Public Health

Current awareness updates

Antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Europe 2022 – 2020 data (2022).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2022.
[The report presents a regional and European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) overview, including traffic-light maps for priority drug–bug combinations of public health relevance, as well as 42 country and area profiles.]

Commentary: Climate change worry among adolescents-on the importance of going beyond the constructive-unconstructive dichotomy to explore coping efforts-a commentary on Sciberras and Fernando (2021). [Abstract]
Ojala M. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2022;27(1):89-91.
[This opinion piece comments on Sciberras and Fernando’s (2021) article in which an 8-year longitudinal study is presented. The authors investigate trajectories of climate change worry through adolescence and associations with measures of depression and engagement with news and politics in late adolescence. Their objective is to explore whether climate change worry is a constructive or unconstructive psychological phenomenon.]

Commentary: Three tasks for eco-anxiety research – a commentary on Thompson et al. (2021). [Abstract]
Pihkala P. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2022;27(1):92-93.

Commentary: Proactive practices to support youth coping with climate change – a commentary on Martin et al. (2021). [Abstract]
Flanagan C. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2022;27(1):94-95.
[Based on the scoping review of literature on youths’ anxieties and worries associated with their understanding of climate change, I suggest three practices for supporting youth coping: emphasizing what they can do through environmental action; emphasizing group over individual efforts – working in peer teams and networking with adult organizations dedicated to environmental action; and focusing on human impact in the place where they reside and ways they can observe and monitor that impact.]

Limitations of the new ISO standard for health and wellness apps.
Neal D. The Lancet Digital Health 2022;4(2):e80-e82.
[Software apps for health and wellness are proliferating rapidly. Policy makers, health-care providers, and consumers can benefit from assessment and standardisation of these apps, to support decision making in a rapidly developing field. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published a standard in July, 2021. However, we fear that, in its current form, the standard could stigmatise some app users and worsen inequalities in access to digital health technologies.]

Young people’s engagement with climate change issues through digital media – a content analysis.[Abstract]
Parry S. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2022;27(1):30-38.
[The reporting of climate change issues through social media can influence young people’s mental health and engagement. However, there has been little research undertaken directly with young people in relation to social and digital media’s reporting of climate change, and how this is experienced by young people. This study aimed to explore the interface between climate change and social media reporting for young people.]

Place-based civic science-collective environmental action and solidarity for eco-resilience.[Abstract]
Gallay E. Child and Adolescent Mental Health 2022;27(1):39-46.
[We explored how place-based civic science (PBCS) can provide opportunities to engage youth in environmental understanding through teamwork in which youth feel that they belong to a group larger than themselves and gain a sense of hope from working with others toward shared goals. We argue that combining PCBS pedagogies of collective action and collaborative learning spaces can help to buffer against distress as CYP grapple with global environmental crises.]

Case study: Digital media for sexual health promotion.
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR); 2022.
[This case study provides an overview of a research project carried out by a team of researchers at University College London. The scoping review found that interactive digital interventions (IDIs) are effective for sexual health promotion and HIV prevention. They could be rolled out much more widely to complement school sex and relationships education and sexual health services.]

Physical health checks for people living with severe mental illness: a partnership approach to improving health checks in primary care.
Equally Well UK; 2022.
[This resources provides a partnership approach to improving physical health checks for people living with severe mental illness. Through data and intelligence, a summary of key strategic drivers and policy commitments and accessible check lists, the resource aims to provide guidance on the prioritised action required to prevent premature mortality, morbidity and inequalities experienced by people with severe mental illness.]

Leading the change: social prescribing within the fitness and leisure sector.
UKActive; 2022.
[This report calls for public health initiatives to help raise awareness of social prescribing in gyms, pools and leisure centres in order to reduce the pressure on the NHS. The report, sponsored by Matrix, makes four key recommendations to develop and grow social prescribing within the fitness and leisure sector.]

Signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation in children and adolescents.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Sussex Health on 26/1/2022
[This is a broad evidence search for a new training course for social workers working with children and adolescents with, or at risk of, suicidal ideation/ behaviours and their families. It includes results on signs and symptoms of suicidal ideation in those under18 years old.]


