Tag: Public Health

National Centre for Social Research

Mental health: should we be worried?

Source: The King’s Fund Health Management and Policy Alert

This report provides an overview of the public’s mental health and how it is affecting people’s lives, although it does not aspire to be a comprehensive record because of the scale of research now being undertaken. It also provides new, previously unpublished, analysis by NatCen from the Understanding Society longitudinal study showing the impacts of the Covid–19 pandemic on the public’s financial and mental health.

For more information click here.

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

One dose of COVID-19 vaccine can cut household transmission by up to half Public Health England (PHE)

(A new study by Public Health England (PHE) has shown that one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine reduces household transmission by up to half.)

Track and trace: identifying corruption risks in UK public procurement for the Covid-19 pandemic

(This study of procurement during the pandemic involved a painstaking review of nearly 1,000 contracts worth a total of £18 billion. It concludes that the way the UK government handled bids for supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) and other Covid-19 response contracts appears partisan and systemically biased in favour of those with political access.)

Can SMS text messages help prevent relapse in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder?
The Mental Elf; 2021.

(A group of UCL Mental Health MSc students summarise a recent pilot study, which explores the acceptability and feasibility of the Texting for Relapse Prevention (T4RP) programme for people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.)

Can we teach schools how to improve care for young people who self-harm?
The Mental Elf; 2021.

(Douglas Badenoch appraises and summarises a recent systematic review of experimental studies, which looks at whether school staff training can improve responses to pupils who self-harm.)

JCVI issues new advice on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women Public Health England (PHE)

(The JCVI has advised that pregnant women should be offered the COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as the rest of the population, based on their age and clinical risk group.)

Neonatal infection: antibiotics for prevention and treatment.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.

[This guideline covers preventing bacterial infection in healthy babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age, treating pregnant women whose unborn baby is at risk of infection, and caring for babies of up to and including 28 days corrected gestational age with a suspected or confirmed bacterial infection. It aims to reduce delays in recognising and treating infection and prevent unnecessary use of antibiotics. The guideline does not cover viral infections.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Reduced drinking and harm reduction in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.
Bischof. Drugs and Alcohol Today 2020;21(1):31-44.
(The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of the scientific evidence for reduced drinking in alcohol use disorders.)

Inequalities in oral health in England.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(The report describes the current picture of oral health inequalities and oral health service inequalities in England by socioeconomic position, geographic area, protected characteristics and vulnerable (disadvantaged) groups. Information in the report may be used to inform the equality impact assessment of proposed public health interventions and to inform the commissioning of services.)

Alcohol and drugs evidence reviews and inquiries.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Reports and reviews relating to substance misuse. Policy makers, commissioners and service providers can use the evidence presented in these reviews and reports when deciding how best to implement policies and interventions relating to drugs and alcohol.)

Case study synthesis: community hubs and green space.
What Works Centre for Wellbeing; 2021.

(This review of practice-based case studies plugs some gaps in the evidence on how community hubs and green spaces can enhance wellbeing in a place. The case study evidence provides important and rich detail on these projects and activities, and how they are delivered, which will provide policy-makers and practitioners with tangible illustrations to refer to in the design and modification of interventions.)

Composition of foods integrated dataset (CoFID).
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(McCance and Widdowson’s ‘composition of foods integrated dataset’ on the nutrient content of the UK food supply. Public Health England (PHE) is responsible for maintaining up-to-date data on the nutrient content of the UK food supply in order to support the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, and funds nutrient analysis of foods commonly consumed in the UK.)

Preventing and reducing drug-related harm.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Information and resources to support commissioners, service providers and others to reduce harm and prevent deaths related to substance misuse.)

Reducing harm due to alcohol: success stories from 3 countries.
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.

(The WHO-recommended “best buys” for alcohol policy can easily help countries to reduce health harms related to alcohol consumption. Experience from Lithuania, Scotland and the Russian Federation shows how effective they can be when countries choose to implement them.)

Changing the perfect picture: an inquiry into body image.
House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee; 2021.

