How can we best prevent suicide in young people? More questions than answers
Listening to a World Health Organisation podcast recently I learnt that someone dies as a result of suicide every 40 seconds; this equates to a million suicides each year. The podcast contains a myriad...
View ArticleADHD and the importance of healthy sleep
Good sleep is a crucial part of our physical and mental well-being. We typically spend about a third of our lives asleep but when we miss out on sleep, we can feel fatigued and struggle to concentrate....
View ArticleCan intermittent fasting improve mood?
Intermittent fasting is all the rage these days, but is the practice backed up by any reliable research? Mark Horowitz investigates, but has he bitten off more than he can chew? The post Can...
View ArticleE-cigarettes: a review of the evidence-base for regulation
Sally Adams summarises a recent review of e-cigarettes, which looks at use, content, safety, effects on smokers and the potential for harm and benefit. The post E-cigarettes: a review of the...
View ArticleDo perinatal mental health problems cost the UK £8 billion per year?
A recent report estimated the societal cost of perinatal mental health problems to be £8 billion, but should we believe it? Chris Sampson advises caution. The post Do perinatal mental health problems...
View ArticleSocial determinants of mental health: how our societies are making us...
Mark Horowitz summarises the new WHO and UCL Institute of Health Equity (Michael Marmot) report and research paper on social determinants of mental health. He concludes that it's time to focus on the...
View ArticleAddressing the health needs of people who are homeless
Liz Hughes reviews two recent Lancet papers about the health needs of people who are homeless and the best ways to meet these needs. The post Addressing the health needs of people who are homeless...
View ArticleSocial work practice and carers of people living with cancer
Ermintrude considers a literature review on social work and carers of people living with cancer, wondering how the evidence can make a case for improvements in the UK. The post Social work practice and...
View ArticlePromoting social support and parenting skills in parents with an intellectual...
Research has documented negative attitudes to parents with learning disabilities and highlighted the need for supports. Here Kate van Dooren looks at a review of literature exploring support...
View ArticlePromoting smoking cessation in people with schizophrenia
Meg Fluharty summarises a recent clinical overview of smoking cessation in people with severe mental illness, which provides useful practical advice to clinicians who are trying to help service users...
View ArticlePlacebo effect in psychiatry: what do we really know?
David Steele summarises a review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which looks at the mediators and moderators of the placebo effect in psychiatry. The post Placebo effect in psychiatry: what do...
View ArticleMicro providers at the margins: filling gaps, building bridges
Jo Moriatry considers a literature review on how people who have been marginalised in mainstream services are creating and finding support from micro providers and community organisations. The post...
View ArticleCan we model the development and maintenance of self-injury in children with...
Self-injurious behaviour can have a severe impact on the quality of life of some children with developmental delay. Here, Alix Dixon looks at a review of an extensive body of literature around...
View ArticleStaff training for challenging behaviour – what impact does it have?
Training for staff in understanding and responding to challenging behaviour - must be a good thing... But how much do we know about the impact of this training on subsequent staff performance and...
View ArticleWhat contributes to adult children carers’ well-being?
Jeanne Carlin discusses a review about influences on adult children carers' well-being and thinks about what the evidence means for Care Act implementation. The post What contributes to adult children...
View ArticleReview finds no link between stigma and intention to use mental health...
David Steele reports on a literature review that found no link between anticipated stigma and intention to seek help in military personnel with mental health problems. The post Review finds no link...
View ArticleChoice and control for carers: How is personalisation working?
Sarah Carr looks at a literature review assessing how choice is working for family carers in the context of social care personalisation. The post Choice and control for carers: How is personalisation...
View ArticleAntidepressants vs placebo for depression: forget the gap
Ioana Cristea considers the possible causes responsible for the apparent narrowing of the drug-placebo gap, which over the last 30 years has seen estimates of depression symptom reduction from...
View ArticleSuicide risk assessment and intervention: need for a new approach?
Olivia Kirtley and Alys Cole-King consider the implications of a new BMJ review on suicide risk assessment and intervention in people with mental illness. The post Suicide risk assessment and...
View ArticleSmoking and chronic mental illness: what’s the best way to quit or cut down?
Meg Fluharty considers the findings of a BMJ State of the Art review, which looks at the evidence for smoking cessation in people with chronic mental illness such as schizophrenia, unipolar depression,...
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