Public Health

Current awareness updates

Influenza season 2021–22: what healthcare managers need to know.
Clough I. British Journal of Healthcare Management 2021;27(10):1-4.
[With the influenza season approaching and COVID-19 case numbers remaining high, this article highlights key points for healthcare managers and leaders going into this potentially challenging period.]

The vicious cycle of tobacco use and mental illness – a double burden on health.
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.
[This new factsheet examines the intricate connections between tobacco use and mental illness. 2 in 3 people with severe mental health conditions are current smokers, which has an enormous impact on health. Reducing smoking among people with mental illness is identified as the single most effective action for reducing the gap in life expectancy.]

British HIV Association guidelines for the management of HIV-2 2021.
British HIV Association (BHIVA); 2021.
[The overall purpose of these guidelines is to provide guidance on best clinical practice in the treatment and management of adults with HIV-2.]

Promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of people from a Black Caribbean background: an evidence-based resource.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Provides information on developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing in people from a Black Caribbean background.]

Sexually transmitted infections: promoting the sexual health and wellbeing of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Provides information on developing interventions for improved sexual health and wellbeing among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.]

Sexual and Reproductive Health Services, England (Contraception) 2020/21.
NHS Digital; 2021.
[This publication primarily covers contraceptive activity taking place at dedicated Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services in England, as recorded in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Activity Dataset (SRHAD), a mandated collection for all providers of NHS SRH services. The main focus of this report is contraception.]

Overlooked: why we should be doing more to support families and friends affected by someone else’s drinking, drug use or gambling.
Adfam; 2021.
[This report examines Adfam’s latest research with YouGov on the prevalence of people currently negatively affected by the drinking, drug use or gambling of a family member or friend in 2021, and the different challenges and impacts these families currently face. The report’s findings highlight the need for more recognition of the impacts on families and friends, and it includes recommendations on how to better support this overlooked group.]

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data tables.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Information on STI diagnoses and sexual health services provided in England by demographic characteristics and geographical region.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates amongst vulnerable groups: summary advice for GPs.
Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP); 2021.
[GPs will be aware of the disparity in uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine between different population groups; often, the groups most at risk from infection and serious illness are those least represented at vaccination centres. We continue to collect examples, case studies or evidence on what works in addressing this issue.]

Vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[From 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19), unless exempt.]

JCVI statement, August 2021: COVID-19 vaccination of children and young people aged 12 to 17 years.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[This statement sets out JCVI’s latest considerations and advice regarding the potential extension of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to children and young people.]

JCVI issues updated advice on COVID-19 vaccination of young people aged 16 to 17.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is today advising that all 16 and 17 year olds receive their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.]

COVID-19 vaccination: resources for children and young people.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Information for eligible children and young people on COVID-19 vaccination.]

PHE women’s reproductive health programme 2020 to 2021.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Progress update on the PHE reproductive health programme, including a new return on investment tool and the next steps for 2021 to 2022. ‘Extending PHE’s contraception return on investment tool: maternity and primary care settings’ outlines a new return on investment (ROI) model for contraception in maternity and the provision of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) in primary care, building on the existing contraception ROI tool published in 2018.]

BHIVA guidance for virtual consultations for people with HIV: May 2021.
British HIV Association (BHIVA); 2021.
[This guidance was released in May 2021 in response to the increased proportion of consultations carried out remotely due to COVID-19. The guidance highlights issues important for safe and effective consultation, including awareness of the limitations of remote consultation.]

Expanding access to naloxone.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Naloxone is a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose and can help to prevent overdose deaths. We are seeking responses to this consultation to assess the viability of proposals to widen access to naloxone by expanding the list of services and individuals that can give it out without a prescription or other written instruction.]

Quality indicators in lung cancer: a review and analysis. [Abstract]
Chiew KL. BMJ Open Quality 2021;10(3):DOI: 10.1136/bmjoq-2020-001268.
[Conclusions: We found a large number of published QIs in lung cancer but they focused on relatively few areas not reflective of patterns of contemporary practice. We identified gaps in lung cancer QIs especially for systemic therapies, radiotherapy, palliative care and patient-reported outcomes. In order to comprehensively assess the care of patients with lung cancer, future efforts should focus on developing readily measurable QIs in these areas…]

Now or never: A systemic investment review of mental health care in England.
Centre for Mental Health; 2021.
[This report, commissioned by the NHS Confederation’s Mental Health Network, sets out ten key areas where strategic investment could solve systemic issues in the mental health system, with significant benefits to the lives of people with mental health difficulties and their experiences of support.]

