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Teacher knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with the disorder in public schools. It therefore becomes important to understand what impacts upon teachers' knowledge of ASD. As such, we aimed to investigate the role of experience and culture on teachers' knowledge of ASD. Public teachers working in the United Kingdom (UK; n = 51) and People's Republic of China (n = 59) completed questionnaires measuring the experience of teaching children with ASD and levels of knowledge about the disorder. Analysis was then conducted to examine how knowledge of ASD differed as a function of culture and experience. Results showed that teachers who had experience of working with children with ASD demonstrated a higher level of knowledge relating to the disorder. Further, teachers in the UK had significantly more knowledge of ASD than teachers in China. The results suggest cross-cultural differences in teachers' understanding of ASD. Training opportunities which allow teachers to work with children with ASD should be provided in both the UK and in China.

Objective: The physical and mental health of women prior to conception can have a significant impact on pregnancy and child outcomes. Given the rising burden of non‐communicable diseases, the aim was to explore the relation between mental health, physical health and health behaviour in women planning a pregnancy. Methods: Cross‐sectional analysis of responses from 131 182 women to a preconception health digital education tool, providing data on physical and mental health and health behaviour. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between mental health and physical health variables. Results: Physical health conditions were reported by 13.1% and mental health conditions by 17.8%. There was evidence for an association between self‐reported physical and mental health conditions (odds ratio [OR] 2.22, 95% CI 2.14–2.3). Those with a mental health condition were less likely to engage with healthy behaviour at preconception such as folate supplementation (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.86–0.92) and consumption of the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.74–0.79). They were more likely to be physically inactive (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11–1.18), smoke tobacco (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.66–1.78) and use illicit substances (OR 2.4, 95% CI 2.25–2.55). Conclusions: Greater recognition of mental and physical comorbidities is needed and closer integration of physical and mental healthcare in the preconception period, which could support people to optimise their health during this time and improve long‐term outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) plays a key role in the successful inclusion of children with the disorder in public schools. It therefore becomes important to understand what impacts upon teachers' knowledge of ASD. As such, we aimed to investigate the role of experience and culture on teachers' knowledge of ASD. Public teachers working in the United Kingdom (UK; n = 51) and People's Republic of China (n = 59) completed questionnaires measuring the experience of teaching children with ASD and levels of knowledge about the disorder. Analysis was then conducted to examine how knowledge of ASD differed as a function of culture and experience. Results showed that teachers who had experience of working with children with ASD demonstrated a higher level of knowledge relating to the disorder. Further, teachers in the UK had significantly more knowledge of ASD than teachers in China. The results suggest cross-cultural differences in teachers' understanding of ASD. Training opportunities which allow teachers to work with children with ASD should be provided in both the UK and in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: anxiety and depression are common in women with gestational diabetes but it is not clear whether they are more likely to precede the onset of gestational diabetes or to co-occur with it. Our aims were to compare the strength of association between common mental disorders of anxiety and depression (i) before pregnancy and (ii) during pregnancy in women with and without gestational diabetes.Methods: the sample comprised 12,239 women with 13,539 pregnancies from the UK's Born in Bradford cohort. Gestational diabetes was diagnosed by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Indicators of common mental disorders were obtained from linked primary care records. Multivariable robust Poisson and logistic regression were employed. Multiple imputation by chained equations was implemented to handle missing data. Models were adjusted for maternal age, ethnicity, education and obstetric complications. Analyses of common mental disorders during pregnancy were additionally adjusted for maternal smoking, pre-pregnancy BMI, multiple pregnancy and common mental disorders prior to pregnancy.Results: there was no evidence for an association between common mental disorders prior to pregnancy and gestational diabetes (adjusted RR 0.96; 95% CI 0.80,1.15) or between gestational diabetes and common mental disorders during pregnancy (adjusted OR 0.91; 95% CI 0.73,1.12).Limitations: high levels of deprivation and multi-ethnic composition of the cohort may limit generalisability of these findings to other populations.Conclusions: routine primary care records did not identify an increased risk of gestational diabetes in women with common mental disorders prior to pregnancy or of gestational diabetes in women with common mental disorders during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent reviews of clinical assessments used in the forensic mental health field have identified a need for psychometric evaluations to support their use. The current study tested the 6 factor structure of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory- 2 (STAXI-2) in a sample of 128 adult male forensic inpatients in the UK, as a reduction in the experience and expression of anger is a frequently targeted outcome for this group. Scale reliability indices and convergent validity were also investigated. Confirmatory factor analysis of the study sample responses suggested a poor fit with the six factors reported in the STAXI-2 validation study. Reliability indices (average variance estimation, composite reliability, alpha) of the STAXI-2 scales indicated "acceptable" internal consistency, specifically for State and Trait Anger and Anger Expression-In scales. Scale coherence was further supported by associations with theoretically related self-report and observer rated anger assessments. The findings offer support for the use of the STAXI-2 with people in forensic mental health services, but research into whether revisions to the assessment might improve its construct validity with this population is recommended. Based on this study samples reported levels of anger and normative comparisons, impression management considerations are advised