Results: 3058

For: Populations and settings

Adolescents with learning disabilities had low physical fitness and high prevalence of obesity

Healthy

We have posted many times about the issue of overweight and obesity in people with learning disabilities. This study in France set out look at health-related fitness in adolescents with learning disabilities and to analyse various performances in physical fitness tests according to degrees of obesity in that poopulation. The researchers worked with 87 French [read the full story…]

‘Exercise doesn’t help with depression’ – have the headline writers got it wrong again?

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Back from my 5-mile run around the woodland yesterday morning I sat down to catch up on the latest elf stories. Many of the national newspapers reported on a new randomised controlled trial published in the BMJ, which studied ‘facilitated physical activity’ for people with depression. The headlines seemed to be in agreement: Exercise ‘no [read the full story…]

Resource for families to ensure they are involved in best interest decisions

Law

We have posted a number of times recently about the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and issues relating to the knowledge of professionals about its operation. We would like to draw your attention to a new resource which is designed to help families involved in best interest decisions, to ensure they are involved. The resource has [read the full story…]

Premature babies have greater risk of serious mental illness

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Preterm babies are three times more likely to be admitted to hospital for a mental health problem as an adult than normal term babies, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry by researchers in the UK and Sweden. About 1 in every 13 children born in the UK are classified as [read the full story…]

HFT guide to supporting people with learning disabilities from BME communities

HFT BME report

The Home Farm Trust have recently updated their guide to reaching and supporting diverse communities. This is a resource aimed at professionals working for people with learning disabilities, family carers and also for those who work in mainstream diversity and equality fields and is designed to help with meeting the needs of people with learning [read the full story…]

Use of sugar free gum may have potential benefits for oral health of older people

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The aim of this study was to determine the effects of sugar-free chewing gum on the oral health and quality of life of dentate older people living in the community and attending for routine dental care. What did they do Participants aged 60 years and over with a minimum of 6 natural teeth living independently [read the full story…]

New long term conditions compendium from the Department of Health

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Commissioners, health professionals and social care professionals will all be interested in the new Long Term Conditions Compendium of Information published by the Department of Health. This third edition updates the version produced in 2008 and provides the evidence for improving care and outcomes for people with long-term conditions. 70% of the total health and [read the full story…]

The evidence remains weak for using CBT to help children who have suffered sexual abuse

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Child sexual abuse is a widespread social problem, which can cause a range of mental health conditions including fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, behavioural problems, inappropriate sexual behaviour and an increased risk of psychological problems in adulthood. Cognitive behavioural therapy is often used to help children (and their non-offending parent) to manage the conditions that [read the full story…]

New guidance on domestic abuse from the Royal College of General Practitioners

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All general practices will be interested in this 4-page document from the Royal College of General Practitioners, which will help them respond to the Department of Health strategic objective about domestic violence. The guidance provides an overview to help general practices develop their own domestic abuse policy.  It also includes resources to help the practice [read the full story…]

Childhood attention problems a risk factor for socio-economic disadvantage

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Children with serious attention problems are three times more likely to experience socio-economic disadvantage in adulthood, according to a French study. The study, published today by the British Journal of Psychiatry, finds they are more likely to be employed in a lower grade job, and are less likely to be educated to university level. The [read the full story…]