The role of epigenetics in psychological resilience. [Abstract]
Smeeth D. The Lancet Psychiatry 2021;8(7):620-629.
[In this Review, we propose a new conceptual model for the different functions of epigenetic mechanisms in psychological resilience. After reviewing empirical evidence for the various components of the model, we identify research that should be prioritised and discuss practical implications of the proposed model for epigenetic research on resilience.]

Effect of telehealth interventions on quality of life in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Li J. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2021;122:103970 .
[Telehealth interventions are effective and alternative methods for improving quality of life among cancer survivors. The most effective approach was application-based intervention, the most common approach was website-based intervention, and in terms of intervention durations, the short-term telehealth intervention was the most effective. Most telehealth interventions included breast cancer survivors.]

Public Health

Current awareness updates

Tick bite risks and prevention of Lyme disease: resources.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Toolkit and resources for local authorities and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the potential risks created by ticks and tick-borne disease in England. You can choose to co-brand leaflets and posters with PHE by adding your logo to the Word files or simply download the PDFs.]

Holiday activities and food programme 2021.
Department for Education (DfE); 2021.
[This document provides information for local authorities delivering the holiday activities and food programme in 2021. In 2020 the government announced that the holiday activities and food programme, that covers the Easter, summer and Christmas holidays, will be expanded across the whole of England in 2021. There will be up to £220 million available to local authorities to coordinate free holiday provision, including healthy food and enriching activities.]

New cross-government unit to tackle drug misuse following major independent review.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Home Office, and Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[The new unit aims to end illegal drug-related illness and deaths. The rise in drug misuse poisoning deaths has been driven by increases in heroin deaths which have doubled in this time and other substances such as cocaine have seen notable recent increases. The proportion of 11 to 15-year-olds who use drugs has increased in recent years with one in three 15-year-olds saying they took drugs in the last year.]

Tackling obesity: the role of the NHS in a whole-system approach.
The King’s Fund; 2021.
[Rates of obesity in England are high and rising, with a strong systemic relationship between obesity and deprivation. Rates are also higher in women than in men, and in some ethnic minority groups compared to the white British group. This briefing explores the role of the NHS in tackling obesity, focusing on how the NHS can work with local partners and engage with communities to deliver targeted interventions to treat and prevent obesity.]

Effectiveness of complementary therapies in cancer patients: a systematic review.
Guerra-Martin MD. International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health 2021;18(3):1017.
[The findings reveal some effective complementary therapies: auriculotherapy and acupuncture, laser moxibustion, hypnosis, Ayurveda, electroacupuncture, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery, yoga, phytotherapy, music therapy and traditional Chinese medicine. On the other hand, electroacupuncture, laser moxibustion and traditional Chinese medicine presented adverse effects, and kinesiology did not show effectiveness.]

Wellbeing toolkit for Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD).
Penumbra; 2021.
[As well as providing important medical information about ARBD and alcohol use, the toolkit covers key practical and holistic information on recovery – including information on reducing stress, improving memory, coping with challenging emotions without using alcohol, nutrition and exercise, connecting with others and the community, along with guidance on improving digital skills, budgeting and knowing your rights. It includes a podcast of relaxation exercises.]

What support do young people with sickle cell disease need when moving into adult services?.
NIHR Evidence; 2021.
[This research suggests that non-specialist healthcare services are failing young people with sickle cell disorder. This is a critical period in their development when they are learning to live as adults. It is difficult to manage conflicting demands, such as wanting to work hard at school but needing to rest to avoid pain. Researchers suggest healthcare professionals shouuld work with schools to create supportive services that can help young people to achieve their life goals.]

Loneliness is strongly linked to depression in older adults in a large, long-term study.
NIHR Evidence; 2021.
[Depression is a major public health problem that is growing worldwide. The causes are complex and vary from person to person. However, new research estimates that up to one in five cases of depression among older adults could be prevented by reducing loneliness. The study therefore has important public health implications, highlighting the need for comprehensive action across society to combat loneliness.]