when administering the STAXI-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Moving on from high secure psychiatric care can be a complex and potentially stressful experience, which may hinder progression. A leavers' group in a UK high secure hospital is offered to support patients with this transition.Aims: The aims of this study are to investigate characteristics of patients referred for the leavers' group and compare outcomes for leavers' group graduates with those for patients who never attended a leavers' group for any reason.Methods: A retrospective quasi-experimental design was applied to data extracted from various records sources - within and outside the high security hospital.Results: About one-fifth of patients who left the hospital on trial leave during the study were referred to the leavers' group (N = 109). Referred patients were significantly more likely to have either been admitted from another high-security hospital or transferred from prison for treatment and have a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. Patients not referred had a significantly higher rate of previously refusing to participate in groups. There was a tendency for rate of return from trial leave for group graduates to be lower than that of patients who did not attend the leavers' group, but this just failed to reach statistical significance (rate ratio [RR] = 1.04; CI 0.97-1.11).Conclusions: A leavers' group appeared to be a valued therapy option for people who had spent a long time in high secure psychiatric care, or those who continued to require hospital treatment beyond prison tariffs. There was a low return rate from trial leave, which made the evaluation of this outcome difficult. A detailed study into both the reasons for return from trial leave and successes would provide further information on ideal preparation for moving on. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – It is now widely acknowledged that health care professionals on the front line of care delivery will often be among the first to whom patients or clients who have experienced abuse will present or disclose abuse in a clinical context. It is therefore of pivotal importance that all health care professionals, including nurses, are adequately prepared at the earliest opportunity to effectively respond to a disclosure of abuse or identify where abuse may be suspected. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In order to address this contemporary challenge within health care the authors present a model, developed in the UK, for the embedding of safeguarding knowledge, skills and attitudes within undergraduate pre-registration nursing curricula. This model is integrative and focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills in the field of safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Findings – Student evaluation to date has been extremely positive with the majority of student responses indicating that individuals felt that they had received the requisite level of educational support and knowledge to enable them to recognise concerns. However, it was also clear that students felt that the knowledge gained within the classroom setting needed to be effectively supported and translated in the practice setting. Practical implications – Safeguarding clearly forms a central part of professional accountability and responsibility. It is therefore pivotal that professionals receive the requisite education, skills and knowledge at the earliest opportunity. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge this initiative is novel in approach and as such has the potential to inform similar education programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In the UK, early years policy emphasizes that all families should have access to support tailored to their individual needs. Knowledge of the determinants of health service use should help to inform rational and equitable planning and delivery of services to parents. Objectives. We seek to investigate the determinants of primary care service use in families with preschool children. Methods. Determinants of service use in two population cohorts (families with children aged 0–1 and 2–3 years) from the Growing Up in Scotland study are presented. Services related to use of the family doctor or health visitor for information on the child’s health or behaviour in the last year. Results. A range of socio-demographic determinants were significant predictors of service use on multivariate analysis. Determinants of service use differed between the health visitor and family doctor. Conclusions. The analysis provides an insight into the determinants and patterns of health service use by families with young children at two stages of development. While some of our findings are expected or supported by previous research, others highlight areas that require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents a study that investigated the health profile of patients with tinnitus in Great Britain. Background on tinnitus; Analysis of the physical function and mental health of tinnitus sufferers; Examination of the social functioning and role limitations of patients with tinnitus; Comparison between male and female tinnitus sufferers.

Objective: The physical and mental health of women prior to conception can have a significant impact on pregnancy and child outcomes. Given the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, the aim was to explore the relation between mental health, physical health and health behaviour in women planning a pregnancy., Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of responses from 131 182 women to a preconception health digital education tool, providing data on physical and mental health and health behaviour. Logistic regression was used to explore associations between mental health and physical health variables., Results: Physical health conditions were reported by 13.1% and mental health conditions by 17.8%. There was evidence for an association between self-reported physical and mental health conditions (odds ratio [OR] 2.22, 95% CI 2.14-2.3). Those with a mental health condition were less likely to engage with healthy behaviour at preconception such as folate supplementation (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.86-0.92) and consumption of the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables (OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.74-0.79). They were more likely to be physically inactive (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.11-1.18), smoke tobacco (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.66-1.78) and use illicit substances (OR 2.4, 95% CI 2.25-2.55)., Conclusions: Greater recognition of mental and physical comorbidities is needed and closer integration of physical and mental healthcare in the preconception period, which could support people to optimise their health during this time and improve long-term outcomes., (© 2023 The Authors. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)