April post-stop press- not good news

Data below taken from Youth Mental Health Network Newsletter:

A year ago, the good people over at www.patient.co.uk commissioned researchers to look into the impact of the economic recession on our health.

Their results are stark. Young people are being hit the hardest by the recession. Of those surveyed, 36% of people across all ages felt stressed because of the economic downturn, this rose to 43% in the 18-25 year age range. 24% of under 25's said they were drinking more alcohol since the downturn compared to just 14% of all adults.

Of those surveyed, 57% of 18-25 year olds had lost or gained weight since the financial crisis, 37% had put on weight which was put down to comfort eating, 20% said they had lost weight due to worry. Half of 18-25 year olds said that they have become socially lonely and isolated as they can't afford to go out compared to 34% of the general population.

What this amounts to is a demographic that is storing up all the key and multiple indicators for poor health in the short and long term. 

Data collected is always open to multiple interpretations but  the clear narrative which is emerging is that  economic austerity is disproportionately   impacting on young people and the consequences wil be long acting.

You can subscribe to the newsletter via contacting

Sarah.Amani@sabp.nhs.uk

If you haven’t already booked on our One Day Event on Adolescent Health places are still available but going fast!

http://www.rcgp

Courses and events

Yours

Jane

March 2013

There is much to report as we continue to brace the north easterly winds and long for spring.

The RCGP has acknowledged Youth Mental Health as a clinical priority area and I was appointed the Clinical Champion for this task in late March. Although the post is unfunded I am hoping that with the expertise of CIRC and the networks the Adolescent Health Group has forged we will be able to bid for funding to advance a number of projects.

At our stakeholders group in January it was recognized that responding to self-harm continues to be a major  area of concern for young people, their parents, GPs and teachers

Young Minds, with Cello ( a  health focused insight and strategic marketing group) recently  conducted a very useful piece of work which speaks to us all and indicates the scope of the problem and the paucity of adults often available for young people to talk with.

Please check out the full report:  

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/about/our_campaigns/cello_self-harm

Young people’s mental health, as well as sexual  health, body image and safeguarding will all be addressed at our forthcoming One Day Educational event on April 26^th at the Friends’ Meeting House, London (opposite the new HQ of the College).

We have had an excellent response for registration. Places are still available. For more information please  go to the following link

  http://www.rcgp.org.uk/publications/all-publications/~/media/Files/Publications/RCGP%20News/RCGP-News-March-2013.ashx

or book directly at

www.rcgp.org.uk/courses-and-events/business-development/one-day-essentials/ ode-adolescent-health-26-april-2013.asp

March also saw the annual meeting of the American organization: SAHM celebrate 45 years of adolescent health and medicine in Atlanta.  It was ‘totally awesome’.

http://www.adolescenthealth.org

My report on the amazing array of speakers, workshops, hot topics and clinical updates will be available in next month’s blog.

We visited the Martin Luther King Museum whilst there- a truly  inspirational place to spend time.

Finally, NICE have issued the latest guidelines concerning  common mental health disorders in CYP: Conduct Disorder.

You can read my BMJ rapid response here:

http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1298/rr/639118

Greetings to all

Jane