(This inquiry sought to determine which groups were most at risk of developing poor body image, the factors driving its increased prevalence, and the impact of poor body image on the lives of those affected by it. It considers the impact body dissatisfaction can have on physical and mental health and its relationship with advertising in traditional and social media. It also considers the role the government should play through health, education or digital policy interventions.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Misuse of illicit drugs and medicines: applying All Our Health.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Evidence and guidance to help health professionals identify, prevent or reduce drug-related harm. The information will help front-line health and care staff use their trusted relationships with patients, families and communities to promote the benefits of asking patients about drug use.)

NHS population screening: identifying and reducing inequalities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Guidance and resources to support providers and commissioners in reducing screening inequalities. Variation in participation exists both within and between national screening programmes. Barriers can result in some people being unable to maximise the benefits of screening. And people at higher risk of the conditions being screened for are generally less likely to participate.)

Alcohol dependence prevalence in England.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Estimates of the number of alcohol dependent adults in each local authority in England. The data is from national and local authorities, and is organised by age and gender.)

Children living with parents in emotional distress: March 2021 update.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(The proportion of children living with at least one parent reporting symptoms of emotional distress, by family type and work status.)

How can touch-free technology help the NHS? Open Access Government, 31 March 2021

(Videx UK aims to help the health care and business sector return to normal with hands-free door entry.)

From computers to communities: how remote technology will transform rural neighbourhoods TechRadar, 1 April 2021

(The pandemic has meant a change in the way we live and work. However, virtually all health care sectors have successfully implemented remote collaboration tools.)

Public Health

Current Awareness

Use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine: JCVI statement.
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); 2021.
[Statement from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.]

COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine administration.
Gordon C. British Journal of Nursing 2021;30(6):344-349.
[This article provides an overview of current COVID-19 vaccines available within the UK, including their mode of action, storage and handling. It outlines the recommendations on priority groups for vaccination and provides insight into the training recommendations for vaccinators.]


How will the public mood shape care after the pandemic?
[The Health Foundation is hosting a webinar exploring what the public thought of care during the COVID-19 pandemic and what this means for future care – being held 15th April 11:45am]

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child health and the provision of Care in Paediatric Emergency Departments: a qualitative study of frontline emergency care staff.
Conlon C. BMC Health Services Research 2021;21(1):279.
[This qualitative study utilized insight from multidisciplinary frontline staff to understand 1) the changes in paediatric emergency healthcare utilization during COVID-19 2) the experiences of working within the restructured health system.]

A connected recovery: Findings of the APPG on Loneliness Inquiry.
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness; 2021.

[This inquiry makes the case for a ‘connected recovery’ from the pandemic. It explored four crucial policy areas, including: translating national policy into local action through local authorities; community infrastructure (including housing, transport and public spaces); how to adequately fund the voluntary and community sector upon which social prescribing depends; and designing and implementing ways to test the implications of government policies on loneliness.]

National Centre for Creative Health.
National Centre for Creative Health; 2021.

[The NCCH will advance good practice and research, inform policy and promote collaboration, helping foster the conditions for creative health to be integral to health and social care and wider systems. It was formed in response to the Creative Health report, the result of a two-year inquiry led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Arts, Health and Wellbeing.]

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Preventing suicide in England: fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives Department of Health and Social Care; 27th March 2021

(This report details the steps taken to reduce deaths by suicide since 2019. It sets out the data and evidence on suicide and self-harm; the progress made against existing commitments designed to prevent suicides and self-harm; and further actions for the government and its agencies, particularly in the context of Covid-19.)

The cost of smoking to the social care system ASH; March 2021

(This report finds that on average smokers in England need care when they are 63, 10 years sooner than non-smokers. It estimates that £1.2 billion a year is spent on people who have care needs as a result of smoking. It calls for more comprehensive tobacco control strategies in order to ease the pressure on the social care system.)

Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan Department of Health and Social Care; 31 March 2021

(This action plan sets out an ambitious, cross-government, whole-person approach to promoting positive mental health and supporting people living with mental illness to recover and live well. While this plan sets out what the government will do in the coming year, it is also a call to action for the whole of society, for local communities, families and for individuals, who can take simple steps to look after their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around them – and can reach out for support, including from mental health services when necessary.)

