Poor literacy 'early death link'

Participants in the study were tested on aspirin dosage instructions Poor numeracy 'is ruining lives' One in three adults aged over 65 in England have difficulty understanding basic health-related information, suggests a study in the BMJ.

They are more than twice as likely to die within five years as adults with no literacy problems, it was found.

The University College London study tested nearly 8,000 adults on their understanding of aspirin instructions.

The Patients Association said patients should help draft information leaflets so they are "relevant and clear".

The researchers, from the department of epidemiology and public health at University College London, said that limited or low health literacy among older people has implications for the design and delivery of health services for this section of the population.

Using a short test containing four questions, based on instructions similar to those found on a packet of aspirin, the researchers assessed the participants' ability to read and understand the information.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuotePatients must be involved in the development of these information leaflets from the outset ”

End QuoteKatherine MurphyPatients Association They found that 67.5% had high health literacy (achieved the maximum score), 20% were classed as medium (made one error) and 12.5% had low health literacy (got two, one or no questions correct).

In the study, almost half of the adults aged over 80 could not correctly answer all four questions, compared to one-quarter of the adults aged 60 or less.

'Worrying'

The study followed the participants for an average of five years after the test.

During this time, 6.1% (321) died in the high health literacy category, 9% (143) in the medium category and 16% (157) in the low literacy category.

The researchers said that lower health literacy was linked to a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, physical limitations and chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke and asthma - but higher health literacy scores were linked to stronger cognitive abilities, including verbal fluency and working memory, they said.

When researchers adjusted for factors such as wealth, education, income, ethnicity and basic health, the link between low health literacy and mortality risk reduced, "but remained significant", the study said.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients' Association said it was worrying that so many people struggle to understand health-related information.

"How are patients expected to make informed decisions if they do not fully understand the information being given to them?

"Patients must be involved in the development of these information leaflets from the outset to make sure they provide relevant and clear information."

Michelle Mitchell, director general of Age UK, said health professionals have a responsibility to give patients information that makes sense.

"That way, patients will be better empowered to manage their own health conditions and make the positive lifestyle choices that lead to better health and wellbeing."

Sleep position 'still-birth link'

Even among the women surveyed who lay on their right, the risk remained extremely small Continue reading the main storyRelated StoriesThe hidden pain of stillbirths UK stillbirths 'highest' in west Experts want urgent research to see if the position a woman chooses to sleep in during late pregnancy affects still-birth risk, as a study suggests a link.

The University of Auckland compared 155 women who had late still-births with 310 who had healthy pregnancies.

Sleeping on the back or right side, rather than the left, doubled the risk - but only to almost four in 1,000.

Left-side lying aids blood flow to the baby, as the mother's major blood vessels are unimpeded by a heavy womb.

The New Zealand study, published in the British Medical Journal, called for larger studies to test the findings.

Ms Daghni Rajasingam of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said: "There are many factors which are linked to still-birth including obesity, increasing maternal age, ethnicity, congenital anomalies and placental conditions. A significant number are unexplained.

Continue reading the main story“Start QuoteWe would like to see further research into sleep in pregnancy encouraged and funded as a matter of urgency”

End QuoteJanet Scott of the stillbirth charity Sands "This small-scale study looks at another possible factor. However, more research is needed into sleep patterns before any firm conclusions over sleeping positions can be made.

"In the meantime, women should speak to their midwives if they are concerned."

The UK has one of the highest still-birth rates in the developed world. Every year here 4,000 babies are still-born.

A third of still-births have no clear cause.

Janet Scott, of the still-birth and neonatal-death charity Sands, said: "We would like to see further research into sleep in pregnancy encouraged and funded as a matter of urgency.

"The study will require further validation before any widespread public health campaign could be justified.

"Mums want to know what they can do to reduce the chance of this happening to their baby.

"A simple message which mums could follow, which would reduce their risk of still-birth, would be very welcome."

Study 'finds ADHD genetic link'

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Sharon Fuccilo and 13-year-old son Matthew talk about living with ADHD

The first direct evidence of a genetic link to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has been found, a study says.

Scientists from Cardiff University, writing in The Lancet, said the disorder was a brain problem like autism - not due to bad parenting.

They analysed stretches of DNA from 366 children who had been diagnosed with the disorder.

But other experts agued ADHD was caused by a mixture of genetic and environmental factors.

Continue reading the main storyRelated stories ADHD 'is not bad behaviour'Living with ADHD At least 2% of children in the UK are thought to have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Affected children are restless and impulsive. They may also have destructive tendencies, and experience serious problems at school and within family life.

The researchers compared genetic samples from ADHD children, with DNA from 1,047 people without the condition.

They found that 15% of the ADHD group had large and rare variations in their DNA - compared with 7% in the control group.