Young men with cannabis use disorder have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, according to a study led by researchers at the Mental Health Services in the Capital Region of Denmark and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health. The study, published in Psychological Medicine, analyzed detailed health records data over 50 years and representing more than six million people in Denmark to estimate the fraction of schizophrenia cases that could be attributed to cannabis use disorder on the population level.
Occupational therapy under pressure, workforce survey finds
The latest workforce survey by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists finds that the occupational therapy (OT) workforce is under pressure due to increased demand coupled with workforce shortages. It outlines OT concerns that this is challenging their capacity to provide essential support to people whose lives are impacted by long-term health conditions and disability. Among respondents, 68 per cent of respondents said that they were under too much pressure at work, 63 per cent stated they were too busy to provide the level of care they would like and 55 per cent felt that too much of their time was spent on non-OT duties. Over a third of respondents said they intend to leave their current role within the next two years, with work related stress, feeling undervalued, unable to provide the standard of service they would like and poor staffing levels cited as the most common reasons for this.
Poor health impacts on personal finances and job prospects
An interim report from IPPR’s Commission on Health and Prosperity has found the UK’s poor record on health is taking a huge toll on people’s personal finances and job prospects. The research finds that the onset of poor health precedes: a substantial fall in labour income, impacting millions of working age people; a much higher risk of leaving work, with illness implicated in more than half of employment exits between 2014 and 2019; lower job satisfaction and barriers to productive work; weaker GDP and labour market outcomes; and a more unfair and unbalanced economic model.
Latest Make Every Contact Count bulletin available
The most recent Make Every Contact count public heath bulletin looking at latest evidence around smoking cessation, alcohol, healthy weight, healthy eating and physical exercise is now available. The bulletin is produced by Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT Library staff. If you cannot access any of the articles included in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.
Lack of transparency and candour around deaths in mental health services, report finds
Bereaved families of people who died in the care of mental health services or settings for people with learning disabilities and/or autism face persistent challenges following the death of their loved one in mental health services, a report has found. Families told INQUEST, a charity providing expertise on state related deaths and their investigation, that there is a lack of candour, transparency and accountability around inquests and investigations. The families also reported inadequate levels of communication between families and the organisations responsible for care. Many also felt they were immediately placed on the backfoot during investigations into their loved ones’ death. The report comes from a Family Consultation Day with 14 bereaved families of people with mental ill health, a learning disability or autism.
What the evidence says on how to best support people with dementia
A review by Oxford Brookes University Institute of Public Care explores a range of evidence on what can enable people to maintain independence and wellbeing, how best to support people living with dementia to have a quality of life grounded on what matters to them and to their carers and family members.
Supporting People Living with Dementia: Evidence from… | IPC Brookes
Learning Disabilities and Autism Bulletin
Please find the latest Learning Disabilities and Autism bulletin produced by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. If you have issues accessing any of the articles featured in the bulletin please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.
Living (and dying) as an older person in prison: understanding the biggest health care challenges for an ageing prisoner population
Tough conditions in prison disproportionately affect older prisoners, and they tend to be in poorer health than the general population research by the Nuffield Trust has found. The research uses hospital sourced data and finds significant health care needs associated with frailty amongst the prison population, which has implications for the prison service in managing increasing numbers of older people as the population continues to age.
Living (and dying) as an older person in prison (nuffieldtrust.org.uk)
A third more people die at home since the start of the Covid pandemic
Research compiled by think tank the Nuffield Trust shows that, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, a third more people have died at home in England. This research sheds light on the services used by people who died at home in England, both before and during the first year of the pandemic, including looking at variation between socio-economic and ethnic groups, and by cause of death. The report includes a perspective on the findings from a patient and public involvement group based on their own experiences of end-of-life care.
Surprising trends growing in social care
The recent King’s Fund report on adult social care Social care 360 | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk) has shown surprising trends in social care, a King’s Fund analyst has found. These trends include ten times more working-age adults are requesting support than receiving it, spending on community and nursing care has increased, but the number of people receiving care has fallen and fewer people are receiving respite care.
Three surprising trends in adult social care | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)