The mental health of emergency services personnel in the UK Biobank: a comparison with the working population

It is our responsibility to protect and look after the health of members of the emergency services as this directly impacts on the country’s readiness to respond to these disasters and is a critical part of our duty of care towards this important group of workers. This study examined the mental health outcomes and associations with individual and job characteristics among emergency services personnel compared to a random sample of working people, thereby using data from the UK Biobank. This data source contains data on over half a million adults in the UK, who were at the time of recruitment between 40–69 years. Over 2 80 000 reported being in work. Current emergency services personnel were identified based on Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) 2000 codes. A random sample of age and sex matched people working in other occupations were selected from the UK Biobank for comparative purposes. The prevalence of the outcomes of interest, based on current and life time measures of depression, anxiety, alcohol misuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide and trauma will be presented. The findings will be discussed in the light of current policies and strategies and recommendations for further practice will be outlined.

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Diet, Sleep, and Mental Health: Insights from the UK Biobank Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13082573 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 2573

Author(s):

Piril Hepsomali ◽

John A. Groeger

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Healthy Diet ◽

Milk Intake ◽

Processed Meat ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Mental Health Symptomatology ◽

The Uk

Diet has long been the focus of attention as a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases. As such, a better understanding of it is crucial to establish priorities for dietary guidelines and to inform, design, and implement strategies for preventing, helping manage, and stopping the progression of sleep and mental health-related symptoms/disorders. The aim of the current study is to conduct the largest investigation of diet, sleep, and mental health to date by utilizing the UK Biobank (UKB) dataset to identify the associations between diet and (i) sleep quality/health, and (ii) mental health symptomatology. This cross-sectional population-based study involved 502,494 middle-aged adults. UKB food frequency, sleep, and psychological factors and mental health questionnaires at baseline were used. Scores were also calculated for healthy diet, healthy sleep, mental health symptomatology, partial fibre intake, and milk intake. We observed positive associations with healthy diet and sleep and mental health, especially benefits of high intakes of vegetable, fruit, fish, water, and fibre. However, processed meat and milk intake were adversely associated with sleep and mental health. These findings make clear that there are health and wellbeing benefits and drawbacks of different diets, but do not, at this stage, demonstrate the clear causal relationships, which would support dietary interventions that might play a role in the treatment and also self-management of sleep and mental health disorders/symptoms. Further research is required to understand mechanisms of actions of which diet acts on to modulate sleep and mental health, while taking comorbidity of sleep and mental health disorders/symptoms into consideration.

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Mental health in the UK Biobank: a roadmap to self-report measures and neuroimaging correlates

10.1101/2021.04.08.21255070 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rosie K Dutt ◽

Kayla Hannon ◽

Ty O Easley ◽

Joseph Griffis ◽

Wei Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Longitudinal Research ◽

Self Report ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

State Dependent ◽

Population Mental Health ◽

Timing Effects ◽

The Uk ◽

Biomarker Research ◽

Test Retest Reliability

The UK Biobank (UKB) is a highly promising dataset for brain biomarker research into population mental health due to its unprecedented sample size and extensive phenotypic, imaging, and biological measurements. In this study, we aimed to provide a shared foundation for UKB neuroimaging research into mental health with a focus on anxiety and depression. We compared UKB self-report measures and revealed important timing effects between scan acquisition and separate online acquisition of some mental health measures. To overcome these timing effects, we introduced and validated the Recent Depressive Symptoms (RDS) score which we recommend for state-dependent and longitudinal research in the UKB. We furthermore tested univariate and multivariate associations between brain imaging derived phenotypes (IDPs) and mental health. Our results showed a significant multivariate relationship between IDPs and mental health, which was highly replicable. Conversely, effect sizes for individual IDPs were very small and contributions of individual IDPs to the multivariate result did not replicate. Test-retest reliability of IDPs was stronger for measures of brain structure than for measures of brain function. Taken together, these results provide benchmarks and guidelines for future UKB research into brain biomarkers of mental health.

