News round-up (15 November 2024)

Proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act have been broadly welcomed, but experts are now warning that they could worsen rather than improve racial disparities in detentions under the Act. A review of research has found that the risk of postnatal depression can be reduced by regular light exercise, such as walking, while another study has found that the use of social media can increase symptoms of depression in older people.

 

Main stories this week

Barriers to accessing health data should be removed, review says

The UK is not maximising the benefits of NHS patient data, an independent review has found.

 

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to depression and anxiety in adulthood, study finds

Adverse childhood experiences can lead to adult symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to a new study.

 

Data map reveals disparities in young people’s mental health across the UK

There are stark disparities in children and young people’s mental health across the UK, according to a new data map.

 

Mental health patients to have stronger protections, government says

New laws will give patients sectioned under the Mental Health Act more dignity and say over their care, the government has said.

 

Other stories this week

Labour’s mental health reforms could worsen racial inequalities, experts warn

The government’s proposed reforms to the Mental Health Act could make racial inequalities worse, some critics have said.

The new Act will allow community treatment orders (CTOs), used to treat sectioned patients in the community, only when appropriate and proportionate. CTOs are disproportionately used on Black and minority ethnic patients. However, it seems that the changes to the Act are not being applied to the legislation used to detain people through a criminal route, through which a higher proportion of black and minority ethnic people are detained.

Dr Lade Smith, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, warned that distinguishing between the criteria for detention for different parts of the Act “will only serve to introduce a disparity that will disproportionately affect Black people, one that did not exist in the Act before.”

 

Mothers can reduce the risk of postnatal depression by exercising for an hour, study suggests 

New mothers can reduce their risk of depression by going for walks in the park, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The review of research, carried out by the University of Alberta in Canada, looked at 35 studies involving more than 4,000 women from 14 different countries. They found that exercising for at least 80 minutes each week could drastically reduce the risk of developing postnatal depression. It could also improve symptoms for people who had the condition.

Starting exercise within 12 weeks of birth was linked to a greater reduction in depressive symptoms than starting it later, the study found.

 

Over 50s depressed by social media at times of stress 

People over the age of 50 are more likely to be depressed when using social media, especially at times of isolation and crisis, according to research from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore.

The study, led by Professor Himanshu Rai, the director of IIM Indore and published in Behaviour & Information Technology, used data from a nationally representative dataset taken from the USA. It found that the passive use of social media, especially during times lacking connection such as the pandemic, increased symptoms of depression in those over the age of 50. Passive social media use is characterised by scrolling and consuming without participation.

Rai warned that, while digital engagement may help maintain social connections, it does not offer the same benefits as face-to-face interaction, and in some cases, it may even make mental health issues worse.

 

Most Scots believe that severe mental illness is stigmatised

The majority of people in Scotland still think there is stigmatisation relating to severe mental illness, according to new research by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland.

A YouGov poll of 1,067 people from across Scotland showed that nearly three-quarters (72%) think there is a problem with stigmatisation of severe mental illness (SMI). SMIs include conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and eating disorders.

The survey also found that fewer than half of Scots (45%) think public understanding about severe mental illness is better than it was five years ago.

In 2021, there were 16,200 people in Scotland living with schizophrenia while 52,697 had bipolar disorder and 20,104 had an eating disorder.

Dr Jane Morris, chair of RCPsych in Scotland, said: “Over recent decades there has been a lot of work to reduce stigma around mental conditions such as anxiety and low-level depression, but our polling shows much more work is needed to correct the myths and lack of knowledge around severe mental illnesses, in particular schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe OCD and comparable conditions.”

 

Social media likes are linked to young men’s obsession with physique, study finds

Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are fuelling unrealistic, unhealthy obsessions with a lean and muscular physique among many young men, according to a new Australian study.

Men who place higher importance on receiving likes and positive comments on their posts are significantly more likely to experience symptoms of muscle dysmorphia – a belief that their bodies are small and weak, even though many of them have a good physique.

In an online survey of almost 100 men, aged between 18-34, all admitted to viewing celebrity, fashion, and fitness content on social media sites, but the link with muscle dysmorphia was significant only when it came to the interactive feedback men received on these platforms.

Luigi Donnarumma, who led the study published in New Media & Society, said: “Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging issue, and our study shows that social media isn’t just a platform for sharing content: it’s a powerful source of social validation that can significantly impact how young men perceive their bodies.”

 

New AI policy from Somerset NHS covers safe integration and ethics

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust has published a new AI policy, which focuses on the need for safe integration and an approach balancing innovation with ethical and legal responsibilities.

The policy, which covers staff across the trust, as well as subsidiary company employees and contractors, makes a commitment to equality and inclusion in the use of AI technologies. The aim is “prevent bias and discrimination in AI systems and to promote fairness and transparency in decision-making processes”.

It also sets out the requirement for “clear accountable lines”, with all AI models having human oversight involved in the decision-making process, and safeguards in place to allow human intervention where a model produces “incorrect, harmful, or misleading information”.

The document cites an example of a member of its own staff who used a large language model on patient identifiable information. It notes that “the liability is on the employee for the misuse of patient data. In this circumstance the AI model is not at fault.”