Treating depression is rarely straightforward, but treating someone who is depressed and also has comorbid personality disorders can be even more complicated. Studies have shown that short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy (STPP) is a treatment worth considering for depression and personality disorders when they occur individually, but this intervention has not yet been studied systematically for people [read the full story…]
The reporting of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms has been increasing in people with learning disability but researchers have also argued that such symptoms are being under diagnosed and also poorly treated. This review set out to identify the level of ADHD symptoms in children and adults with learning disabilities reported in published studies [read the full story…]
This systematic literature review, conducted by the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment, scrutinises the scientific evidence for preventive medical and psychological interventions directed at sex offenders. The review found major weaknesses in the evidence base and concluded that: In the absence of findings from reliable research, a reasonable treatment and follow-up strategy might be [read the full story…]
There is a need for a rapid-acting, non-injection, acute treatment for agitation in people with schizophrenia. This randomised (double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group) controlled trial set out to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of inhaled loxapine for acute treatment of agitation in schizophrenia. The researchers recruited 344 adults with DSM-IV schizophrenia who were in good general health [read the full story…]
The Dementia Commissioning Pack provides practical resources for health and social care commissioners to work together to improve the quality of both specialist dementia services and general health and care services for people with dementia and their carers. The pack has been developed in consultation with a range of health and social care experts, including [read the full story…]
Researchers from Manchester University have conducted one of the largest randomised controlled trials ever undertaken to investigate self-harm in adolescents. The trial published in the BMJ examined the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of group therapy for self harm in young people by randomising 366 patients to: Manual based developmental group therapy programme specifically designed for adolescents [read the full story…]
Teenagers with depression sometimes do not respond to treatment with SSRI antidepressants and this inevitably leads to a higher cost of treatment. This randomised controlled trial (conducted by researchers from Kaiser Permanente Northwest in Portland, Oregon) set out to evaluate the incremental cost-effectiveness over 24 weeks of combined cognitive behavior therapy plus switch to a different antidepressant [read the full story…]
NHS patients will have more freedom to choose where they go for their healthcare from April 2012, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today. More choice will mean that when patients are referred for selected services, usually by their GP, they should be able to choose from a range of qualified providers who meet NHS quality, [read the full story…]
Obesity is a major health concern in adults with learning disabilities. This study set out to evaluate the impact of a locally delivered NHS health promotion programme. 191 adults with learning disabilities took part in the evaluation and were screened and monitored over a 2-year period with attendance rates and body mass index (BMI) used [read the full story…]
The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a non-invasive approach to dental caries management in private dental practice. The Caries Management System is a 10-step non-invasive strategy to arrest and remineralize early lesions. The main principle is that caries management must include consideration of the patient at risk, the [read the full story…]