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Multiple measures of depression to enhance validity of major depressive disorder in the UK Biobank

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2020.145 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kylie P. Glanville ◽

Jonathan R. I. Coleman ◽

David M. Howard ◽

Oliver Pain ◽

Ken B. Hanscombe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Depressive Disorder ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Genetic Contribution ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Multiple Measures ◽

The Uk ◽

Mental Health Questionnaire

Background The UK Biobank contains data with varying degrees of reliability and completeness for assessing depression. A third of participants completed a Mental Health Questionnaire (MHQ) containing the gold-standard Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) criteria for assessing mental health disorders. Aims To investigate whether multiple observations of depression from sources other than the MHQ can enhance the validity of major depressive disorder (MDD). Method In participants who did not complete the MHQ, we calculated the number of other depression measures endorsed, for example from hospital episode statistics and interview data. We compared cases defined this way with CIDI-defined cases for several estimates: the variance explained by polygenic risk scores (PRS), area under the curve attributable to PRS, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)-based heritability and genetic correlations with summary statistics from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium MDD genome-wide association study. Results The strength of the genetic contribution increased with the number of measures endorsed. For example, SNP-based heritability increased from 7% in participants who endorsed only one measure of depression, to 21% in those who endorsed four or five measures of depression. The strength of the genetic contribution to cases defined by at least two measures approximated that for CIDI-defined cases. Most genetic correlations between UK Biobank and the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium MDD study exceeded 0.7, but there was variability between pairwise comparisons. Conclusions Multiple measures of depression can serve as a reliable approximation for case status where the CIDI measure is not available, indicating sample size can be optimised using the entire suite of UK Biobank data.

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Genetic influences on treatment-seeking for common mental health problems in the UK biobank

Behaviour Research and Therapy ◽

10.1016/j.brat.2019.103413 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 121 ◽

pp. 103413 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christopher Rayner ◽

Jonathan R.I. Coleman ◽

Kirstin L. Purves ◽

Rosa Cheesman ◽

Christopher Hübel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Health Problems ◽

Genetic Influences ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Common Mental Health Problems ◽

The Uk

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Research into Australian emergency services personnel mental health and wellbeing: An evidence map

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0004867417738054 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 129-148 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Tracey Varker ◽

Olivia Metcalf ◽

David Forbes ◽

Katherine Chisolm ◽

Sam Harvey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Emergency Services ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

National Study ◽

Future Research ◽

Primary Research ◽

Evidence Map ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Emergency Services Personnel

Background: Evidence maps are a method of systematically characterising the range of research activity in broad topic areas and are a tool for guiding research priorities. Aims: ‘Evidence-mapping’ methodology was used to quantify the nature and distribution of recent peer-reviewed research into the mental health and wellbeing of Australian emergency services personnel. Methods: A search of the PsycINFO, EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases was performed for primary research articles that were published between January 2011 and July 2016. Results: In all, 43 studies of primary research were identified and mapped. The majority of the research focused on organisational and individual/social factors and how they relate to mental health problems/wellbeing. There were several areas of research where very few studies were detected through the mapping process, including suicide, personality, stigma and pre-employment factors that may contribute to mental health outcomes and the use of e-health. No studies were detected which examined the prevalence of self-harm and/or harm to others, bullying, alcohol/substance use, barriers to care or experience of families of emergency services personnel. In addition, there was no comprehensive national study that had investigated all sectors of emergency services personnel. Conclusion: This evidence map highlights the need for future research to address the current gaps in mental health and wellbeing research among Australian emergency services personnel. Improved understanding of the mental health and wellbeing of emergency services personnel, and the factors that contribute, should guide organisations’ wellbeing policies and procedures.

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A narrative literature review of the typology of psychiatric emergency services in the UK

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.629 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (S1) ◽

pp. S235-S235

Author(s):

