Tag: Dementia

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Health on the high street: Embedding healthy living into urban regeneration after the pandemic Social Market Foundation; January 2021

(This report argues that town centres where shops and offices fall vacant should be used to establish new ‘health hubs’ combining GP surgeries, health and social care services and gyms. The report profiles examples where local authorities and health care bodies are already developing such hubs, which it suggests could be a model for other areas in future)

New Every Mind Matters campaign Public Health England; 18th January 2021

(The new campaign launches to support the nation’s mental health, as half of adults say they are more worried during this current lockdown than in March 2020.)

SACN statement on nutrition and older adults living in the community Public Health England; 20th January 2021

(This position statement by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) provides an overview of the currently available evidence on nutrition in older adults and its impact on healthy ageing. It considers evidence relating to adults aged 65 years and over living in the community.)

Memory aids in parks and gardens for people with dementia.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Brighton and Sussex on 8/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26876
(This search report contains evidence on the use of memory aids of garden flora in the outdoor setting. Results include a study on Enrico Sassi’s conception of a garden where patients can wander around safely and has memory aids in the shape of vertical structures with fragrant plants and herbs for patients to freely touch, smell and taste. Results include reviews on the effectiveness and more general benefits of gardens as memory aids for those with neurodegenerative conditions.)

National Diabetes Audit – Care Processes and Treatment Targets, Quarterly Data Release, January to September 2020.
NHS Digital; 2021.

(This is the quarterly release of data from the National Diabetes Audit (NDA). It is the mid-year data release for the second extraction of NDA 2020-21 data. It shows progress to date covering the period 1 January to 30 September 2020. It shows partial year progress against care processes and treatment targets. It also provides the latest position on structured education. It therefore can be used as an operational planning tool to assess progress to date.)

Multidisciplinary care of diabetes.
Carried out by Kevin Burgoyne from Brighton and Sussex on 9/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26607
(Some qualitative and mixed methods research is available on this question, including 3 systematic reviews looking at various aspects related to the question. Case studies from UK networks looking at aspects of wider integrated care have also been found and included in case they can be useful. Foot care seems to be a big driver in diabetes care in the UK at the moment, and there are more publications focused on multidisciplinary care around this which can be retrieved if necessary.)

Effects of Pfizer mRNA vaccine on female fertility.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Brighton and Sussex on 11/1/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=26845
(It is early days and currently there is no evidence to suggest fertility is affected by the Pfizer vaccine (or any other COVID-19 vaccine). There is guidance and advice on being vaccinated while pregnant, but nothing on long/short term female fertility.)

Daily contact testing in schools: statement from PHE and NHS TT about next steps.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Position statement regarding daily contact testing for coronavirus (COVID-19) in schools from Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace.)

Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the UK Household Longitudinal Study.
Robertson E. medRxiv 2020;:doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.27.20248899.
(Herd immunity may be achievable through vaccination in the UK but a focus on specific ethnic minority and socioeconomic groups is needed to ensure an equitable vaccination programme. This article is a preprint and has not been peer-reviewed.)

Learning from the first wave of COVID-19.
South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System; 2020.

(A new research-led report details how health and care partners across South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw were able to continue delivering non-essential patient care and services during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic through digital innovation, reconfiguring services and enhanced partnership collaboration.)

Please contact Academic.Library@lscft.nhs.uk if you are struggling to access any research articles.

The dangers of heatwaves

Heatwaves – a double ended sword

Although we have all been enjoying the glorious sunshine, the rise in temperature not only causes sun burn to your skin, but it can also harm our mental health.

Hotter temperatures increase the level of the stress hormone- cortisol and there’s also evidence that our bodies produce more adrenaline and testosterone in warmer temperatures, which can make people more aggressive and make violent behaviour more likely.

Those with dementia or other serious mental illnesses are also more at risk due to their limited ability of elf care. Certain psychiatric medications can also inhibit temperature regulation, making dangerous heatstroke more likely.

So remember, if the temperatures continue to rise, try to make the time to reach out to the vulnerable and ill and… keep yourself cool!

To find out more or have your say click here.

Evidence based summaries

Recent research and reports

Should antidepressants be used for major depressive disorder? Jakobsen JC. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2020;25(4):130.
The benefits of antidepressants seem to be minimal and possibly without any importance to the average patient with major depressive disorder. Antidepressants should not be used for adults with major depressive disorder before valid evidence has shown that the potential beneficial effects outweigh the harmful effects.

Clinical pathways as a mobile device. Please log in via Athens to access the whole article. Barrett J. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2020;25(4):131-137.
Overall, this project supports the development of a mobile application based on the design principles used in the clinical pathways. Providers did indeed use the clinical pathways. They found the pathways easy to use and helped provide evidence-based care in clinical practice. While the iPad was useful for some participants, a small sized tablet and phone would be preferred by others. Future work will be undertaken on mobile application development using multiple screen sizes.

Dementia prevention, intervention and care. The Lancet 2020;:doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6. Excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, and air pollution have been added to the list of potentially modifiable risk factors for dementia. Together the 12 listed modifiable risk factors account for around 40% of worldwide dementia’s.