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Background Population mental health in the United Kingdom (UK) has deteriorated, alongside worsening socioeconomic conditions, over the last decade. Policies such as Universal Basic Income (UBI) have been suggested as an alternative economic approach to improve population mental health and reduce health inequalities. UBI may improve mental health (MH), but to our knowledge, no studies have trialled or modelled UBI in whole populations. We aimed to estimate the short-term effects of introducing UBI on mental health in the UK working-age population. Methods and findings Adults aged 25 to 64 years were simulated across a 4-year period from 2022 to 2026 with the SimPaths microsimulation model, which models the effects of UK tax/benefit policies on mental health via income, poverty, and employment transitions. Data from the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Study were used to generate the simulated population (n = 25,000) and causal effect estimates. Three counterfactual UBI scenarios were modelled from 2023: 'Partial' (value equivalent to existing benefits), 'Full' (equivalent to the UK Minimum Income Standard), and 'Full+' (retaining means-tested benefits for disability, housing, and childcare). Likely common mental disorder (CMD) was measured using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12, score [greater than or equal to]4). Relative and slope indices of inequality were calculated, and outcomes stratified by gender, age, education, and household structure. Simulations were run 1,000 times to generate 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Sensitivity analyses relaxed SimPaths assumptions about reduced employment resulting from Full/Full+ UBI. Partial UBI had little impact on poverty, employment, or mental health. Full UBI scenarios practically eradicated poverty but decreased employment (for Full+ from 78.9% [95% UI 77.9, 79.9] to 74.1% [95% UI 72.6, 75.4]). Full+ UBI increased absolute CMD prevalence by 0.38% (percentage points; 95% UI 0.13, 0.69) in 2023, equivalent to 157,951 additional CMD cases (95% UI 54,036, 286,805); effects were largest for men (0.63% [95% UI 0.31, 1.01]) and those with children (0.64% [95% UI 0.18, 1.14]). In our sensitivity analysis assuming minimal UBI-related employment impacts, CMD prevalence instead fell by 0.27% (95% UI -0.49, -0.05), a reduction of 112,228 cases (95% UI 20,783, 203,673); effects were largest for women (-0.32% [95% UI -0.65, 0.00]), those without children (-0.40% [95% UI -0.68, -0.15]), and those with least education (-0.42% [95% UI -0.97, 0.15]). There was no effect on educational mental health inequalities in any scenario, and effects waned by 2026. The main limitations of our methods are the model's short time horizon and focus on pathways from UBI to mental health solely via income, poverty, and employment, as well as the inability to integrate macroeconomic consequences of UBI; future iterations of the model will address these limitations. Conclusions UBI has potential to improve short-term population mental health by reducing poverty, particularly for women, but impacts are highly dependent on whether individuals choose to remain in employment following its introduction. Future research modelling additional causal pathways between UBI and mental health would be beneficial., Author(s): Rachel M. Thomson 1,*, Daniel Kopasker 1, Patryk Bronka 2, Matteo Richiardi 2, Vladimir Khodygo 1, Andrew J. Baxter 1, Erik Igelström 1, Anna Pearce 1, Alastair H. Leyland [...]

This study explores the complexities of developing feminist archives with a particular focus on the 'Feminist Approaches to Youth Sexuality (FAYS)' archive, created as part of the Reanimating Data project (RAD, 2018-21). Through this case study, we explore the ethical considerations and practices involved in reanimating a landmark feminist study, the Women, Risk, and AIDS Project (WRAP), and emphasize the ethical dimensions of reanimation processes, considering feminist ethics of care and risk. We also explore the concept of rematriation, which is rooted in indigenous feminist scholarship. This concept has become a guiding principle in our efforts to return WRAP to its geo-political context. As such, the article is structured into the following three sections: data in the attic, on recovery and rematriation; feminist ethics, on care and risk; and feminist archival praxis, on reanimating and language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the gradual death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, leading to fatal paralysis. Socioeconomic status (SES) is a measure of an individual’s shared economic and social status, which has been shown to have an association with health outcomes. Understanding the impact of SES on health conditions is crucial, as it can influence and be influenced by health-related variables. The role of socioeconomic status in influencing the risk and progression of ALS has not been established, and understanding the various factors that impact ALS is important in developing strategies for treatment and prevention. To investigate this relationship, we recruited 413 participants with definite, probable, or possible ALS according to the El Escorial criteria, from three tertiary centers in London, Sheffield, and Birmingham. Logistic regression was used to examine the association between case-control status, socioeconomic criteria, and ALS risk. Linear regression was used to examine the association between age of onset and socioeconomic variables. Two sensitivity analyses were performed, one using an alternative occupational classifier, and the other using Mendelian Randomization analysis to examine association. There was no significant relationship between any variables and ALS risk. We found an inverse relationship between mean lifetime salary and age of ALS onset (Beta = −0.157, p = 0.011), but no effect of education or occupation on the age of onset. The finding was confirmed in both sensitivity analyses and in Mendelian Randomization. We find that a higher salary is associated with a younger age of ALS onset taking into account sex, occupation, years of education, and clinical presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although airway clearance techniques (ACTs) and physical exercise are recommended for adults with bronchiectasis, there is little data on current practice and limited guidance predicting clinical approach., Objective: This study aimed to describe current ACT and exercise practice recorded by patients, and identify predictors of regular ACTs, ACT modalities and exercise., Methods: Physiotherapy-specific interventions, quality of life (Quality-of-Life Bronchiectasis questionnaire, QOL-B), demographics and disease severity were extracted from the Australian Bronchiectasis Registry. Multivariate analyses were undertaken to identify predictors of undertaking ACTs or exercise., Results: We included 461 patients; median age of 72 years (interquartile range 64-78 years). Regular ACT use was recorded by 266 (58 %) patients; the active cycle of breathing technique (n = 175, 74 %) was the most common technique. Regular exercise use was recorded by 213 (46 %) patients, with walking the most common form of exercise. A pulmonary rehabilitation referral was made for 90 (19.5 %) of patients. Regular ACT use was associated with a higher treatment burden on QOL-B (Odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.96 to 0.99). Regular exercise was more likely amongst patients with severe bronchiectasis compared to those with mild disease (OR = 9.46, 95 % CI 1.94 to 67.83) and in those with greater physical function on the QOL-B (OR = 1.02, 95 % CI 1.01 to 1.04)., Conclusion: Approximately half the adults in the registry report regular ACT or exercise; QOL and disease severity predict this engagement. This knowledge may guide the tailoring of ACTs and exercise prescription to optimise physiotherapy management in adults with bronchiectasis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest P.G.M is principle investigator on Insmed, AbbVie, Sanof bronchiectasis trials. R.M.T is the principal investigator for Insmed, ZAMBON trials; Ad boards Beyond Air, AN2 trials. Nil other conflicts of interest were declared., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)