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Background While various measures of common mental disorders (CMD) have been found to be associated with mortality, a comparison of how different measures predict mortality may improve our understanding of the association. This paper compares how the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) predict all cause and cause-specific mortality. Methods Data on 2547 men and women from two cohorts, aged approximately 39 and 55 years, from the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study who were followed up for mortality over an average of 18.9 (SD 5.0) years. Scores were calculated for HADS depression (HADS-D), HADS Anxiety (HADS-A) and GHQ-30. Cox Proportional Hazards Models were used to determine how each CMD measure predicted mortality. Results After adjusting for serious physical illness, smoking, social class, alcohol, obesity, pulse rate and living alone, HRs (95% CI) per SD increase in score for all-cause mortality were: 1.15 (1.07 to 1.25) for HADSD; 1.13 (1.04 to 1.23) for GHQ-30 and 1.05 (0.96 to 1.14) for HADS-A. After the same adjustments, cardiovascular disease mortality was also related to HADS-D (HR 1.24 (1.07 to 1.43)), to GHQ-30 (HR 1.24 (1.11 to 1.40)) and to HADS-A (HR 1.15 (1.01 to 1.32)); respiratory mortality to GHQ-30 (HR 1.33 (1.13 to 1.55)) and mortality from other causes, excluding injuries, to HADS-D (HR 1.28 (1.05 to 1.55)). Conclusions There were associations between CMD and both all-cause and cause-specific mortality which were broadly similar for GHQ-30 and HADS-D and were still present after adjustment for important confounders and mediators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relationship between childhood residential mobility and health in the UK is not well established; however, research elsewhere suggests that frequent childhood moves may be associated with poorer health outcomes and behaviours. The aim of this paper was to compare people in the West of Scotland who were residentially stable in childhood with those who had moved in terms of a range of health measures. Methods A total of 850 respondents, followed-up for a period of 20 years, were included in this analysis. Childhood residential mobility was derived from the number of addresses lived at between birth and age 18. Multilevel regression was used to investigate the relationship between childhood residential mobility and health in late adolescence (age 18) and adulthood (age 36), accounting for socio-demographic characteristics and frequency of school moves. The authors examined physical health measures, overall health, psychological distress and health behaviours. Results Twenty per cent of respondents remained stable during childhood, 59% moved one to two times and 21% moved at least three times. For most health measures (except physical health), there was an increased risk of poor health that remained elevated for frequent movers after adjustment for socio-demographic characteristics and school moves (but was only significant for illegal drug use). Conclusions Risk of poor health was elevated in adolescence and adulthood with increased residential mobility in childhood, after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and school moves. This was true for overall health, psychological distress and health behaviours, but physical health measures were not associated with childhood mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Using data on ne particulate matter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) concentrations in smoking and non-smoking homes in Scotland to estimate the mass of PM2.5 inhaled by different age groups. Methods Data from four linked studies, with real-time measurements of PM2.5 in homes, were combined with data on typical breathing rates and time-activity patterns. Monte Carlo modelling was used to estimate daily PM2.5 intake, the percentage of total PM2.5 inhaled within the home environment and the percentage reduction in daily intake that could be achieved by switching to a smoke- free home. Results Median (IQR) PM2.5 concentrations from 93 smoking homes were 31 (10-111) µg/m³ and 3 (2-6.5) µg/m³ for the 17 non-smoking homes. Non-smokers living with smokers typically have average PM2.5 exposure levels more than three times higher than the WHO guidance for annual exposure to PM2.5 (10 µg/m³). Conclusions Fine particulate pollution in Scottish homes where smoking is permitted is approximately 10 times higher than in non-smoking homes. Taken over a lifetime many non-smokers living with a smoker inhale a similar mass of PM2.5 as a non-smoker living in a heavily polluted city such as Beijing. Most non-smokers living in smoking households would experience reductions of over 70% in their daily inhaled PM2.5 intake if their home became smoke-free. The reduction is likely to be greatest for the very young and for older members of the population because they typically spend more time at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a healthy public policy agenda investigating the health impacts of improving living