Most common diagnoses among those requesting help to die, due to unbearable suffering Depression and personality disorders are the most common diagnoses among Belgian psychiatric patients requesting help to die, on the grounds of unbearable suffering, finds research published in BMJ Open today. Drugs, given either by mouth or administered intravenously, are used to perform euthanasia […]
Category: In the news
‘Successful ageing’ linked to harmful drinking among over 50s
The over 50s who are ‘successful agers’—healthy, active, sociable, and well off—are more at risk of harmful drinking than their less successful peers, concludes research published in the online journal BMJ Open. Harmful drinking is a “middle class phenomenon” which may be a hidden health and social problem in otherwise successful older people, warn the […]
Drinking alcohol while pregnant is common in UK, Ireland, and Australasia
Drinking alcohol while pregnant is common, ranging from 20% to 80% among those questioned in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, reveals a study of almost 18,000 women published in the online journal BMJ Open. Women across all social strata drank during pregnancy, the findings showed. But expectant mums were significantly more likely to […]
Weekend screen time linked to poorer bone health in teen boys
Weekend screen time is linked to poorer teen bone health—but only in boys, reveals research published in BMJ Open. The apparent lack of impact of leisure screen time on teen girls’ bone health may be explained by their different body fat distribution, suggest the researchers. They base their findings on participants in the Tromsø Fit Futures […]
Many UK patients with gonorrhoea prescribed outdated antibiotics
Many UK patients with gonorrhoea are being prescribed antibiotics that are no longer recommended for treating the infection by their family doctor (GP), reveals research published in BMJ Open. This failure to keep abreast of national clinical guidance is of concern, given the global threat of antibiotic resistance, say the researchers. They base their findings on […]
Oldest old less likely to be investigated or aggressively treated after surgery
Patients aged 80 and above are significantly less likely to be investigated or aggressively treated after surgery than their younger counterparts, reveals a national audit of hospital deaths, published in BMJ Open. This is despite the fact that the oldest old have higher rates of trauma and multiple underlying conditions on admission, say the Australian researchers. […]
UK doctors unlikely to be able to repay student loans
UK doctors are unlikely to be able to repay their student loans over the course of their working lives, amassing debts of more than £80,000 by the time they graduate, in some cases, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. What’s more, there are clear gender differences in the amount of cash required […]
UK research cash for dementia and stroke still way too low
The amount of government money pumped into dementia and stroke research in the UK has risen significantly in recent years, but it is still way too low when compared with the economic and personal impact these conditions have, finds a study published in BMJ Open. The researchers assessed central government and charity research expenditure in 2012 […]
Children with type 1 diabetes almost 5 times as likely to be admitted to hospital
Children with type 1 diabetes run almost five times the risk of being admitted to hospital for any reason as their peers, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. Pre-schoolers and those from disadvantaged backgrounds are most at risk, the findings indicate. The number of new cases of childhood type 1 diabetes has […]
The impact of economic austerity, sleep and electronics and abortion leglisation: Most Read Articles in February
February’s Top 10 Most Read includes a selection of new entries, including a time-series analysis on the impact of economic austerity on suicide in Greece written by Branas et al and Hysing et al.’s population-based study on sleep and the use of electronic devices. Articles which are still proving to be popular include Petrilli et al.’s article on the role […]