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The latest important research summarised
Short summaries of the latest health research presented in plain English to promote use of research by all members of society.
Better access to healthcare for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities is key to increasing vaccination rates: research makes five recommendations
Better access to healthcare services is the most important step in improving vaccination rates for people in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities. New research suggests that easier access is more important than addressing beliefs about vaccine safety or the need for vaccination. Researchers set up a series of workshops for healthcare providers and representatives of ...
People who are active on the day of hip surgery, or the day after, are twice as likely to be home within a month
People over 60 who need surgery after breaking a hip are discharged from hospital sooner if they get moving quickly. The largest study of its kind found that those who get out of bed on the day of hip surgery, or the day after, were twice as likely to leave hospital within 30 days. The ...
Most shoulder replacements last longer than a decade: patients can be reassured by new research
Most shoulder replacements last longer than 10 years. A new study – one of the most complete reports to date – found that patients can expect large and long-lasting improvements in pain, strength, range of movement, and their ability to complete everyday tasks. Before surgery, patients want to know how they will benefit from surgery and ...
Why do people abandon assistive technologies? Research suggests users need to be partners in design
Many people with long term - chronic - conditions need a lot of support in their daily lives. A wide range of assistive technologies are designed to help, including wheelchairs, hearing aids, and electronic devices. But people often give up using them. Researchers wanted to identify the main reasons why. They found common barriers to ...
Dental check-ups every six months are unnecessary for people at low risk of oral disease, research finds
Dentists invite most people for dental check-ups every six months. Despite being common practice in the UK and many other countries, this interval is based on low quality evidence. The results of a large trial across the UK (INTERVAL) did not support such frequent dental appointments. It found that the 30% people at low risk ...
Mental health care during pregnancy and afterwards: women from some ethnic minority backgrounds face barriers to access
Women who have mental health problems during pregnancy or in the first year after giving birth (the perinatal period) can face challenges in seeking professional help. New research found the problem is more pronounced for women from Black African, Asian and White Other backgrounds. They had poorer access to services in the community than White ...
People who have survived torture need joined-up care to address physical, psychological and social aspects of pain
More than one in four refugees and asylum-seekers in the UK are thought to have experienced torture in their countries of origin. Increasing numbers are presenting to NHS services with persistent pain, often of muscle, bone or joints (musculoskeletal). New research finds that UK healthcare services are not meeting their needs, and suggests that better ...
Digital games, apps and e-therapy show promise for helping children manage obesity, anxiety and other long-term conditions
Digital interventions such as games, apps and e-therapy may encourage primary school-aged children to exercise more or manage their anxiety, but research into the benefits of the technology for this age group is thin on the ground. Long-term conditions are becoming more common. Some can be improved by changes to behaviour, such as a better ...
Digital analysis of cells and tissue was as reliable as using a microscope in a new review
Diagnoses made using digital scans of cell and tissue samples are as reliable as looking at traditional slides through a microscope, a new review suggests. It provides the strongest evidence to date that digital techniques are a viable alternative to microscopy and could in future replace it. Small samples of body tissue (biopsies) are sometimes ...
Easy-read report: The risk of forced marriage for people with learning disabilities from South Asian communities
Easy-read report. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is an organisation that funds others to do Health and Care research. This report is about research that has been going since 2009 called, ‘My Marriage, My Choice’. This study has looked at people with learning disabilities who have ‘forced marriages’. What is this research about? ...
NIHR is the nation's largest funder of health and care research and provides the people, facilities and technology that enables research to thrive. NIHR Evidence is managed by NIHR with a funding contribution from Health and Care Research Wales, Welsh Government.
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