Is there a causal link between mental health problems and risk of COVID-19 infection?

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In his debut blog, Andrew Steptoe summarises two recent papers using electronic health record datasets, which suggest that having a psychiatric diagnosis may put people at risk of COVID-19 infection.

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RESPECT! Find out what it means to me(ntal health services)

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Beccy White explores the recently published RESPECT trial – a feasibility RCT which finds that a sexual health promotion intervention was safe and acceptable for people with severe mental illness.

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One in four UK children exposed to maternal mental illness

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Francesca Bentivegna reviews a national retrospective cohort study which explores the prevalence of maternal mental illness among children and adolescents in the UK during 2005-2017.

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Reducing cardiovascular risk in people with severe mental illness

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Masuma Mishu from the Closing the Gap Network reviews a recent US trial of a comprehensive cardiovascular risk reduction intervention in people with severe mental illness, which shows promising results.

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The ‘syndemics’ theory: a better explanation for ethnic disparities in the incidence and prevalence of psychosis?

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Today Bibire Baykeens looks into ethnic disparities in psychotic experiences explained by area-level syndemic effects; a brand new paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

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Antipsychotics versus CBT in first episode psychosis: some answers, more questions

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Joe Pierre summarises two recently published and widely reported RCTs, which suggest that antipsychotic medication might not offer an advantage over psychotherapy in broadly-defined first episode psychosis.

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Walk this way: can a health coaching intervention increase physical activity in people with severe mental illness?

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Gordon Johnston and Michel Syrett prepare for the #HealthSMI event on 24th June by blogging about a recent pilot RCT of a health coaching intervention (Walk This Way) to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity in people with serious mental illness.

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First episode psychosis in prison: is our screening effective?

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Danny Whiting explores the issue of screening for first episode psychosis in prison using a retrospective cohort study from Australia.

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Sex and schizophrenia: what determines sexual interest and confidence?

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In her debut blog, Beccy White summarises a secondary analysis which explored predictors of sexual interest amongst older adults with schizophrenia.

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Antipsychotics for schizophrenia: do they provide a longer, healthier life?

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Paul Heron from the Closing the Gap Network writes his debut blog about a 20‐year cohort study of physical morbidity and mortality in relationship to antipsychotic treatment in a huge group of people with schizophrenia in Finland.

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