1°C rise in usual summer night-time temperature may be linked to around 4% higher risk of cardiovascular male deaths Warmer than usual summer nights appear to lead to an increase in cardiovascular deaths in men aged in their early 60s but not women, suggests new research published in the online journal BMJ Open. Previous studies […]
Category: In the news
Gut infection outbreaks halved during first 6 months of COVID-19 pandemic in UK
Several factors likely involved, but measures adopted to curb coronavirus had key role Could see permanent change if improved hygiene practice kept up, suggest researchers The number of reported gastrointestinal infection outbreaks more than halved during the first 6 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, compared with the previous 5-year average, while lab […]
Achieving gender parity will take another 60 years for some UK surgical specialties
Fewest women in trauma and orthopaedics, cardiothoracic surgery, and neurosurgery Despite improvements over the past 10 years in driving up the number of women surgeons in the UK, achieving gender parity will take another 60 years for some surgical specialties, conclude researchers in the open access journal BMJ Open. The gender gap is widest in […]
Doctors tend to overestimate gender equality progress in UK medicine, finds survey
Linked to reluctance, particularly among men, to back initiatives to narrow gender gap Doctors tend to overestimate the progress made towards gender equality in UK medicine, suggest the results of a snapshot survey published in the open access journal BMJ Open. These misperceptions are associated with greater reluctance, particularly among male doctors, to back initiatives […]
UK stillbirths among black and South Asian communities still double those of rest of population
This is despite overall decline in rates in recent years Key causes placental issues and birth defects, but unknown in more than half of cases Despite an overall decline in stillbirths across the UK in recent years, rates among black and South Asian communities are still around double those of the rest of the population, […]
Oestrogen levels linked to risk of COVID-19 death in older women
May be worth exploring hormone therapy to reduce infection severity, say researchers An older woman’s oestrogen levels may be linked to her chances of dying from COVID-19, with higher levels of the hormone seemingly protective against severe infection, suggests research published in the open access journal BMJ Open. It may be worth exploring supplemental hormone treatment […]
Up to half of kids worldwide and up to third of UK kids consume energy drinks weekly
Consumption on 5+ days of the week linked to health and behavioural issues Secondary data analysis helps fills evidence gap, but still can’t distinguish cause from effect Up to half of children worldwide, and up to a third of children in the UK, consume energy drinks every week, with a tally on five or more […]
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy linked to childhood trauma
3 times more likely among those with experience of 4 or more trauma types Reluctance or refusal to get jabbed against COVID-19 infection (vaccine hesitancy), may be linked to traumatic events in childhood, such as neglect, domestic violence or substance misuse in the family home, suggests research published in the open access journal BMJ Open. Vaccine […]
‘Frequent attenders’ comprise 4 in every 10 family doctor consultations in England
They visit their GP 5 times as often as other patients on practice lists Proportion of these patients has risen over past two decades ‘Frequent attenders’ now make up around 4 in every 10 family doctor (GP) consultations in England, and the proportion of such patients has risen over the past two decades, reveals a […]
Third of first year university students have moderate to severe depression/anxiety
Upping drug use linked to heightened risk; sense of belonging linked to lower risk Around a third of first year university students have or develop moderate to severe anxiety and/or depression, suggests the first study of its kind, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. Increasing use of prescription (but not prescribed) and illicit drug […]