A scoping review of routinely collected linked data in research on gambling harm.

Gambling harm is a global public health challenge. Gambling is often recorded in settings using routinely collected data (RCD). Linking of existing RCD affords numerous opportunities for policy-led research on gambling harm and early intervention.

Post-traumatic growth in refugees and internally displaced persons worldwide: systematic review and meta-analysis.

: Globally, millions of people are forced to flee their home nation due to war, conflict, political instability, natural disasters or persecution every year. The detrimental psychological issues that refugees experience are well established, whilst research on positive psychological well-being, such as Post-Traumatic Growth, is limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to synthesise the peer-reviewed literature which quantitatively measured PTG in refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) and present factors associated with PTG in this population.

The Association Between Cognitive Functioning and Depression Severity: A Multiwave Longitudinal Remote Assessment Study.

Cognitive difficulties are prevalent in depression and are linked to various negative life outcomes such as psychosocial impairment, absenteeism, lower chance of recovery or remission, and overall poor quality of life. Thus, assessing cognitive functioning over time is key to expanding our understanding of depression. Recent methodological advances and the ubiquity of smartphones enable remote assessment of cognitive functioning through smartphone-based tasks and surveys.

Daily associations between sleep quality, stress, and cannabis or alcohol use among veterans.

United States military veterans face heightened vulnerability to sleep disturbances due to factors such as irregular sleep schedules, combat-related stress, and co-occurring mental health disorders. These sleep disturbances are often exacerbated by substance use, including alcohol and cannabis, as veterans may rely on these substances to self-medicate for stress and sleep issues. However, the interplay between sleep quality, substance use, and perceived stress remains poorly understood, particularly on a day-to-day basis.

Exploring the dynamic relationships between nocturnal heart rate, sleep disruptions, anxiety levels, and depression severity over time in recurrent major depressive disorder.

Background: Elevated night resting heart rate (HR) has been associated with increased depression severity, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of sleep disturbance and the influence of anxiety on the relationship between night resting HR and depression severity.

Methods: This is a secondary data analysis of data collected in the Remote Assessment of Disease and Relapse (RADAR) Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) longitudinal mobile health study, encompassing 461 participants (1774 observations) across three national centers (Netherlands, Spain, and the UK).

The Digital Health Competencies in Medical Education Framework: An International Consensus Statement Based on a Delphi Study.

Importance: Rapid digitalization of health care and a dearth of digital health education for medical students and junior physicians worldwide means there is an imperative for more training in this dynamic and evolving field.

Objective: To develop an evidence-informed, consensus-guided, adaptable digital health competencies framework for the design and development of digital health curricula in medical institutions globally.

Evidence Review: A core group was assembled to oversee the development of the Digital Health Competencies in Medical Education (DECODE) framework.

Using Passive and Active Data to Predict Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Cannabis Use in Recently Discharged UK Veterans: A Protocol for the MAVERICK Feasibility Study.

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a growing concern amongst UK veterans. Co-occurrence of problematic cannabis use, and PTSD is associated with greater PTSD symptom severity, decreased likelihood of cannabis use cessation, worse clinical outcomes, and increased societal burden. Despite increased screening efforts among veterans, there are no effective strategies for predicting risk for PTSD and problematic drug use escalation before these conditions develop, worsen, or become chronic.

KCL TEST: an open-source inspired asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 surveillance programme in an academic institution.

Rapid and accessible testing was paramount in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our university established KCL TEST: a SARS-CoV-2 asymptomatic testing programme that enabled sensitive and accessible PCR testing of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in saliva. Here, we describe our learnings and provide our blueprint for launching diagnostic laboratories, particularly in low-resource settings.

Cohort profile: The Social media, smartphone use and Self-harm in Young People (3S-YP) study-A prospective, observational cohort study of young people in contact with mental health services.

Objectives: The Social media, Smartphone use and Self-Harm (3S-YP) study is a prospective observational cohort study to investigate the mechanisms underpinning associations between social media and smartphone use and self-harm in a clinical youth sample. We present here a comprehensive description of the cohort from baseline data and an overview of data available from baseline and follow-up assessments.

Methods: Young people aged 13-25 years were recruited from a mental health trust in England and followed up for 6 months.

Restore and Rebuild (R&R): a protocol for a phase 2, randomised control trial to compare R&R as a treatment for moral injury-related mental health difficulties in UK military veterans to treatment as usual.

Background: Exposure to potentially morally injurious events is increasingly recognised as a concern across a range of occupational groups, including UK military veterans. Moral injury-related mental health difficulties can be challenging for clinicians to treat and there is currently no validated treatment available for UK veterans. We developed Restore and Rebuild (R&R) as a treatment for UK veterans struggling with moral injury-related mental health difficulties.

Shorter communications: Exploring the impact of a brief smartphone-based alcohol intervention app (DrinksRation) on the quality of life of UK military veterans.

Alcohol misuse - defined as consuming more than 14 units of alcohol per week - is a well-established problem among veterans. This study investigated the change in quality of life among help-seeking UK veterans who completed a 28-day brief alcohol intervention delivered via a digital smartphone application (called DrinksRation) and have previously sought clinical help for a mental health disorder. This study was a secondary outcome analysis of data collected during a randomised control trial.

