This is perfect timing from the chaps at the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group. After all the hubbub about exercise and depression a few weeks ago, it’s great to read an updated version of their systematic review that looks at the effectiveness of exercise in the treatment of depression. The review looked for randomised [read the full story…]
We have posted elsewhere on this blog about the issue of overweight and obesity in people with learning disabilities, with the evidence about the extent of this problem building with every new study. The researchers in the study however, were looking at a particular approach to dealing with the issue through a programme of peer-guided [read the full story…]
We know that people with schizophrenia who adhere to their treatment are more likely to experience sustained periods of time without psychotic symptoms. However, lots of patients find it hard to stick to the prescribed medication, so doctors sometimes recommend alternative treatments to try and encourage adherence. Long-acting intramuscular injections are one option available to [read the full story…]
Studies show that over 1.6 million people are killed as a result of violence each year and it is thought that this estimate is considerably less than the actual number who die from assaults. Violence in inpatient hospital settings and emergency departments is the subject of a NICE guideline that is currently being updated. A [read the full story…]
Anyone who has ever been depressed knows that there is always a chance that the condition may return. We know that the more episodes of depression an individual has, the more likely they are to have further episodes, so it’s vital that we do all that we can to prevent relapse after depression. This feeling was [read the full story…]
Mindfulness has become a popular self-management technique to relieve stress and cope with busy day-to-day lifestyles. This review defines mindfulness as the ability to “non-judgementally observe sensations, thoughts, emotions and the environment, while encouraging openness, curiosity and acceptance”. It looks specifically at a technique called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programmes, which is a training programme [read the full story…]
Dental caries is unfortunately still a common problem among children worldwide. Cochrane reviews have shown the effectiveness of pit and fissure sealants (Hiiri et al 2009) and fluoride varnishes (Marinho et al 2002) . While other reviews have found silver diamine fluoride (SDF) to be effective (Rosenblatt et al 2009). The aim of this trial [read the full story…]
The use of antibiotics to prevent complications from the removal of third molars is a cause of debate. The aim of this review was to assess the efficacy of antibiotics in preventing infectious complications after third molar surgery What did they do The Medline Embase, ,and Cochrane databases were searched together with the references in [read the full story…]
I don’t normally blog about non-English language publications, but this new evidence-based guideline from the Dutch College of General Practitioners caught my eye yesterday. The guidance says that antidepressants should only be given as a first line treatment to people with severe depression and that those who only have depressive symptoms should be given a [read the full story…]
Physical interventions are still widely used in learning disability services, with BILD estimating their use in around half of all people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. The experience of people with learning disabilities of such interventions is not something that has been reported widely in the literature, but the researchers in this study set [read the full story…]
