place. It is intended to encourage a fresh [read the full story…]
Policy on the role of specialist doctors in the NHS reforms is not fit for purpose, according to a discussion paper published today by the NHS Alliance. Specialists in Commissioning: Looking beyond current policy discusses the views of GPs and specialists on current policy on specialists in Clinical Commissioning Groups. The paper calls for policy [read the full story…]
If you are a doctor, nurse or pharmacist involved in the care of patients with depression, you may like to take this self-directed learning module on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) antidepressants produced by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The free online training outlines the key risks of this important class of [read the full story…]
All mental health professionals are well aware that depression and alcohol misuse frequently go hand in hand. One condition often complicates and affects the outcome of the other. NICE guidelines recommend treating the alcohol problems first and then after 3-4 weeks of abstinence focus on treating the comorbid mental illness if it’s still present. This [read the full story…]
The Audit Commission have published the second in a series of briefings looking at adult social care. At a time when the whole of the public sector must find significant savings, the report says that integrated working across health and social care offers opportunities for efficiencies and improvements to services. Without it, there is a [read the full story…]
