Category: Journal article
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Why do coastal communities experience poorer health outcomes?
This study looked at whether people living in coastal areas are more likely to develop multiple long-term health conditions in midlife using data from the 1958 and 1970 British birth cohort studies. The findings suggest that coastal living itself is not the main cause of poorer health. Instead, coastal communities were more likely to experience…
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How intensive caregiving may accelerate cognitive decline
This article highlights the impact of caregiving on cognitive health in later life, and how it depends on how much care is provided. Older adults who provided a moderate amount of care (around 5–9 hours per week) showed a slower decline in thinking and decision-making skills than non-carers, suggesting that caregiving can be mentally stimulating…
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Who cares for Europe’s carers?
This special collection brings together evidence from England and 29 European countries to better understand who provides unpaid care and how caregiving affects people’s lives. The research shows that caring responsibilities are not shared equally and can have important consequences for employment, health, and social participation. The findings also highlight persistent inequalities, particularly by gender,…
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Are young carers facing a hidden mental health crisis?
This study found that young carers aged 16–18 consistently experienced poorer mental health than their peers during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Young carers were more likely to report chronic mental illness, alongside higher levels of depression and anxiety. These mental health inequalities were seen across all groups and did not differ by gender, ethnicity,…
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When does caregiving help the brain, and when does it become too much?
This study examined how taking on a caring role in later life affects cognitive health. It found that providing lower levels of care, particularly for parents or relatives living outside the household, was linked to a slower decline in thinking and decision-making skills. In contrast, people providing very intensive care (50 or more hours per…
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Can adverse life experiences increase the risk of dementia later in life?
This study explored whether adverse experiences across the lifecourse are linked to a higher risk of dementia in later life. Researchers found that experiencing more adversity during adulthood was associated with a greater risk of developing dementia, with each additional adverse experience increasing risk. Two experiences stood out in particular: childhood abuse was linked to…
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Do parenting programmes improve mental wellbeing for families?
This study tested whether a group‑based parenting programme could improve wellbeing for families living in disadvantaged and ethnically diverse areas in England. Parents who took part in the programme reported better mental wellbeing both immediately after it ended and six months later, compared with those who were on a waiting list. The programme was delivered…
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How does being a young carer affect school attendance and achievement?
Young carers in England are already falling behind at school, and the gap continues to widen as they get older. This study shows that by the end of primary school, young carers are more likely to underperform academically, and by the end of secondary school they achieve fewer qualifications and are more likely to miss…
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What’s the impact of ‘right to request’ flexible working reforms?
In 2014, a UK policy change gave all employees the right to request flexible working after six months on the job. This study found that the change led more women to reduce their working hours, which helped lower stress and improve life satisfaction. However, men didn’t show the same increase in flexible working, and the…
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Why is mental health poorer among young people in England’s coastal communities?
Young people growing up in deprived coastal areas of England have poorer mental health in early adulthood than those who lived in similarly deprived inland areas. This study followed adolescents for more than a decade and found that while coastal communities face multiple environmental disadvantages, the main drivers of poorer mental health were families’ socioeconomic…
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What are the long‑term mental health effects of experiencing racism in adolescence?
Experiencing racism in adolescence can have lasting effects on mental health. This study followed young people in England from their late teens into adulthood and found that those who experienced racism at age 17 were more likely to report higher levels of psychological distress by age 25. However, racism in adolescence was not clearly linked…
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How does a carer’s relationship with their care recipient affect mental health?
Caring for others, especially close family members, can affect mental health, but research hasn’t always looked closely at how different caregiving relationships matter. This study found that people who care for spouses or parents, especially women caring for someone in their own household, tend to experience more symptoms of depression. These effects can last over…
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How is families’ mental health affected by adverse childhood experiences?
Children in the same family often share difficult early life experiences, but most research looks at just one child at a time. This study found that when a firstborn child experienced adversity, like family violence, parental mental health issues, or substance misuse, during the first 1000 days of life, their siblings were also more likely…
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Do teen friendships and family ties shape body weight into adulthood?
This study followed teenagers in the US into adulthood to see how their social connections influenced changes in body weight over time. Adolescents with stronger friendships tended to have healthier, more stable weight patterns as they grew older, while those with stronger family connections showed greater increases in body weight. These patterns were similar across…
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How does becoming a young carer affect health and wellbeing?
Young people who take on caring responsibilities often experience lower wellbeing, but it’s unclear when these changes begin or how long they last. This study found that young carers already had slightly lower life satisfaction two years before they started caring, and this continued for at least three years after. The impact was greater for…
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What’s the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young carers?
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, more young people in the UK have taken on caring roles, rising from 8% to nearly 12%. These young carers are more likely to live in single-parent, low-income households and deprived areas. There’s also been an increase in high-intensity caring, especially among girls. Most care is still provided to parents. The…
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What’s the effect of growing up in deprived coastal communities for adult health?
Young people living in coastal areas of England report poorer health than those inland, especially in communities facing high deprivation. Using data from a national study, researchers found that coastal youth had worse self-rated health, more disability, and greater mental health challenges. These differences were strongest in the most deprived coastal areas. The findings suggest…