news 2021

A study that will enable researchers to understand more about the second wave of COVID-19 and its long-term health effects has been launched today [24 March] by Children of the 90s, a health study based at the University of Bristol. The "COVID-19 antibody testing from the home" study is part of a national study that will bring together data from other longitudinal studies around the UK to track the second wave of COVID-19.

The gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived parts of Wales increased in the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for women, new research has suggested. The study by Cardiff University and Public Health Wales (PHW) looked at routine data on deaths in relation to age, gender and the Welsh deprivation index to explore trends between 2002 and 2018.

A new study suggests adults living with children are at no greater risk of testing positive for COVID-19 - even during periods when schools are open and there is active transmission of SARS-CoV2 in the community. The research - led by the University of Glasgow in partnership with Public Health Scotland and published today in - also suggests the risk of testing positive with COVID-19 was actually lower for those adults living in a household with a child between the ages of 0 and 11, than it was for those in households without young children.

We're part of an international team that has seen the first evidence of wild bonobo apes adopting infants who were born outside of their social group. Adoptive mothers in the wild are usually related to orphaned infants or sometimes young females will adopt orphans to improve their own maternal skills.

New analysis from Dr Melanie Channon (Bath) and Dr Mahesh Puri from (CREHPA, Nepal) in BMJ-Open focuses on sex selective abortion in parts of the country. Last updated on Friday 19 March 2021 Detailed, new analysis published this week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Open highlights significant concerns about a growing issue of sex selective abortion of girls in Nepal.

More than a quarter of secondary-age pupils in Wales were spending three days or less on school tasks during the first lockdown, research has shown. The survey, conducted by academics at Cardiff University, asked young people in years seven to 12 about their home learning experiences during summer last year, as well as focusing on their mental wellbeing and daily habits.

People in prisons are at an increased risk of COVID-19 - with a death rate over three times higher than that of the general population - and should be made a vaccine priority, according to UCL-led team of researchers. In an article published today in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine , the research team reveals that there were 121 deaths related to COVID-19 among people in prisons in England and Wales between March 2020 and February 2021, representing a risk of dying 3.3 times higher than that of people of the same age and sex outside secure environments.

A fear of poor SATs results is driving headteachers to separate pupils by ability despite the impact on children's self-esteem and confidence, according to a study by UCL researchers. The findings, published in in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Sociology of Education, provide new evidence of a high-stakes culture around testing where some pupils are prioritised above others and physically segregated from them.

Humans are not the only species to socially distance when disease hits their community, research from the University of Bristol reveals. This Sunday on BBC Two, Chris Packham and Bristol University scientist Dr Nathalie Stroeymeyt explained how ants employ social distancing to prevent diseases spreading across their colonies.

What was your favourite childhood toy? A car? A teddy bear? A doll? Many of us have fond memories of playing with dolls: dressing them up, combing their hair or doing some kind of role play with other toys. But new research shows that playing with ultra-thin dolls could make young girls want a thinner body.

A new study by the international network Women In Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC) has highlighted the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) issues faced by women and marginalised groups working within that field. The network has also set out a 'calling in' approach to address these issues. The study was led by Dr Jennifer Leigh and Dr Jennifer Hiscock of the University of Kent, alongside WISC's wider team of international researchers, including Dr Emily Draper of the University of Glasgow.

Almost two thirds of people, 63%, reported a decrease in time spent visiting green spaces following movement restrictions in the original lockdown period, which began on 23 rd March 2020. Inequalities in green space use were also sustained, and may even have been exacerbated, as a result of lockdowns and restrictions of movement in the UK due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One in five people from ethnic minority groups report racial discrimination and these individuals are more likely to develop poorer mental and physical health, according to researchers from UCL and King's College London. The study, published in BMC Public Health, finds for the first time, a link between racism and negative changes in physical health based on a UK population.

Psychosis rates for all local areas in England have been estimated using a new modelling tool developed by UCL researchers. The method is cited in government guidance on how policy makers can allocate mental health resources for people experiencing their first episode of psychosis. The PsyMaptic tool estimates the expected number of people who will newly develop psychosis for each locality, providing both a current and forward-looking estimate up to 2025.

Alcohol pricing policies - such as duty increases and minimum unit pricing - appear to be more effective at reducing consumption and harm for men than women, according to a new study. The research found that each of the three policies modelled - a 10% duty increase, and minimum unit prices (MUP) of £0.50 and £0.70 per UK unit - would lead to larger estimated reductions in consumption and hospital admission rates among men than women.

Prisons with more green space have lower levels of violence and self-harm, according to new research at the University of Birmingham and Utrecht University. The study is the first to attempt large-scale mapping of green space within prison environments and link it to well-being in a robust, statistically significant way.

Boys who regularly play video games at age 11 are less likely to develop depressive symptoms three years later, finds a new study led by a UCL researcher. The study, published in Psychological Medicine , also found that girls who spend more time on social media appear to develop more depressive symptoms.

What is long COVID and how can diagnosis be improved? Using data from electronic health records at a national scale alongside information from thousands of participants in the UK's population-based cohort studies, these and other questions will be tackled following today's [18 February] announcement of a nationwide long COVID study led by University College London (UCL).

Robotic dogs, laughter therapy and mindfulness are some of the ways that might help people - particularly the elderly - cope with loneliness and social isolation while social distancing, say researchers at the University of Cambridge. Lockdown and social distancing measures have meant that many people have little or no contact with others, which can lead to loneliness and isolation Christopher Williams A team at Cambridge's School of Medicine carried out a systematic review looking at the existing evidence on different approaches to tackling loneliness and social isolation.

Bath psychologists have developed the first ever 'mind-reading questionnaire' to assess how well people understand what others are really thinking. Last updated on Friday 12 February 2021 A new approach to 'mind-reading' has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath, Cardiff, and London to improve how well we understand what others are thinking.