Active grandparents have larger social networks than those without this role Caring for a grandchild may be linked to a lower risk of loneliness and social isolation, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open. Active grandparents have larger social networks, which include people who are important to them, than those who don’t have this […]
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Top 10 Most Read in November: prevalence of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, burnout among obstetricians and gynaecologists, and risk factors for self-harm in LGBTQ+ young people
The top ten list for November gives us a real mix of topics, with three new papers entering the list this month. At number one is a cohort and nested case-control study describing the epidemiology of diagnosed hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) and Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) using linked electronic medical records. EDS and HSD have historically […]
25-fold surge in vitamin D supplement prescriptions for kids in UK primary care
Increasingly higher doses and no prior diagnostic blood test in large number of cases The number of vitamin D supplement prescriptions written for children in primary care in the UK has surged 25-fold in under 10 years, reveals an analysis of family doctor (GP) prescribing data, published in the online journal BMJ Open. Increasingly higher doses […]
Top ten most read in November: management of musculoskeletal conditions by physical therapists, inequalities in the rise in infant mortality in England, and the cost and environmental impact of switching to low global warming potential inhalers
The list of the top ten most read articles in November sees many previous entries keeping their places, including a case-control study on antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. However, November has also welcomed three new entries into the top ten. New in at number one is a systematic review […]
Open Access Week 2019: Our most discussed articles
This week marks the tenth International Open Access (OA) Week. To celebrate OA week, we have gathered our ten most discussed articles of the past year according to Altmetric. We think this list of 10 articles highlights the enormous breadth of BMJ Open’s content, covering topics as diverse as medical ethics to salty noodles. And, […]
Anorexia nervosa among young children in the UK and Ireland on the up
Figures suggest rate for 8-12 year olds is around double that of previous estimate in 2006 The annual number of new cases of anorexia nervosa among 8 to 12 year olds in the UK and Ireland is around double that of a previous estimate in 2006, indicates research published in the online journal BMJ Open. In […]
3+ hours daily social media use linked to poor sleep patterns in UK teens
Findings provide “meaningful evidence” for adolescent health and wellbeing, say researchers Spending three or more hours a day on social media is associated with poor sleep patterns, such as falling asleep after 11 pm on school nights and waking during the night, among UK teens, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open. The findings […]
Top ten most read in September: Old age decline in grip strength, LGBTQ perspectives in child welfare, and opioid use in back pain
The list of the top ten most read articles in September sees many previous entries keeping their places, including a cohort study into the association between developmental factors and old age decline in grip strength. However, September has also welcomed two new entries into the top ten. New in at number six is a study […]
Making rare illness visible: engaging people through novel methods of participatory research – Guest Blog
BMJ Open encourages greater involvement of patients in the research process from a study’s conception to the dissemination of its results. In this guest post, Kathy McKay, Veronica Ranieri, and Eilis Kennedy from the Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust discuss the valuable role that novel participatory methods can play in qualitative health research. Researchers […]
Antidepressants linked to heightened pregnancy related diabetes risk
Venlafaxine and amitriptyline and longer course of treatment associated with greatest risks Taking antidepressants while expecting a baby is linked to a heightened risk of developing diabetes that is specifically related to pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open. The risk was greatest among mums to be who were […]