The number of newly diagnosed cases of autism has levelled off in the UK after a five-fold surge during the 1990s, finds research published in BMJ Open. The findings differ from widely publicised results issued by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last year, which reported a 78% increase in the prevalence of […]
Category: In the news
Plentiful mid-life stress linked to heightened risk of dementia in late life
Coping with a lot of stress in middle age may boost the risk of developing dementia in late life – at least among women – suggests research published in BMJ Open. The response to common life events may trigger long lasting physiological changes in the brain, say the authors. They base their findings on 800 […]
International “war” on illegal drugs is failing to curb supply
The international war on illegal drugs is failing to curb supply, despite the increasing amounts of resource being ploughed into law enforcement activities, finds research published in BMJ Open. Since 1990, the street price of illegal drugs has fallen in real terms while the purity/potency of what’s on offer has generally increased, both of which […]
Half of all UK 7 year olds sedentary for 6 to 7 hours every day and not exercising for recommended minimum
Half of all UK seven year olds are sedentary for six to seven hours every day, and only half clock up the recommended daily minimum of moderate to vigorous physical activity, indicates research published in BMJ Open. Click here to listen to the podcast Girls, children of Indian ethnic origin, and those living in Northern Ireland […]
Certain blood pressure drugs slow dementia deterioration
A class of drug, called ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure, slow the rate of cognitive decline typical of dementia, suggests research published in BMJ Open. Furthermore, these drugs may even boost brain power, the research indicates. The researchers compared the rates of cognitive decline in 361 patients who had either been diagnosed […]
Plain packaging seems to make cigarettes less appealing and increase urgency to quit smoking
Early findings from Australia indicate that policy has an impact—at least in the short term. Plain packaging for cigarettes seems to make tobacco less appealing and increase the urgency to quit smoking, suggest early findings from Australia, published in BMJ Open. Australia formally introduced plain brown packaging, accompanied by graphic health warnings taking up three quarters […]
Missed diagnoses and drug errors make up bulk of primary care malpractice claims
Missed diagnoses―particularly of cancer, heart attack, and meningitis―and drug errors make up the bulk of malpractice claims brought against doctors in primary care, finds an analysis of published data in BMJ Open. The risk of litigation has not been given a great deal of attention in primary care, say the authors. But with most healthcare […]
New generation electronic games boosts kids’ physical activity at home
Giving kids new generation “active” electronic games boosts their physical activity at home and has the same effect as stopping them from using the older versions altogether, indicates a small study published in BMJ Open. Most electronic games are no better than watching TV in terms of the body movement and energy expenditure involved, say […]
One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues
One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues, with almost half saying they have witnessed bullying, in the past six months, indicates research published in BMJ Open. Managers are the most common source of bullying, with workload pressures and organisational culture contributory factors, the study reveals. The findings are based on the responses of […]
700 women with urinary cancers missing out on prompt diagnosis every year
Around 700 women in England with symptoms of kidney or bladder cancer are missing out on prompt diagnosis and treatment of their condition every year, reveals research in BMJ Open. This may be because family doctors tend to attribute women’s – rather than men’s – initial symptoms to harmless causes, such as bacterial infections, and […]