News
Health disparities in preterm births in England, study finds
Preterm birth rates are lower than the national average for White women and higher for Black and Asian women, and women living in the most deprived areas according to a new University of Bristol-led study published in published in BMC Medicine. The study analysed data from 1.3…
The UK would benefit from a national database for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Researchers at the University of Bristol found that stakeholders were broadly supportive of creating a national linked database for foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in the UK. The study team consulted a variety of people, including those with FASD, their families, healthcare workers, policymakers, and researchers to…
Addressing frailty in patients undergoing total hip and knee replacements
Researchers from Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter have demonstrated that it would be possible to use a randomised controlled trial to evaluate a prehabilitation programme for frail adults undergoing total hip or knee replacement. Patients taking part in the Joint PREP (Joint Prehabilitation with Exercise and Protein) study found the programme…
Holistic modelling could help shift the dial on obesity
An holistic modelling approach to evaluating obesity interventions could significantly improve policy effectiveness, according to a new paper published in the BMJ. The analysis was led by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded researchers at the University of Bristol alongside Germany’s Agency for Health Economic Assessment…
New name for our local Secure Data Environment as funding confirmed to March 2025
The South West Secure Data Environment (SDE) is the new name for the Great Western SDE. This change of name reflects the SDE’s geographic area in plainer, more recognisable language. The change of name was approved by NHS England in June, alongside confirmation of the SDE’s…
Improving shared decision making in surgery
Shared decision making is when patients and healthcare professionals work together to agree on a treatment plan. It is a collaborative process that aims to make sure patients’ treatment decisions align with their preferences, values and lifestyle. This is particularly important when making decisions to have surgery because the consequences…
Study find incidents of mental illness can increase for up to a year following severe COVID-19
A new study that examined health data on 18 million people reveals higher incidence of mental illnesses for up to a year following severe COVID-19 in unvaccinated people. Vaccination appeared to mitigate the adverse effects of COVID-19 on mental illnesses. The University of Bristol-led study, published in…
Around 160,000 joint replacement surgeries lost by COVID-19 pandemic, study finds
Nearly nine months of joint replacement surgery has been lost – around 160,000 fewer operations – since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study led by the University of Bristol has found. The research suggests returning to pre-pandemic levels will not tackle the backlog, and…
New study identifies two proteins that may contribute to stroke recurrence
The study discovered genetic markers in inflammation that may be related to a second stroke or other major cardiovascular event following a stroke. These findings could help identify drug targets to mitigate stroke-related disability and mortality. People who experience an arterial ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic…