An annual report was published on the state of poverty and social exclusion in the United Kingdom, covering issues that included: low income; unemployment; low pay; homelessness; and ill-health. It said that national statistics for unemployment, educational achievement, and life expectancy hid large variations between areas. The report noted that there was substantial movement in and out of work, and that over half of the 13 million people living in poverty in 2011-12 were part of a working family.
Source: Tom MacInnes, Hannah Aldridge, Sabrina Bushe, Peter Kenway, and Adam Tinson, Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2013, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Report | Summary | JRF press release | BBC report | Inside Housing report
Date: 2013-Dec
A government report outlined the preliminary results from a randomized control trial to test methods, informed by the behavioural sciences, for increasing registration on the NHS Organ Donation Register. It said the trial found that making small changes to pages viewed on the government website led to significantly increased registrations. The report said that the work had highlighted the value of using randomized control trials, and of trialling several variants prior to implementation.
Source: Applying Behavioural Insights to Organ Donation: Preliminary results from a randomised controlled trial, Cabinet Office/NHS/Department of Health/Government Digital Service/Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined how austerity policies had affected health in Europe, and the response of European health systems to the financial crisis. Many governments had cut public expenditure on health sharply during the financial crisis. The consequences for health outcomes had begun to emerge, with an increase in poor health status, and rising rates of anxiety and depression among economically vulnerable groups. The incidence of some communicable diseases, along with the rate of suicide, had increased significantly. The recession had also driven structural reforms.
Source: GianLuca Quaglio, Theodoros Karapiperis, Lieve Van Woensel, Elleke Arnold, and David McDaid, 'Austerity and health in Europe', Health Policy, Volume 113 Issue 1-2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined the relationship between health problems and unsecured debt. People in debt were three times more likely to have a mental health problem than those not in debt.
Source: Thomas Richardson, Peter Elliott, and Ronald Roberts, 'The relationship between personal unsecured debt and mental and physical health: a systematic review and meta-analysis', Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 33 Issue 8
Links: Abstract | Southampton University press release
Date: 2013-Dec
An article examined the impacts of the global economic crisis on European health systems. The recession had led to more frequent poor health status, rising incidence of some communicable diseases, and higher suicide rates. Available data were likely to underestimate the broader mental health crisis linked to increased rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among those who were economically vulnerable. Many European governments had reduced public expenditure on health services and introduced or increased user charges. Nonetheless the recession presented an opportunity for reforming and restructuring health promotion actions and taking a long-term perspective.
Source: David McDaid, Gianluca Quaglio, Antonio Correia de Campos, Claudio Dario, Lieve Van Woensel, Theodoros Karapiperis, and Aaron Reeves, 'Health protection in times of economic crisis: challenges and opportunities for Europe', Journal of Public Health Policy, Volume 34
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
A report examined research during the past year from research organizations and charities, to explore what was known about end of life care. The report examined the influence of marital status and ethnicity on place of death, patient experience, the role of community, and palliative care. The report noted large geographic variations in the proportion of deaths in hospital, but said the proportion of people dying at home or in care homes increased from 38 per cent in 2008 to 44 per cent in 2012.
Source: What We Know Now 2013: New information collated by the National End of Life Care Intelligence Network, Public Health England
Links: Report | PHE press release | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined the experience of financial stress and its relationship to mental health and well-being among residents of deprived areas in Glasgow, Scotland. The study found that, in general, affordability problems eased for households over the period of study, particularly housing costs, but that fuel costs became more problematic. However, within that general pattern, some groups faced particularly high affordability problems, or a worsening of affordability difficulties. The report also noted that increased affordability difficulties was associated with a worsening of mental health for the householder.
Source: Angela Curl and Ade Kearns, Financial Stress and Mental Wellbeing in an Age of Austerity: Evidence from the GoWell surveys 2006-2011, GoWell
Links: Report | GoWell press release
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined the different alcohol survey instruments used in survey research in Europe.
Source: Kim Bloomfield, Ann Hope, and Ludwig Kraus, 'Alcohol survey measures for Europe: a literature review', Drugs: Education, Prevention & Policy, Volume 20 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Sep
An article said that half of all children aged 7 were sedentary for 6-7 hours every day, and only half took the recommended daily minimum of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Girls, children of Indian ethnic origin, and those living in Northern Ireland were found to be the least physically active. The authors called for policies to promote more exercise among girls to redress the gender differences, including dancing, playground activities, and ball games.
Source: Lucy Griffiths, Mario Cortina-Borj, Francesco Ser, Theodora Pouliou, Marco Geraci, Carly Rich, Tim Cole, Catherine Law, Heather Joshi, Andrew Ness, Susan Jebb, and Carol Dezateux, 'How active are our children? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study', BMJ Open, Volume 3 Issue 8
Links: Abstract | ICH press release | IOE press release | YST press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Aug
An article examined the impact of recently proposed age-specific alcohol consumption limits on the proportion and number of older people in England classified as being at risk of alcohol-related harm. The recommended limits would increase the number classified as hazardous alcohol consumers to a level greater than that found among young adults aged 16-24.