conditions. However, there are few economic evaluations, to date, assessing value for money. We conducted the first cost-effectiveness analysis of a nationwide intervention transferring social and private tenants to new-build social housing, in Scotland. Methods: A quasi-experimental prospective study was undertaken involving 205 intervention households and 246 comparison households, over 2 years. A cost-utility analysis assessed the average cost per change in health utility (a single score summarising overall health-related quality of life), generated via the SF-6D algorithm. Construction costs for new builds were included. Analysis was conducted for all households, and by family, adult and elderly households; with estimates adjusted for baseline confounders. Outcomes were annuitised and discounted at 3.5%. Results: The average discounted cost was £18 708 per household, at a national programme cost of £28.4 million. The average change in health utility scores in the intervention group attributable to the intervention were +0.001 for all households, +0.001 for family households, −0.04 for adult households and −0.03 for elderly households. All estimates were statistically insignificant. Conclusions: At face value, the interventions were not value for money in health terms. However, because the policy rationale was the amenity provision of housing for disadvantaged groups, impacts extend beyond health and may be fully realised over the long term. Before making general value-for-money inferences, economic evaluation should attempt to estimate the full social value of interventions, model long-term impacts and explicitly incorporate equity considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To study a novel intervention (REFRESH) aimed at reducing children's exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) in their homes. Design A randomised feasibility study. Setting Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. Participants A total of 59 smoking mothers with at least one child younger than 6 years. Participation took place between July 2010 and March 2011. Intervention Four home visits over a 1-month period, which involved two 24-h measurements of home air quality ( PM2.55) and a motivational interview to encourage changes to smoking behaviour within the home in order to reduce child SHS exposure. The enhanced group received their air quality data as part of their motivational interview at visit 2; the control group received that information at visit 4. Main outcome measures The main outcome measures were comparisons of the data from visits 2 and 4 on the 24-h average concentration of PM2.5, the peak concentration of PM2.5, the percentage of time when household PM2.5 concentrations exceeded a health-based threshold of 35 μg/m3 and child's salivary cotinine (in nanograms per millilitre). The views of the mothers from the enhanced group about their understanding of the intervention and the measures used were also analysed to assess the acceptability and utility of the intervention. Results Of the recruited 54 participants, 48 completed the study: 27 from the control group and 21 from the enhanced group. Both groups experienced reductions in PM2.5 concentrations. When testing paired samples for the enhanced group, there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between visit 2 and visit 4 values for maximum PM2.5 (p=0.006) and for percentage of time over 35 μg/ m3 (p=0.017), with average PM2.5 approaching significance (p=0.056). There was no significant difference for salivary cotinine. The qualitative findings showed that mothers were able to understand the data they were shown and were shocked by the values measured in their homes despite being aware of the effects of SHS exposure. They appreciated the intervention taking place in their homes as it allowed them to have personalised data. Many mothers described how they had changed their smoking behaviours in their home and in particular were motivated to protect their own children as a result of the knowledge they had gained. Conclusions Providing mothers who smoke with personalised results about the indoor air quality of their homes along with a motivational interview is feasible and has an effect on improving household air quality. Participants found the intervention understandable and acceptable. Taken overall, the results suggest that a future large-scale trial using measurements of indoor air quality as part of a complex intervention to reduce children's SHS exposure should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background People living in areas of multiple deprivation are more likely to smoke and less likely to quit smoking. This study examines the effect on smoking and intention to quit smoking for those who have experienced housing improvements (HI) in deprived areas of Glasgow, UK, and investigates whether such effects can be explained by improved mental health. Methods Quasi-experimental, 2-year longitudinal study, comparing residents’ smoking and intention to quit smoking for HI group (n=545) with non-HI group (n=517), adjusting for baseline (2006) sociodemographic