Severity of stigma for people with severe and enduring mental illness revealed
People with experience of severe, enduring and complex mental illnesses across Scotland are withdrawing from opportunities because of stigma and discrimination.
The Scottish Mental Illness Stigma Study, published by See Me, explores where and how people with more complex mental illnesses face stigma and discrimination and the impact this has.
Of those who had faced stigma in mental healthcare services, 58% had avoided calling an ambulance or attending A&E for emergency mental healthcare.
Other key findings include:
- 92% of participants have experienced stigma in relationships with family and friends in the last year
- 53% respected themselves less because they will not recover or get better
- 77% said they had been treated unfairly at work
Download the report in full here.
Toolkit for developing effective counter-disinformation strategies
The Government Communication Service has published a toolkit for understanding false beliefs and developing effective counter-disinformation strategies.
The guide is aimed at policymakers and communicators whose work may be impacted by false narratives and misinformation, including health.
It aims to help you respond to incorrect press or social media coverage and common public misconceptions.
Download the Wall of Beliefs guide here.
1 in 5 people with asthma say cost of living crisis is causing attacks
PIF member Asthma + Lung UK has warned many of the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma could be at risk as costs soar and winter bites.
Around 1 in 5 people with asthma surveyed by the charity say the soaring cost of living has caused life-threatening asthma attacks as they cut back on medicines, heating and food.
The survey of more than 3,600 people with lung conditions also found 1 in 2 felt their condition had worsened with many needing emergency treatment.
Study: Fighting lies with facts or humour?
A new study aims to compare the effectiveness of satirical and regular fact-checks in response to misinformation and disinformation.
The authors compared the effects of regular fact-checkers and satirist refutations in response to mis and disinformation about crime rates.
They found both fact-checking formats were equally effective in lowering issue agreement and perceived credibility in response to false information.
Moreover, the regular fact-check was particularly effective among people who agreed with the fact-check information while, for satirical fact-checking, the effect was found across the board.
Both formats were ineffective in decreasing affective polarisation.
Words, inclusivity and the struggle for health equality
This pharmaphorum article outlines new research which found a number of terms in common use in health research were outdated or even offensive.
The study noted language barriers do not only apply to people from minority ethnic groups, as is often incorrectly assumed.
Many other underserved populations also experience language barriers, reinforcing inequity in clinical trial participation and accessible healthcare.
NICE issues guidance on self harm
PIF member NICE has published evidence-based recommendations for assessment, management and preventing recurrence of self-harm.
The guidance sets out the responsibilities of non-specialists when caring for people who self-harm.
There are also recommendations for paramedics and for people working in education and criminal justice settings.
Study: The experience of Long Covid through creative mediums
A research study aimed to collect the narratives of people living with Long Covid to better understand their lived experience.
In particular, researchers sought to elicit creative expressions.
Submissions included written narratives, video and audio files and spoken word poetry.
Thematic analysis resulted in five themes: identity, social relationships, symptoms, interaction with healthcare systems and time.
Autistic people’s healthcare information strategy for England
A new document sets out an initial strategy for the development of information about the health of, and healthcare received by, people with autism in England.
The NHS England resource includes sources already collected or in the process of being established.
Access the full strategy here.
Study: Losing the battle over best-science guidance early in a crisis
A new study outlines how the battle for best-science guidance was lost on Facebook 'very early' during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Authors argue widespread public exposure to best-science guidance is crucial in any health crisis.
However, anti communities jumped in to dominate the conversation well before the official announcement of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This led to neutral communities, for example parenting, moving closer to extreme communities and becoming highly exposed to their content.
Authors hope their findings could be used to tailor guidance at scale and help predict tipping point behaviour and system-level responses in future crises.
Read the full research paper here.
National Care Service: co-design panel applications open
The Scottish Government is inviting individuals and organisations to co-design the National Care Service.
Over the next few years the design work will consider a number of themes, the first of which are:
- Information sharing to improve health and social care support
- Realising rights and recognising responsibilities
- Keeping health and social care support local
- Making sure my voice is heard
- Valuing the workforce
Stakeholder organisations can apply to join the Stakeholder Register here.
Consultation: Diabetes in adults update
NICE is holding a quality standards consultation for diabetes in adults.
Two separate draft quality standards have been published for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The consultation closes on 18 October. The new standards are expected to be published in March 2023.
Take part in the consultation via the NICE website.
Personalised Care in Women’s Health Strategy
In this Coalition for Personalised Care article, Katie Clarke-Day discusses the role of personalised care in the recently published Women's Health Strategy.
She shares how being a woman has impacted the treatment she has received for multiple long-term health conditions and calls for women to be meaningfully involved in implementing the strategy.