news 2022

Pandemic study shows distraction of social media may suck up the time and energy that allow us to find new passions People who turn to social media to escape from superficial boredom are unwittingly preventing themselves from progressing to a state of profound boredom, which may open the door to more creative and meaningful activity, a new study of the Covid pandemic shows.

New report reveals that in the past 10 years, public opinion has warmed to immigration which could lead to changes in immigration policy in the UK. A new report published by Professor Robert Ford from the University of Manchester and Marley Morris written for the Institute of Public Policy Research reveals that public attitudes towards immigration have warmed in recent years.

Nature is a powerful tool that can be harnessed by social prescribers to improve people's health and wellbeing, according to a series of new evidence reviews led by a UCL researcher.

Serving in the military for longer periods of time, and serving on operational tours were associated with reduced suicide risk; while younger veterans and those who left after a short career were more at risk A new study from The University of Manchester has found that veterans are at no greater risk of suicide than the general population.

Frequent online communication with best friends and existing friendship groups is associated with better wellbeing in young people, new research by Cardiff University has found. Led by the Centre for the Development, Evaluation, Complexity and Implementation in Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), the study found that boys and girls communicating with 'real life' friends online had higher levels of wellbeing.

Most young people in the UK experience a sharp decline in their wellbeing during their first years at secondary school regardless of their circumstances or background, according to new research published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology . Academics from the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge analysed the wellbeing and self-esteem of more than 11,000 young people from across the UK, using data collected when they were 11 and again when they were 14.

How rich or poor young people think they are compared to their friendship group is linked to wellbeing and even bullying during the shift between childhood and teenage years. Belonging is particularly important for well-being and psychosocial functioning during adolescence Blanca Piera Pi-Sunyer Young people who believe they come from poorer backgrounds than their friends are more likely to have lower self-esteem and be victims of bullying than those who feel financially equal to the rest of their peer group, according to a new study from psychologists at the University of Cambridge.

UK analysis raises need for awareness of health implications for patients following abuse and neglect Children who experience a form of abuse or neglect may be more likely to suffer with diseases such as asthma, eczema or conjunctivitis compared to those who have not experienced abuse or neglect according to a new analysis.

Fluoridation of the water supply may confer a modest benefit to the dental health of children, a seven-year-study led by University of Manchester researchers has concluded. However, the benefits are smaller than shown in previous studies - carried out 50 years ago - when fluoride toothpaste was less widely available in the UK.

New report is calling for urgent action by UK policymakers to tackle online violence towards women journalists Report is based on International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and University of Sheffield research commissioned by UNESCO, revealing a strong link between online and offline violence in the UK, particularly stalking Research finds women journalists in the UK are at the nexus of misogyny, racism, xenophobia and religious bigotry online,

Clear communication about how people's data is used won't necessarily alleviate their concerns about it, new research from the University of Sheffield has found.

New autism diagnoses tend to be clustered within specific NHS service regions, suggesting that where an individual lives may influence whether they receive an autism diagnosis and access to special education needs support.

A new report by experts from The University of Manchester and barrister Keir Monteith KC has raised urgent questions about racial attitudes and practices in the justice system in England and Wales. Although the judiciary wields enormous power over individuals, its operations are alarmingly underscrutinised, and one area that has remained largely beyond examination is judicial racial bias.

Some of the assessment tools which measure children's thinking skills in the US may have provided inaccurate information about poor, urban students because they are modelled on wealthier - mostly white - populations. There is a big question around how we measure executive functions: are we actually using the right tools?

Project examines implications of the Nationality and Borders Act for modern slavery survivors Researchers from the University of Bath's School of Management are part of a new collaboration aiming to uncover the realities facing survivors of exploitation in the UK in wake of controversial changes to support made under the Nationality and Borders Act in May 2022.

New research will examine how women's early experiences of employment shape long-term career paths and reinforce inequalities in the labour market. The project, led by University of Leeds academics and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), will explore early indications of work inequalities based on gender, and how disadvantages in employment develop over time.

The prevalence of serious mental health problems among 17-year-olds could drop by as much as 16.8% for girls and 8.4% for boys if they were not subjected to sexual violence, such as sexual assault and harassment, according to estimates from UCL researchers. The new research, published today in The Lancet Psychiatry , uses information from 9,971 young people born across the UK in 2000-02, who are being followed by the Millennium Cohort Study.

A genetic and archaeological study involving a UCL researcher has revealed the great extent of migration from continental Europe into the East of England during the early Middle Ages. In the largest early medieval ancient DNA study to date, an interdisciplinary team consisting of geneticists and archaeologists, led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, analysed over 400 individuals from ancient Britain, Ireland, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Dementia rates are 22% higher among black people in the UK compared to white people, while black and South Asian dementia patients die younger, and sooner after diagnosis, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The authors of the study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia , say their findings demonstrate a need for more targeted interventions to reduce dementia risks and improve treatment outcomes in ethnic minority communities.

People who experience frequent bad dreams in middle age are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia later in life, according to new research. A new study , published in The Lancet journal, eClinicalMedicine by researchers at the University of Birmingham, suggests nightmares may become prevalent several years or even decades before the characteristic memory and thinking problems of dementia set in.