Depression commonly occurs during pregnancy and it’s often a challenging condition to treat as the health of the mother has to be balanced with the potential risks that can be caused to the foetus by antidepressant drugs. Pilot trials have previously shown that light therapy may be a safe and effective treatment in this population, [read the full story…]
Epidemiological studies show that 50% of individuals with eating disorders abuse alcohol or illicit drugs, conversely up to 35% of those who abuse substances have eating disorders (ref: CASA report). Little is known about the association between eating disorders and methamphetamine (commonly known as crystal meth) use. Many methamphetamine users say that they take the [read the full story…]
Depression is often found in people with chronic long-term conditions such as diabetes. Sometimes this can be a consequence of how the disease affects their lifestyle, difficulties of managing complications and coping with the unrelenting nature of chronic disease. However, there is recent evidence to show that depression is a risk factor for diabetes, partly [read the full story…]
With a lifetime prevalence of about 12% and a 12-month prevalence of around 4%, social anxiety disorder is the most prevalent anxiety disorder and one of the most common psychiatric conditions. This systematic review conducted by researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, aimed to assess the effectiveness of different second [read the full story…]
David Flory, Deputy NHS Chief Executive, issued a letter today which provides information on plans for Payment by Results (PbR) in 2012-13. These plans include an expansion in the scope of PbR into areas such as adult mental health, and a further increase in the coverage of best practice tariffs. He also highlights the publication [read the full story…]
Alcohol misuse is common in people with mental health problems and the rates of drinking are particularly high in bipolar disorder. Studies show that the lifetime prevalence of substance use disorders is at least 40% in bipolar I patients (ref Cerullo et al). Researchers from Newcastle University in the UK have conducted a systematic review [read the full story…]
Around 1% of the population have autism. There are a number of treatments available for the condition, including learning and development techniques, as well as medical interventions. However, there is little consensus about which drug treatments are most effective. A team of researchers from Nashville have recently published two systematic reviews in the Pediatrics journal, [read the full story…]
There is a considerable body of research that explores the links between depression and other diseases (e.g. cancer and cardiovascular disease). Many studies have also been published that investigate the relationship between depression and stroke, but the results are inconsistent. Researchers from Harvard have now conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies [read the full story…]
The Department of Health has commissioned the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) to produce two reports on adult safeguarding: 1. Governance of adult safeguarding The research for this report explored the governance arrangements for safeguarding adults. Drawing on a systematic review of the literature, workshops attended by safeguarding specialists, a survey of Safeguarding Adults [read the full story…]
Prison staff need to record and share more information about violence and intimidation to improve prisoner safety, said Nigel Newcomen, the new Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO), publishing a report into the impact of intimidation, violence and bullying on those who take their own lives in prison. The report has been produced as a result [read the full story…]
