British medical bulletin
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British medical bulletin · Apr 2023
ReviewChildren and bioethics: clarifying consent and assent in medical and research settings.
The concept of consent in the pediatric setting is complex and confusing. Clinicians and researchers want to know whose consent they should obtain, when a child can provide independent consent and how that is determined. The aim of this article is to establish what produces the justification to proceed with medical or research interventions involving children and the role of consent in that. I clarify concepts such as consent, assent, capacity and competence. ⋯ An account of children's well-being that accommodates children's interests during the transition to adulthood.
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British medical bulletin · Apr 2023
Slowing down or returning to normal? Life expectancy improvements in Britain compared to five large European countries before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Life expectancy is an important summary measure of population health. In the absence of a significant event like war or disease outbreak, trends should, and historically have, increase over time, albeit with some fluctuations. ⋯ While it is clear that Britain is making less progress in health than similar countries, more research is needed to explain why.
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British medical bulletin · Dec 2022
The use of long head biceps tendon autograft for massive rotator cuff tears: a PRISMA compliant systematic review.
Rotator cuff tears (RCT) are a common cause of shoulder pain and disability, with massive RCT accounting for 10-40% of all rotator cuff tears. ⋯ Prospective long term follow-up studies and randomized controlled trials are needed, adding imaging evaluation and appropriate clinical outcome measures at follow-up.
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British medical bulletin · Dec 2022
ReviewWorkplace exposure to UV radiation and strategies to minimize cancer risk.
Workplace exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) causes malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The evidence for beneficial effects of solar UV exposure in reducing the risks for other cancers is increasing. The intensity of UV radiation at the Earth's surface is dependent on latitude, but even in northern European countries exposure can be high enough for outdoor work to cause skin cancer. ⋯ Exposure-response epidemiological studies; studies of the health benefits of occupational UV exposure; studies of the effectiveness of intervention strategies to prevent skin cancer. Use of low-cost UV sensors in workplaces.
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British medical bulletin · Dec 2022
ReviewA review of COVID vaccines: success against a moving target.
Multiple vaccine platforms against COVID-19 have been developed and found safe and efficacious at a record speed. Although most are effective, they vary in their ease of production and distribution, their potential speed of modification against new variants, and their durability of protection and safety in certain target groups. ⋯ The global effort to combat transmission and disease continues to rely upon intense epidemiological surveillance, whilst real-world data and clinical trials shape vaccination schedules and formulae.