The best start for life: a vision for the 1,001 critical days The Early Years Healthy Development Review Report

(This report sets out the findings of the Early Years’ Healthy Development Review, which was asked to review the first 1,001 critical days from pregnancy through to the age of two. The review sets out a vision for best practice across the health system to ensure babies and children can get the best possible start.)

Alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour Nuffield Trust

(Excessive alcohol consumption can have harmful health consequences in the short term but also in the long term, through conditions such as liver disease, stroke and some cancers. This indicator explores whether alcohol-related harm and drinking behaviour has changed over time.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2021.

(This guideline covers diagnosing, monitoring and managing asthma in adults, young people and children. It aims to improve the accuracy of diagnosis, help people to control their asthma and reduce the risk of asthma attacks. It does not cover managing severe asthma or acute asthma attacks. In March 2021, we highlighted the importance of including advice in the personalised action plan on minimising indoor air pollution and reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution.)

Support for people with a learning disability.
House of Commons Library; 2021.

(A description of recent changes to policy and services for people with a learning disability in England. Briefing paper.)

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: a year like no other.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

(Analysis of data from a variety of sources on the way life, society and the economy changed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and how the period compares with other years.)

Coronavirus and the different effects on men and women in the UK: March 2020 to February 2021.
Office for National Statistics (ONS); 2021.

(Brings together different sources to examine how men and women have been affected differently throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Includes information on physical health, mental health, paid work, unpaid work, home-schooling, and loneliness.)

Every action counts.
NHS England; 2021.

(Persuading everyone – staff, patients and visitors – to follow good practice in COVID-19 infection prevention and control is key to keeping healthcare settings as safe as possible. Every Action Counts draws on behavioural expertise to support local NHS organisations with resources on awareness, leadership, morale and wellbeing, training, and operational interventions.)

Global report on Ageism World Health Organisation (WHO); 18th March 2021

(The Global report on ageism outlines a framework for action to reduce ageism including specific recommendations for different actors (e.g. government, UN agencies, civil society organizations, private sector). It brings together the best available evidence on the nature and magnitude of ageism, its determinants and its impact. It outlines what strategies work to prevent and counter ageism, identifies gaps and proposes future lines of research to improve our understanding of ageism.)

Inclusive and sustainable economies: leaving no-one behind Public Health England (PHE); 25th March 2021

(A report and data catalogue from PHE supporting place-based action to reduce health inequalities and build back better. It addresses the social, economic and environmental determinants of health and wellbeing to help achieve healthy people, thriving communities and increased prosperity.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

Increased inequalities and barriers to healthy eating and exercise during lockdown for those with obesity.
Carried out by Frankie Marcelline from Brighton and Sussex on 8/3/2021
https://www.knowledgeshare.nhs.uk/index.php?PageID=literature_search_request_download&RequestID=27968
(This evidence search report includes studies and reports on barriers to healthy eating and exercise that people have faced during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in the UK. People with obesity in particular may have poorer mental health and are at higher risk of additional challenges during this lockdown as they are likely to be isolating and find it harder to exercise or eat well. Also includes results focused on what support is required for people with obesity in the post-Covid recovery.)

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy – debunking the myths using a community engagement approach underpinned by NICE guidance.
NICE Shared Learning Database; 2021.

(Shared learning case study. This example describes how GPs from Black Women in Health (BWIH) reduced COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy amongst the BAME population by debunking the myths about COVID-19 vaccines by organising webinars, virtual group talks, podcasts, videos in other languages and dialects. The approach to community engagement was informed by recommendations from NICE’s guidance for Community engagement: improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities.)

The NHS’s role in tackling poverty: awareness, action and advocacy The King’s Fund

(One of the main drivers behind the creation of the NHS was to protect the poorest in society from being bankrupted by the need to pay for care. But the NHS can do more to mitigate, prevent and reduce poverty. This report sets out what the NHS, as the largest economic institution in the country, needs to maximise its contribution to tackling poverty, within its resources and with its partners.)

COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing – GOV.UK

(Advice for parents and carers on looking after the mental health and wellbeing of children or young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

We can’t prevent childhood obesity by education alone: lessons from the evidence base.
University of Bristol; 2021.

