A national survey has found that the number of teenagers drinking alcohol and using drugs in England is falling. Government ministers have commented that these results were “encouraging”, but vowed to cut the numbers further. The survey of 8,200 11 to 15 year olds found:

Caroline Flint, public health minister said, “Despite these promising figures, we are not complacent - just one young person smoking or misusing alcohol or drugs is one too many.” The government also plans to raise the legal age that individuals can but tobacco products from 16 to 18 years.

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National figures have shown that over a 13 month period, 206 children under the age of 12 were treated for an eating disorder in Britain and Ireland. One girl of just six years old showed signs of an eating disorder, including food avoidance, fear of weight gain and excessive exercising, however was not officially diagnosed with anorexia as she wasn’t severely underweight.

Figures from research conducted at the Paediatric Surveillance Unit estimated that 3.5 children in every 100,000 in the UK are treated for an eating disorder. The youngest child to be diagnosed with anorexia was eight years old.

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As of the 8th of March, NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts ) launched a new programme called ‘Innovation Challenges’, which will support a number of large campaigns in response to major social issues. The first Challenge project will focus on health innovation, and in particular mental health.

NESTA are looking to support frontline workers, carers or people with direct experience of mental distress that have a great idea for improving mental health services in the UK. The project will seek to stimulate innovative ideas and turn those ideas into new ventures developed in partnership with individual social entrepreneurs and health sector partners.

For further information have a look on their website: www.nesta.org.uk/challenges or contact the Innovation Challenges team on 0207 438 2500 or at challenges@nesta.org.uk.

An increase in awareness of prostate cancer has led to a “dramatic” increase in the number of screenings for it, according to an article on Net Doctor today. However, more counselling resources are needed to help men who test positive to come to terms with their diagnosis says Pete Gill, a nurse funded by Prostate Cancer Charity.

Statistics from Cancer Research UK reveal that prostate cancer causes approximately 10,000 deaths each year in Britain. Although an increase in the number of screenings is a step in the right direction, a positive diagnoses can be shattering and more resources are needed for men who find the news hard to cope with.

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Depression Awareness Week runs from 16th to 22nd April and is a great opportunity to raise the profile of depression and raise money to improve services. Launched by Depression Alliance over 12 years ago, the successful initiative has grown from strength to strength, with support from health professionals, politicians and the general public.

Depression Alliance are the UK’s leading charity for those suffering with depression and the organisation works hard to relieve and prevent the treatable condition by providing information and support. The charity believes that “the stigma and lack of accurate information surrounding depression continues to prevent people from seeking and finding appropriate and vital help when it is required”.

According to an article on Net Doctor, men from single-parent homes are more likely to have been sexually abused as children than those living in two parent families. A US report claims that almost 30% of men raised by a single parent told the researchers they had been sexually abused, compared with 16% living with two parent families.

The study found that even after adjusting for socioeconomic factors, children in single parent families had a higher overall risk of being sexually abused than children living in two parent homes. These findings clearly highlight the need for further support.

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