HIV infection and AIDS.
Clinical Knowledge Summary (CKS); 2021.
[This CKS topic has been updated.]

Could a decision support tool help to guide mental health treatment in primary care?
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[Linda Gask reviews a recent randomised controlled trial on the clinical efficacy of a Decision Support Tool (Link-me) to “guide the intensity of mental health care in primary practice”.]

Improving the care of patients discharged following a pulmonary embolism, in line with NICE Guidelines (NG158).
[Shared learning from Nottingham Universities Hospitals Trust. Project started out as audit looking into how to improve discharge process for patients following a PE, however upon understanding limitations of care provided on discharge, practice was changed in line with NICE guidelines to ensure safest possible discharge for these patients.]

Risk factors for LGBTQ+ youth self-harm and suicide.
The Mental Elf; 2021.
[In her debut blog, Hazel Marzetti reviews a recent systematic review and meta-analysis on victimisation and mental illness prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide.]

European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.
[The report found some differences in the use of antibiotics between two sets of countries, the ECDC’s European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Network (ESAC-Net) and WHO/Europe’s Antimicrobial Medicines Consumption (AMC) Network. Findings show a significant decrease in the consumption of antibacterials in eight ESAC-Net countries including the United Kingdom. However, figures for the AMC Network were less clear, reflecting the more complicated nature of data collection.]

Transition to adulthood and transfer to adult care of adolescents with congenital heart disease: a global consensus statement.
Moons P. European Heart Journal 2021;:ehab388.
[This consensus document describes issues and practices of transition and transfer of adolescents with CHD. Transitional care ought to be provided to all adolescents with CHD, taking into consideration the available resources. When reaching adulthood, patients ought to be transferred to adult care facilities capable of managing their needs, and systems have to be in place to ensure continuity of high-quality care.]

Children and young people’s mental health – policy, CAMHS services, funding and education.
House of Commons Library; 2021.
[Research briefing on children and young people’s mental health policy, June 2021.]

Community mental health and wellbeing : what does gold standard look like?
Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, Scotland; 2021.
[Following interviews and meetings with key stakeholders a range of tools were developed to support collaborative discussion around gold standard community mental health and wellbeing, key relationships and challenges to implementation. This report presents findings of the resulting workshop.]

Emerging lessons from the commissioning and delivery of a gambling treatment service.
Woodall J. Public Health 2021;196:69-73.
[This article offers a unique contribution to understanding more about the provision of gambling treatment services. This is crucial, given that a greater number of people face challenges as a consequence of gambling harms, and such services should be seen part of forming a coherent public health response.]

PHE women’s reproductive health programme 2020 to 2021.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[Progress update on the PHE reproductive health programme, including a new return on investment tool and the next steps for 2021 to 2022. Use these documents and tools to understand how this programme integrates with the upcoming women’s and sexual and reproductive health strategies. Links to new tools, publications and examples of best practice can also be used as a reference point for colleagues across the healthcare system, to inform prioritisation and planning.]

National flu immunisation programme plan.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[The annual flu letter for 2021 to 2022 describes the national flu immunisation programme and outlines which groups are eligible for flu vaccination.]

Life Sciences Vision.
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy; 2021.
[This document outlines the government’s and the life science sector’s ambitions for the sector over the next decade. It sets out the government’s plans to stimulate a thriving UK life sciences sector. It also focuses on how the sector can address some of the UK’s most significant health care challenges, including cancer, dementia and obesity.]

Alcohol consumption and harm during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.
[A report collating data on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm in England during the COVID-19 pandemic and comparing it to data from previous years. The report improves our understanding of how alcohol consumption and harm changed in England while physical and social restrictions to prevent and control coronavirus were in place. The findings help to understand whether pandemic-related changes have affected rates of alcohol hospital admissions and deaths as well as health inequalities.]

Early evaluation of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Trailblazer programme.
University of Birmingham; 2021.
[The programme was launched in December 2018 to improve the prevention of mental health problems and early intervention for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health problems. The early evaluation is following the experiences of the initial group of mental health support teams, which are based in 25 areas across England (called Trailblazers) and work with more than 1,000 schools and colleges.]