(This study examined the evidence included in the most recent Cochrane Review on childhood obesity prevention. The results show that most of the current evidence targets individual lifestyle behaviours (diet and physical activity) through education. This could influence the range of evidence that policymakers see, with consequences for the focus of policies they develop. A broader evidence base is needed on which to base future decisions about childhood obesity prevention. Policy briefing.)

Loneliness: a reading list.
House of Commons Library; 2021.

(Links to various publications considering the causes and impact of loneliness, as well as possible interventions to deal with the issue in society. A companion to the Library’s Tackling loneliness (CBP 8514) briefing, which sets out in greater detail the incidence and impact of loneliness and strategies adopted to tackle it across the UK. Research briefing.)

Consultation outcome: Proposed changes to how smoking-attributable risk is calculated.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Response to consultation on proposed changes to the calculation of smoking attributable mortality and hospital admissions. There was a positive response to updating the relative risks used for the calculation of smoking-related harm and all options provided through responses have been explored.)

A Snapshot of European Children’s Eating Habits: Results from the Fourth Round of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI).
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.

(Overall, the WHO findings from this study highlight that action is urgently needed to promote healthy eating habits among children in all the countries of the European Region, especially to increase daily consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.)

Youth Sport Trust impact report.
Youth Sport Trust; 2021.

(In this report we share data, insights and stories from some of the young people whose wellbeing we have been able to support. Working together with schools and valued partners we have improved physical and mental health, nurtured the development of character and leadership, and fostered inclusion and empathy to bring down barriers and build connections.)

Understanding and addressing inequalities in physical activity: evidence-based guidance for commissioners Public Health England (PHE); 2021

(This guidance can be used by practitioners and commissioners at a local level to begin tackling inequalities in physical activity across and within protected characteristic groups. It presents the findings of a review, analysis and research aimed at understanding the enablers, barriers and opportunities for increasing physical activity across inequality groups.)

Public Health

Current Awareness Updates

WHO reviews effect of physical activity on enhancing academic achievement at school.
World Health Organization (WHO); 2021.

(Today children and adolescents aged 5–17 years spend nearly two thirds of their time at school in sedentary activities and only five percent of school time doing physical activities. According to the WHO/Europe review, increasing the amount of physical activity can have a positive impact not only on children’s health and well-being, but also on their performance in the classroom.)

New data show vaccines reduce severe COVID-19 in older adults Public Health England (PHE); 2021

(New data show both Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines significantly reduce severe COVID-19 in older adults.)

A window of opportunity for Public Health NHS Providers; 2021

(A new briefing by NHS Providers looks at the risks and opportunities which may arise from the dissolution of PHE and the creation of the National Institute for Health Protection. It outlines considerations for a new public health system, along with the role of Trusts and Integrated Care Systems.)

NHS entitlements: migrant health guide.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Advice and guidance for healthcare practitioners on the health needs of migrant patients. 17 February 2021: Updated links to COVID-19 migrant health guidance, dental health, and access to healthcare for migrant and/or undocumented children.)

Healthy weight environments: using the planning system.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

[How local authorities’ public health and planning teams can promote healthy weight environments.]

Physical activity: understanding and addressing inequalities.
Public Health England (PHE); 2021.

(Evidence-based guidance for addressing inequalities in physical activity locally. This guidance can be used by local level practitioners and commissioners to begin tackling inequalities in physical activity across and within protected characteristic groups. It presents the findings of a review, analysis and research aimed at understanding the enablers, barriers and opportunities for increasing physical activity across inequality groups.)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Keeping children safe from abuse and harm.
Home Office, Public Health England, Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, and Department for Education; 2021.

(Advice for parents and carers about the main risks children may be particularly vulnerable to at this time and information about available help and support.)

COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in transmission – first update.
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC); 2020.

(The aim of this document is to provide an update on the knowledge surrounding the role of children in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and the role of schools in the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the experience in the EU from August–December, 2020. This document also addresses transmission to and from staff in school settings, school-related mitigation measures including risk communication, testing, contact tracing and the efficacy of partial and full school closures.)