Cycling to work lowers risk of illness and death compared to driving
People who cycle to work are at lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death than those who drive. This is seen across all occupational groups and suggests that cycling to work could benefit people from all economic backgrounds. The UK government has advised against using public transport during the coronavirus pandemic. This could result ...
New tool for assessing the severity of type 2 diabetes could help personalise treatment and improve outcomes
A new severity scoring system for type 2 diabetes may be better at identifying patients at risk of declining health than the current commonly used blood test. The Diabetes Severity Score (DISSCO) is a computer algorithm that combines information routinely collected in primary care. Researchers found that a higher DISSCO score was linked to an ...
Lung health checks in supermarket car parks reach older smokers in deprived communities
Tests carried out on mobile units parked in supermarket car parks were a popular and effective way to check the lungs of at-risk current and former smokers in a study in Manchester. Simple tests of lung function in these mobile units found more than a third of those screened had evidence of airflow obstruction. This ...
Bespoke shoes and insoles could prevent foot ulcers in people with diabetes
Shoes and insoles which are custom-made to relieve pressure on the foot could prevent ulcers in people with diabetes. Foot ulcers are a serious complication of the disease and can lead to amputation if they are not managed appropriately. Even a mild injury can cause a foot ulcer. Researchers wanted to identify design features of ...
Damage to kidneys and eyes may start before people are diagnosed with diabetes
One in two people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes already have damage to their eyes, kidneys or heart. That damage is more likely if they had problems with blood sugar control before being diagnosed. Diabetes causes damage to blood vessels, because of poorly-controlled levels of sugar in the blood. These damaged blood vessels can lead ...
Most people caring for relatives with dementia experience loneliness
Around two-thirds of family carers of people with dementia experience loneliness. Almost half are moderately lonely and a fifth are severely lonely, reports one of the first large scale studies to look at this issue. Carers who felt lonely tended to have lower wellbeing, smaller social networks, and more stress associated with caregiving. A poor-quality ...
Loneliness in people with dementia is linked to social isolation and depression
One-third of people with mild-to-moderate dementia experience loneliness. 30% are moderately lonely and 5% are severely lonely, reports one of the first major studies to look at the issue. These figures are comparable to the general population of older people. People with dementia who live alone, and who experience social isolation, depression and lower quality ...
Most patients leaving hospital in India are given inadequate medical information
A lack of medical information could make it more difficult for patients to recover after they are discharged from hospital. Patients with long term conditions such as cancer or diabetes, called chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), need repeated visits to doctors. Surveys in India included hundreds of patients with NCDs and showed that only half receive ...
Drug users who lack access to clean water use dangerous alternatives to prepare injections
Strategies to reduce the harm to homeless people who inject drugs rarely focus on their lack of access to clean water. This matters because injecting drugs prepared with unclean water or alternatives to water can lead to serious infections and illness. A study explored how people who inject drugs typically prepare injections, including when they ...
Asthma patients with a history of opioid use have worse outcomes
A new study of asthma patients with and without a history of drug misuse found that rates of attendance at an annual asthma review were poor across the whole group. Rates of flu vaccination, which is recommended for people with asthma, were also generally low. However, patients with a history of opioid use disorders (OUD) ...
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.
- Follow us