factors and smoking status. SF-12 mental health scores were used to assess mental health, along with self-reported experience of, and General Practitioner (GP) consultations for, anxiety and depression in the last 12 months. Results There was no relationship between smoking and HI, adjusting for baseline rates (OR=0.97, 95% CI 0.57 to 1.67, p=0.918). We found an association between intention to quit and HI, which remained significant after adjusting for sociodemographics and previous intention to quit (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.12 to 4.16, p=0.022). We found no consistent evidence that this association was attenuated by improvement in our three mental health measures. Conclusions Providing residents in disadvantaged areas with better housing may prompt them to consider quitting smoking. However, few people actually quit, indicating that residential improvements or changes to the physical environment may not be sufficient drivers of personal behavioural change. It would make sense to link health services to housing regeneration projects to support changes in health behaviours at a time when environmental change appears to make behavioural change more likely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is a strong case for early identification of factors predicting life-course-persistent conduct disorder. The authors aimed to identify factors associated with repeated parental reports of preschool conduct problems. Method Nested case-control study of Scottish children who had behavioural data reported by parents at 3, 4 and 5 years. Results 79 children had abnormal conduct scores at all three time points ('persistent conduct problems') and 434 at one or two points ('inconsistent conduct problems'). 1557 children never had abnormal scores. Compared with children with no conduct problems, children with reported problems were significantly more likely to have mothers who smoked during pregnancy. They were less likely to be living with both parents and more likely to be in poor general health, to have difficulty being understood, to have a parent who agrees that smacking is sometimes necessary and to be taken to visit other people with children rarely. The results for children with persistent and inconsistent conduct problems were similar, but associations with poverty and maternal smoking were significantly less strong in the inconsistent group. Conclusion These factors may be valuable in early identification of risk of major social difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies have shown that making multiple residential moves in childhood leads to an increased risk of emotional and behavioural problems in early adulthood and to poorer self-reported health in midlife. Such studies tend to focus on one or two health variables, measured at one time point. This study examines health status in early adulthood and midlife across a wider range of measures. Aim To compare subjects who were residentially stable in childhood with those who had moved more often in terms of a wide range of health measurements at 18 and 36. Methods Analysis of the 1970s cohort of the West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study. In total, 850 respondents who participated in waves 1 (1987/88), 2 (1990/92) and 5 (2007/8) of the study, and whose childhood residential history was available, were included in regression analyses. Residential stability was derived from the number of addresses at which the respondent had lived between birth and age 15 and 18. We considered directly measured health variables (BMI, waist-hip ratio and lung function), self-reported health, psychological wellbeing (GHQ12) and self-reported health behaviours (smoking, drinking and trying drugs). Results Twenty percent of respondents remained residentially stable during childhood, 59% had moved 1-2 times and 21% had moved at least 3 times. Directly measured health variables were not associated with number of residential moves made at 18 or 36. Odds of scoring at least 3 on the GHQ12 questionnaire were significantly increased at age 18 for those moving 1-2 times (OR 2.01 (1.36–2.96)) and those moving 3 times or more (OR 2.04 (1.3, 3.22)) compared to those who remained stable. Similarly, odds of reporting a long-standing illness at 18 were increased for 1-2 moves (OR 1.88 (1.11, 3.18)) and at least 3 moves (OR=2.03 (1.11, 3.69)). Odds were elevated, but not significant, at 36 for these health variables. Odds of trying drugs and smoking at 18 were significantly increased but only for those moving at least 3 times. Although elevated, odds for these health behaviours were not significant at 36. Conclusions Increased mobility during childhood is independently associated with adverse health status. At 18, the relationships between residential mobility and self-reported health outcomes, psychological wellbeing and some health behaviours were significant; however, by 36 findings were no longer significant. Directly measured health variables, at 18 and 36, do not appear to be associated with childhood mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]