Dhruba Bagchi ◽

George Tadros ◽

Opeyemi Odejimi

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Emergency Service ◽

Emergency Services ◽

Psychiatric Emergency ◽

Service Users ◽

Psychiatric Emergency Services ◽

Crisis Resolution ◽

The Uk

AimsThis study aims to provide a detailed literature review of the different forms of Psychiatric Emergency Services currently available within the UK.Background1 in 6 individuals have one form of mental health disorders. Mental health crisis resulting in an individual requiring access to Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES) can occur at any time. Psychiatric Emergency Service (PES) is described as one that provides an immediate response to an individual in crisis within the first 24 hours. Presently, several PESs are available in the UK with the aim of providing prompt and effective assessment, management and in some cases treatment and/or referral. Over the years, economic and political influences have greatly determined the service delivery models of PES. Indeed, these services vary in name, accessibility, structure, professionals involved, outcomes and many more.MethodElectronic search of five key databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE, AMED and PUBMED) was carried out to identify various models of PES in the UK. Various combinations of search terms were used and studies which met the inclusion criteria were selected. Studies were included if they were written in English, conducted within the United Kingdom, and described a form of PES. Search was not limited by years and this is to help have a comprehensive overview as well as show changes over time of the various models of psychiatric emergency services. Studies which did not meet any of the criteria detailed above were excluded.ResultIn total, 59 relevant studies were found which identified nine type of PES-Crisis resolution home treatment, police officer intervention, street triage, mental health liaison services in the Emergency Department, psychiatric assessment unit, integrated services, voluntary services and crisis house. There were more papers describing Crisis resolution home treatment services than the others. Furthermore, majority of the papers reported services within England than other countries within the UK.ConclusionAll forms of PES are beneficial, particularly to mental health service users, but not without some shortcomings. There is a need to continue carrying out methodological research that evaluate impact, cost-effectiveness as well as identify methods of optimising the beneficial outcomes of all models of PES. This will inform researchers, educationist, policy makers and commissioners, service users and carers, service providers and many more on how to ensure current and future PES meet the needs as well as aid recovery of mental health service users.

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F30GENETIC STRUCTURE WITHIN THE UK BIOBANK MENTAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE

European Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.110 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. S1125-S1126

Author(s):

Jonathan Coleman ◽

Thalia Eley ◽

Gerome Breen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Questionnaire ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

The Uk ◽

Mental Health Questionnaire

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Childhood Adoption and Mental Health in Adulthood: The Role of Gene-Environment Correlations and Interactions in the UK Biobank

Biological Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.10.016 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 87 (8) ◽

pp. 708-716 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kelli Lehto ◽

Sara Hägg ◽

Donghao Lu ◽

Robert Karlsson ◽

Nancy L. Pedersen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Gene Environment ◽

The Uk

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Associations between multimorbidity and depression among breast cancer survivors within the UK Biobank cohort: a cross-sectional study

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-021-08409-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Murray Foster ◽

Claire L. Niedzwiedz

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Mental Health ◽

Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Survivors ◽

Breast Cancer Diagnosis ◽

Cancer Registries ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Uk

Abstract Background Advances in the early detection of cancer and its treatment have resulted in an increasing number of people living with and beyond breast cancer. Multimorbidity is also becoming more common in this population as more people live longer with breast cancer and experience late effects of cancer treatment. Breast cancer survivors have heightened risk of depression, but to what extent multimorbidity affects the mental health of this population is less clear. This study aims to investigate the association between multimorbidity and depression among women living with and beyond breast cancer in the UK Biobank cohort. Methods Data from UK Biobank (recruitment during 2006 to 2010, aged 40–70 years) were used to identify 8438 women with a previous diagnosis of breast cancer via linked cancer registries in England, Scotland and Wales. The lifetime number of chronic conditions was self-reported and multimorbidity defined as 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5+. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) was used to define participants that were likely to have depression based on their symptom reporting at baseline. Logistic regression models were used to analyse the associations between multimorbidity and depression, accounting for a number of potential sociodemographic confounding variables (including age, ethnicity, socioeconomic deprivation, education level and marital status) and characteristics related to the cancer (number of years since diagnosis and recurrence/secondary cancer). Results Multimorbidity was common among breast cancer survivors, with 32.9% of women experiencing one and 30.1% experiencing two or more chronic health conditions. Hypertension (25.8%), painful conditions (18.3%), and asthma (11.6%) were the three most common co-morbid conditions. 5.3% of participants had current depression. A strong, dose-response relationship was found between multimorbidity and the likelihood of depression (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.56–2.79 for two conditions and OR = 6.06, 95% CI: 3.63–10.14 for five or more conditions). Conclusions Multimorbidity and depression were strongly associated among female UK Biobank participants with a previous breast cancer diagnosis. This association became increasingly pronounced as the number of chronic comorbid conditions increased. As more people survive cancer for longer, increasing recognition and support for multimorbidity and its impact on mental health is needed.

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