Public Health

Current awareness updates

Our ageing population: How ageing affects health and care need in England.
The Health Foundation; 2021.
[This report examines this dynamic by analysing changes in two measures of need:  an estimate of social care need, drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) ; prevalence of long-term conditions, as a proxy for health and health service demand.   It explores how health and care needs change with age, how the relationship between need and age has changed over time and how long-term conditions and social care needs interact.]

National Diabetes Audit, Report 1- Care Processes and Treatment Targets 2020-21.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[The National Diabetes Audit measures the effectiveness of diabetes healthcare against NICE Clinical Guidelines and NICE Quality Standards.]

Humidification of indoor air for preventing or reducing dryness symptoms or upper respiratory infections in educational settings and at the workplace. [Abstract]
Byber K. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2021;12:CD012219.
[OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of interventions that increase indoor air humidity in order to reduce or prevent dryness symptoms of the eyes, the skin and the upper respiratory tract (URT) or URT infections, at work and in educational settings.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

The state of children’s mental health services 2020/21 Children’s Commissioner

(This report examines the progress that has been made over the past five years as well as looking at the impact the Covid crisis has had on children’s mental health. It finds that while there has been an expansion of children’s mental health services over the past four years, services are still nowhere near meeting the needs of many hundreds of thousands of children.)

Young people’s mental and emotional health: trajectories and drivers in childhood and adolescence Whitney Crenna-Jennings; January 2021

(Based on data from the Millennium Cohort Study, this report reveals insights into the determinants of young people’s wellbeing, including how it is affected by their relationships, background, and use of social media. The study examines the personal experiences of young people in England, at age 11, 14 and 17. The research shows that while the wellbeing of all young people declines by the end of their teenage years, there is a strong gender divide within this: girls see far lower levels of wellbeing and self-esteem than boys – driven by a sharp fall of both during mid-adolescence.)

SARS-CoV-2 vaccine advice for adults living with HIV.
British HIV Association (BHIVA) & Terrence Higgins Trust (THT); 2021.

(The British HIV Association (BHIVA) & Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) have issued guidance on COVID vaccines for people living with HIV. The COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be protective in people with HIV and are recommended. The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that all adults living with HIV should have the vaccines currently on offer, regardless of their CD4 count.)

Advice for women seeking contraception, abortion and other sexual and reproductive healthcare during the COVID-19 second wave.
Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH); 2020.

(The updated advice includes new information on menopause services as well as updates on contraception, abortion, and emergency removals of long-acting reversible contraception. It also contains useful links for women in all regions of the UK, to help them access further advice and care. The advice can be shared with patients and local communities.)

Building public trust: a response to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy predicament.
Journal of Public Health; 2021.

(This study suggests that a more ‘localized’ public education and role-modelling from public officials and health authorities can help a lot in building public trust. The study aims to contribute to the further development of public health mechanisms in the rolling-out and distribution of vaccines against COVID-19.)

Health charities and the NHS: a vital partnership in peril?
National Garden Scheme; 2021.

(This report highlights the crucial services and leadership that health care charities provide for the NHS, both of which have been shown to be critical throughout the current pandemic. It sets out the pressing need for better recognition of and healthy engagement with health care charities by policy-makers, and the benefits that this would bring.)

Stronger Together: A Co-production Webinar series Ambition for ageing

(Between 9th February – 25th March, Ageing Better programme partners are coming together to showcase their learning through a webinar series on Co-Production, coordinated by Ageing Better Sheffield. The webinars aim to inspire others to use the principles of co-production to work collaboratively to achieve a collective aim.)

A consensus on healthy ageing

Public Health England and the Centre for Ageing Better, October 2019

This statement by Public Health England and the Centre for Ageing Better defines the shared commitment of the signatory organisations. It is the first time that such a wide range of organisations have come together to voice their intention to promote healthy ageing. Signatories span the areas of health, employment, housing and communities, and are from academia, local government, the NHS, and the public and voluntary sectors.

Click here to view the full report.

The State of Ageing in 2019

Centre for Ageing Better, March 2019
This report uses publicly available data to give a snapshot of what life is like for people aged 65 and older today. It then investigates the prospects for people currently in their 50s and 60s with regards to work, finances, health, housing and community support.  It looks at the implications of an increasingly ageing society for the individual, government, business and wider society.
Click here to view the full report.