Research round-up

Abstract

With data from the US National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, Ziggi Santini and colleagues carried out a longitudinal mediation analysis to investigate the associations between social disconnectedness and isolation and depression and anxiety. Their analysis included data from 3005 adults aged 57–85 years at baseline, who were followed up over 10 years. During follow-up, social disconnectedness was positively associated with perceived social isolation (β=0·09; p<0·0001), and perceived social isolation was positively associated with symptoms of depression (β=0·12; p<0·0001) and anxiety (β=0·12; p<0·0001). There was evidence for a bidirectional relationship—for example, symptoms of depression were predictive of social disconnectedness (β=0·06) and perceived social isolation (β=0·13); symptoms of anxiety were predictive of perceived social isolation (β=0·09); and perceived isolation was predictive of subsequent social disconnectedness (β=0·07; all p<0·0001). Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysisSocial network structure and function are strongly intertwined with anxiety and depression symptoms in the general population of older adults. Public health initiatives could reduce perceived isolation by facilitating social network integration and participation in community activities, thereby protecting against the development of affective disorders. Full-Text PDF Open AccessGuided self-help to reduce psychological distress in South Sudanese female refugees in Uganda: a cluster randomised trialSelf-Help Plus is an innovative, facilitator-guided, group-based self-help intervention that can be rapidly deployed to large numbers of participants, and resulted in meaningful reductions in psychological distress at 3 months among South Sudanese female refugees. Full-Text PDF Open AccessDepression and post-traumatic stress during major social unrest in Hong Kong: a 10-year prospective cohort studyWe have identified a major mental health burden during the social unrest in Hong Kong, which will require substantial increases in service surge capacity. Health-care and social care professionals should be vigilant in recognising possible mental health sequelae. In a world of increasing unrest, our findings might have implications for service planning to better protect population mental health globally. Full-Text PDF Mortality in children and adolescents following presentation to hospital after non-fatal self-harm in the Multicentre Study of Self-harm: a prospective observational cohort studyChildren and adolescents who self-harm have a considerable risk of future suicide, especially males, older adolescents, and those who repeated self-harm. Risk might persist over several years. Switching of method from self-harm to suicide was common, usually from self-poisoning to self-injury (especially hanging or asphyxiation). Self-harm is also associated with risk of death from accidental poisoning, particularly involving drugs of abuse, especially in young males. Full-Text PDF