Source: BBC News – Weight loss plan ‘lacks evidence’.
‘Nudging’ people to lose weight by thinking about their lifestyle shows little evidence of success, an analysis of published data suggests.
The full report can be viewed from The Cochrane Library by clicking here
Source:Public health engagement group to steer DH policy | News | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
An engagement team has been set up to road test government policy on public health over the coming months.
Source: IT decisions ‘down to trusts’ despite contracts | News | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
The NHS IT scheme’s remaining contracts will not stop the government from devolving decisions locally, the Department of Health’s new informatics chief has claimed.
An NHS Athens account may be required to view this in full.
Summary points
Non-cardiac surgery has a low overall mortality but is associated with a large number of deaths because so many procedures are performed
Most deaths occur in a group of patients who are at high risk because of advanced age, comorbid disease, or major surgery (hospital mortality rate 12%)
More effective systems can improve quality of perioperative care and may improve survival while reducing healthcare costs
Further research is needed to identify the most effective approaches to perioperative medicine for high risk patients
Routine audit of outcomes after all non-cardiac surgery is urgently needed
Source: Ban commissioners from setting minimum waiting times – CCP | News | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
The Cooperation and Competition Panel has told health secretary Andrew Lansley that commissioners should be banned from setting minimum waiting times for procedures.
Source:Growing financial pressure on most-challenged acutes | News | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
The financial position of the most challenged acute providers is falling further behind that of their peers, the first NHS-wide financial reports for 2011-12 reveal
This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.
Incarcerated individuals suffer disproportionately from the health effects of tobacco smoking due to the high smoking prevalence in this population. In addition there is an over-representation of ethnic and racial minorities, impoverished individuals, and those with mental health and drug addictions in prisons. Increasingly, prisons across the U.S. are becoming smoke free. However, relapse to smoking is common upon release from prison, approaching 90% within a few weeks. No evidence based treatments currently exist to assist individuals to remain abstinent after a period of prolonged, forced abstinence.
This paper describes the design and rationale of a randomized clinical trial to enhance smoking abstinence rates among individuals following release from a tobacco free prison. The intervention is six weekly sessions of motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy initiated approximately six weeks prior to release from prison. The control group views six time matched videos weekly starting about six weeks prior to release. Assessments take place in-person 3 weeks after release and then for non-smokers every 3 months up to 12 months. Smoking status is confirmed by urine cotinine.
Effective interventions are greatly needed to assist these individuals to remain smoke free and reduce health disparities among this socially and economically challenged group. Trial Registration: NCT01122589
A competition encouraging people to submit images of their sunburned bodies has been branded “irresponsible” by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
via BBC News – Sunburn contest branded ‘irresponsible’ by ASA.
Source: Exclusive: cluster-sized commissioning group being considered | HSJ Local | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
GPs in Cambridgeshire could form a single clinical commissioning group for the entire county, covering two primary care trust areas.
Abstract | Mental ill-health across the continuum of body mass index.
This article is available freely via Open Access. Please click on the above link to view it fully.
Several studies have found a non-linear relationship between mental ill-health and BMI with higher rates in both the underweight and the obese. This study evaluated the shape of the relationship between BMI and distress, suicidal ideation and self-reported mental ill-health conditions in a large population sample.
Data were drawn from the South Australian Monitoring and Surveillance System (SAMSS) for the years 2002 to 2009 (n=46,704). SAMSS monitors population trends in state and national risk factors and chronic diseases. Samples are drawn from all households with a functioning number in the Australian White Pages. Computer assisted telephone interviews collected information on self-reported height and weight, demographic and health behaviours. Respondents completed the Kessler Distress and suicidal ideation scales and reported specific mental ill-health conditions. BMI was categorized into deciles to allow for assessment of the shape of any associations with other variables. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between each mental ill-health condition and BMI-decile controlling for age in the base model. This was followed by a full model that added SES and the health-adverse coping behaviours of smoking, alcohol and physical activity to test for changes from the base model.
Non-linear associations were observed between BMI-decile and mental ill-health but statistically significantly greater odds of mental ill-health were observed only in the obese and not in the underweight after controlling for age, health-adverse behaviours and socioeconomic status. The association between BMI and mental ill-health might best be described as ‘threshold’. Elevated odds were apparent for middle-aged persons, whereas younger and older individuals had a significantly lower odds of having a mental ill-health condition.
In conclusion, this study has provided no support for the hypothesis of increased mental ill-health problems in the underweight but it has demonstrated the non-linear relationships between BMI and mental ill-health and between BMI and health-adverse behaviours. Non-linear relationships with BMI need to be recognized and addressed during analysis.
Source: Wide variety in UK organ donation rates | News | Health Service Journal.
This article is solely the work of the HSJ. For a full copy of the article please contact the library.
The number of organs donated for transplant across the UK varies markedly, new research has suggested.