Engagement With a Remote Symptom-Tracking Platform Among Participants With Major Depressive Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Multiparametric remote measurement technologies (RMTs), which comprise smartphones and wearable devices, have the potential to revolutionize understanding of the etiology and trajectory of major depressive disorder (MDD). Engagement with RMTs in MDD research is of the utmost importance for the validity of predictive analytical methods and long-term use and can be conceptualized as both objective engagement (data availability) and subjective engagement (system usability and experiential factors). Positioning the design of user interfaces within the theoretical framework of the Behavior Change Wheel can help maximize effectiveness.

Digital Therapeutic Intervention for Women in the UK Armed Forces Who Consume Alcohol at a Hazardous or Harmful Level: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Alcohol misuse is common in the United Kingdom Armed Forces (UKAF), with prevalence significantly higher than in the general population. To date, digital health initiatives to support alcohol misuse have focused on male individuals, who represent approximately 89% of the UKAF. However, female veterans drink disproportionally more than female members of the public.

The DrinksRation Smartphone App for Modifying Alcohol Use Behaviors in UK Military Service Personnel at Risk of Alcohol-Related Harm: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Consumption of alcohol is synonymous with military populations, and studies have shown that serving personnel drink more than age- and sex-matched civilian populations. While ingrained in the military culture, excessive alcohol use is associated with increased rates of disciplinary issues, sickness absence, and loss of productivity, as well as contributing to a burden of acute and chronic health problems. Alcohol brief interventions can reduce alcohol use in civilian populations, but there is a paucity of evidence relating to the effectiveness of similar interventions in military populations.

Health and well-being of serving and ex-serving UK Armed Forces personnel: protocol for the fourth phase of a longitudinal cohort study.

Introduction: This is the fourth phase of a longitudinal cohort study (2022-2023) to investigate the health and well-being of UK serving (Regulars and Reservists) and ex-serving personnel (veterans) who served during the era of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. The cohort was established in 2003 and has collected data over three previous phases including Phase 1 (2004-2006), Phase 2 (2007-2009) and Phase 3 (2014-2016).

Methods And Analysis: Participants are eligible to take part if they completed the King's Centre for Military Health Research Health and Wellbeing Cohort Study at Phase 3 (2014-2016) and consented to be recontacted (N=7608).

The effectiveness of digital health technologies for reducing substance use among young people: a systematic review & meta-analysis.

Background: Substance use amongst young people poses developmental and clinical challenges, necessitating early detection and treatment. Considering the widespread use of technology in young people, delivering interventions digitally may help to reduce and monitor their substance use.

Aims: We conducted a systematic review and two meta-analyses to assess the effectiveness of digital interventions for reducing substance use (alcohol, smoking, and other substances) among young people aged 10 to 24 years old.

Evaluating a Smartphone App (MeT4VeT) to Support the Mental Health of UK Armed Forces Veterans: Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Previous research demonstrates that less than 50% of military veterans experiencing mental health difficulties seek formal support. Veterans often struggle to identify problems as mental health difficulties. In addition, they may fail to recognize the need for support before reaching a crisis point and face difficulties navigating care pathways to access support.

Multilingual markers of depression in remotely collected speech samples: A preliminary analysis.

Background: Speech contains neuromuscular, physiological and cognitive components, and so is a potential biomarker of mental disorders. Previous studies indicate that speaking rate and pausing are associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, results are inconclusive as many studies are small and underpowered and do not include clinical samples.

Acceptance and commitment therapy for co-occurring gambling disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder in veterans: a narrative review.

PTSD and gambling disorder (GD) are frequently comorbid. Gambling may provide escape-based coping for the emotions experienced by PTSD sufferers. Military personnel may be at increased risk of PTSD and/or GD.

Identifying Military Service Status in Electronic Healthcare Records from Psychiatric Secondary Healthcare Services: A Validation Exercise Using the Military Service Identification Tool.

Electronic healthcare records (EHRs) are a rich source of information with a range of uses in secondary research. In the United Kingdom, there is no pan-national or nationally accepted marker indicating veteran status across all healthcare services. This presents significant obstacles to determining the healthcare needs of veterans using EHRs.

Observational prospective study of social media, smartphone use and self-harm in a clinical sample of young people: study protocol.

Introduction: Young people are the most frequent users of social media and smartphones and there has been an increasing speculation about the potential negative impacts of their use on mental health. This has coincided with a sharp increase in the levels of self-harm in young people. To date, studies researching this potential association are predominantly cross-sectional and reliant on self-report data, which precludes the ability to objectively analyse behaviour over time.

Maximizing the positive and minimizing the negative: Social media data to study youth mental health with informed consent.

Social media usage impacts upon the mental health and wellbeing of young people, yet there is not enough evidence to determine who is affected, how and to what extent. While it has widened and strengthened communication networks for many, the dangers posed to at-risk youth are serious. Social media data offers unique insights into the minute details of a user's online life.

Mental health problems and admissions to hospital for accidents and injuries in the UK military: A data linkage study.

Purpose: Accidents are the most common cause of death among UK military personnel. It is a common misconception in the general public that accidental injuries are always the result of random events, however research suggests that mental health problems and the increased levels of risky behaviour in military personnel may play a role. The objective of this study was to further our understanding of injuries and deaths not related to deployment by examining the associations of mental health, alcohol misuse and smoking with inpatient admission to hospital for accidents and injuries, and attendance to accident and emergency (A&E) departments.