Barriers to ethnic carers uptake of dementia services

A study in International Psychogeriatrics journal investigated why carers of ethnic minority dementia sufferers were significantly later in obtaining medical help compared to non ethnic carers. The authors concluded that traditional beliefs surrounding the duty of the family to look after its members prevented carers from seeking specialist help. The researchers also concluded that interventions were required that would break down the barriers to ethnic carers accessing specialist help.

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"Alarming" NHS child eating disorder statistics

NHS figures just released show a sharp increase in children being treated for eating disorders. In England 2000 children were treated with 197 under the age of 13 being admitted to hospital. The figures from 35 hospitals were procured under the Freedom of Information Act.

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Teenage abstinence or economy of truth?

Figures released by by the NHS Information Centre reveal that there has been a decrease in smoking, drinking and drug taking by teenagers. The data for 2009-2011 was procured from a survey conducted on 7,264 11- 15 year olds from 246 schools


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Antidepressant use on the increase

The Office of National Statistics has released Social Trends 41. Included in this comprehensive set of data is mental health information. The report gives figures that show the use of antidepressants has risen dramatically since 1991. In that year 9 million prescriptions were authorised, but by 2009 it had risen to 39.1 million. The data also shows that in England in the period of 2009-10, 11% of the population was diagnosed with depression.

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Male Eating Disorders Unrecognised

According to the Royal College of General Practitioners eating disorders are going undetected in men. Apparently a doctor when faced with an abnormally thin male is likely to diagnose depression rather than anorexia or bullimia. Although NHS figures register a 66% rise in the past ten years in men being admitted to hospital for eating disorders, the charity BEAT says the NHS does not keep statistics for non-hospitalised sufferers and this could be the tip of the iceberg.

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The failure of drug treatment policies

The coalition government has indicated that it wants to radically change the way drug addicts are treated. In the wake of this the Centre for Policy Studies, a Conservative party linked think tank, has concurred that the present methods are not working. It recommends that methadone prescribing and benefits funding that cost around £3.6bn per year be replaced with a rehabilitation programme

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Parents, teenagers and drinking

A survey carried out on behalf of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has highlighted the influence of parental drinking habits on their offspring. It appears that even moderate parental overindulgence can affect teenage attitudes what is acceptable limits of intake

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Family support includes brothers and sisters

Statistics gathered by the mental health charity Rethink have found that support for the siblings of people with mental illness is an area that needs addressing. In the case of 20% of the participants of the survey, there was no support at all. This had a detrimental effect on the mental health of the siblings themselves

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No value in early autism screening

A new review of the literature recommends, inspite of US practice, that there is no value in screening very young children for autism. The authors of the study published in Pediatrics report that more harm than good might be achieved as misdiagnosis is common. Furthermore with no cure or adequate support in place little is gained by screening

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Leptin and depression

The hormone Leptin has been linked to levels of depression in women. Leptin controls appetite and women who had higher amounts of this hormone showed lower levels of depression. Body Mass Index played no part in the results of this research which is being presented at The Endocrine Society's 93rd Annual Meeting in Boston

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