In 2015, a phenomenon coined as ‘Deaths of Despair’ (DoD) emerged in the US, highlighting an alarming increase in mortality due to drugs, alcohol, and suicides, particularly among white men without a college education. Here, Christine Camacho and Dr Luke Munford explore the spatial patterning of these deaths in England, where an estimated 46,200 lives […]
Suicide prevention for veterans of the UK Armed Forces: adding to the national evidence base
There are no recent UK-wide studies, and comparatively few international ones, examining suicide in military veterans. This is despite increasing public concern about suicide and the mental health impact of serving in the UK Armed Forces, particularly following a period of intensive operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The recently published National Suicide Prevention Strategy for England sets […]
Charting a path to clean air: A community-centred approach to active travel policy
Greater Manchester has amongst the worst air quality in the UK. Air pollution causes many health problems, as well as worsening pre-existing health conditions. Increasingly, Greater Manchester residents are concerned about poor air quality and want actions to be taken. Yet, budgets that could support change are under more and more constraints. In this article, […]
Reforming UK fertility legislation: the effects of online DNA testing
Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) from companies such as Ancestry and 23andMe has significantly impacted the dialogue around gamete (sperm and egg) donor conception. In the UK where the anonymity of donors is theoretically protected until a donor-conceived person turns 18, the growing use of DTCGT has prompted the regulator of reproductive technologies, the Human Fertilisation […]
Out of mind? What policymakers should learn from those who shielded from COVID-19
Between the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and September 2021, 4.1 million people in the UK were asked to ‘shield’, including those with autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. Shielding recommendations included staying at home, avoiding all face-to-face contact with those outside shielders’ households, and limiting interactions within households. Here, Dr Charlotte Sharp and Lynn […]
Ill-health and deprivation: How we can address health inequalities in left behind neighbourhoods
We have long known that the health of people living in deprived areas is worse than the national average. But this raises important questions, such as how big is the gap? Is it narrowing or growing over time? Are some deprived places worse off than others? And how do health inequalities affect economic performance? In […]
Capacity for change: improving the governance of dementia research
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) outlines legal decision-making procedures in England and Wales for people above the age of 16 who have an impairment of, or disturbance in, the functioning of the mind or brain. It specifies that research involving these people must be approved by a research ethics committee (REC) sanctioned by the […]
Practice under pressure: how can the exodus of GPs be reversed?
There is a workforce crisis in UK primary care. Analysis of the latest workforce data confirms a continuing drop in England’s number of general practitioners (GPs) – the equivalent of 2,133 fewer fully qualified, full-time GPs than in September 2015. One answer from policymakers has been the introduction of non-GP practitioners into surgeries, to alleviate […]
Inequalities, COVID-19 and the older population: developing a community-based response
Older people were disproportionately affected by the emergence and spread of COVID-19, whether in hospital, the community or in care homes. Just taking the period from January to December 2020, 72,178 people died 60 days after testing positive for COVID-19 or with it mentioned on their death certificate – 67, 451 of whom were 60 […]
ConnecteDNA – the implications of technology on donor conception anonymity
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has recently sought views about reforming the law on fertility treatment regulation and embryo research. They identified a number of issues with the current legal framework, around which the public consultation was structured. In this article, Dr Caroline Redhead and Dr Lucy Frith examine one such issue, the […]
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