Source: Craig Knott, Shaun Scholes, and Nicola Shelton, 'Could more than three million older people in England be at risk of alcohol-related harm? A cross-sectional analysis of proposed age-specific drinking limits', Age and Ageing, Volume 42 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Aug
A report examined the links between good health and good housing in Northern Ireland. It said that undertaking carefully targeted improvements to homes would bring significant improvements in the physical and mental health and well-being of households, and would also increase the value of the housing stock and facilitate 'very considerable savings' in the health budget.
Source: Maggie Davidson, Simon Nicol, Mike Roys, Helen Garrett, Adele Beaumont, and Charlotte Turner, The Cost of Poor Housing in Northern Ireland, IHS BRE Press
Links: Report | NIHE press release
Date: 2013-Aug
A paper said that nearly 80 per cent of people in England did not hit national physical activity government targets, and that there was evidence of a direct correlation between physical activity and people's education, their household income, and local area deprivation. Those with higher socio-economic status had increased levels of physical activity; adults who were degree-educated had a 12 per cent chance of being physically inactive, whereas those with no qualifications were three times as likely to be physically inactive.
Source: Lisa Farrell, Bruce Hollingsworth, Carol Propper, and Michael Shields, The Socioeconomic Gradient in Physical Inactivity in England, Working Paper 13/311, Centre for Market and Public Organisation (University of Bristol)
Links: Paper | Bristol University press release
Date: 2013-Jul
A report reviewed progress on improving children's health and well-being since 1999. Although progress had been made, some coalition government policies (for example cuts to social security benefits and social care) could reverse these improvements by hitting the most vulnerable groups hardest: this would exacerbate child poverty and widen social inequalities. Intervention to improve children's prospects needed to begin before birth, including: parenting classes for at-risk families (for example, those in poor housing or where there was a threat of domestic abuse); targeting children who would be born into households with unhealthy lifestyles (for example smoking, illegal drug use, alcohol misuse, or poor nutrition); and improving maternal nutrition, leading to healthier pregnancies and babies.
Source: Growing up in the UK: Ensuring a healthy future for our children, British Medical Association
Links: Report | BMA press release | Action for Children press release | RCM press release | RCOG press release | BBC report | Guardian report | Nursery World report
Date: 2013-May
An article examined the impact of unemployment on limiting long-term illness, mental health problems, and mortality in north and south England. Unemployment was estimated to be causing 1,145 deaths per year, 221,020 cases of mental health problems, and 275,409 cases of limiting long-term illness in England. Rates of all three were distinctively higher in the north compared with the south. Considering hidden unemployment in the calculations considerably increased the proportion of women suffering from ill-health due to unemployment.
Source: Holger Moller, Fiona Haigh, Chris Harwood, Tony Kinsella, and Daniel Pope, 'Rising unemployment and increasing spatial health inequalities in England: further extension of the north-south divide', Journal of Public Health, Volume 35 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-May
An article examined the economic burden pertaining to alcohol dependence in Europe. Alcohol dependence was found to represent a significant burden for European healthcare systems and society. Treatment costs for a single alcohol-dependent patient lay within the range 1591- 7702 per hospitalization, and the annual total direct costs accounted for 0.04-0.31 per cent of an individual country's national income. The indirect costs were more substantial than the direct costs, accounting for up to 0.64 per cent of national income per country annually.
Source: Philippe Laramee, Jeanette Kusel, Saoirse Leonard, Henri-Jean Aubin, Clement Francois, and Jean-Bernard Daeppen, 'The economic burden of alcohol dependence in Europe', Alcohol and Alcoholism, Volume 48 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
A paper examined the effect of job insecurity on health in European countries.
Source: Eve Caroli and Mathilde Godard, Does Job Insecurity Deteriorate Health? A causal approach for Europe, Paris School of Economics
Links: Paper
Date: 2013-Mar
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs on drug addiction. It rejected calls for a Royal Commission on the issue, and said that there were 'promising signs' that its existing strategy was working.
Source: Drugs: Breaking the Cycle – The Government Response to the Ninth Report, Cm 8567, Home Office, TSO
Links: Response
Notes: MPs report (December 2012)
Date: 2013-Mar
A survey examined young families' experiences of housing. More than one quarter (27 per cent) of young mothers were living in inadequate housing. The vast majority (94 per cent) of families who were living in a rented property wanted to own their own home but were not able to. The report warned of the impact that housing issues were having on the daily lives of parents and on the healthy development of children. With 220,000 children set to be affected by changes to housing benefits in the next few years, urgent intervention was needed to stop this situation from deteriorating.
Source: The Housing Trap: How overcrowded housing is threatening our children, 4Children
Date: 2013-Jan
A paper examined the impact of poor housing on the health and well-being outcomes of older people. It considered the strategic approaches that could be taken to influence the provision of housing and housing-related services to improve outcomes.
Source: Health, Wellbeing, and the Older People Housing Agenda, Housing Learning & Improvement Network
Links: Briefing
Date: 2013-Jan
A report said that the delivery of healthcare to patients with an established obesity problem was 'extremely patchy'. The National Health Service needed to improve its management of the large numbers of patients presenting with severe complex obesity.
Source: Action on Obesity: Comprehensive care for all, Royal College of Physicians
Links: Report | RCP press release
Date: 2013-Jan
