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Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London, England

Carers pay the heavy price of failing legislation

5 July 2016

A year on from the introduction of the Care Act 2014, a review by the UK’s largest charity for unpaid carers has found that the new act has made little or no difference to the 5.4 million carers in England. The review commissioned by the Carers Trust, led by former care minister Paul Burstow, involved […]

The Big C booklet produced by Open University academics to support BBC TV series The Big C and Me.

5 ways to make a difference to someone living with cancer

2 June 2016

Two and a half million people are living with cancer in Britain. But what is the impact on a patient once they receive the diagnosis and how do they, and their families and friends, cope with everything the disease then throws at them? The Big C and Me is a BBC/Open University co-production delving into […]

Why alcohol makes you feel warm – and other strange effects it has on the brain

26 May 2016

Alcohol: why do we drink it? People have been consuming alcohol for at least 10,000 years. And when drinking water was rather risky, alcohol seemed a much safer bet. Amaldus of Villanova, a 14th-century monk, even wrote that alcohol “prolongs life, clears away ill humors, revives the heart and maintains youth”. Today people will give […]

Does air pollution increase the risk of stillbirth?

26 May 2016

New research suggests pregnant women exposed to air pollution – like car emissions or industrial waste fumes – could face an increased risk of stillbirth. But an Open University statistics expert says that’s not necessarily the case. “I don’t think these new findings should be a serious cause for concern for individual pregnant women – if […]

Wooden cross in a graveyard. Image credit: Thinkstock

The complex issues of death and dying

10 May 2016

The only certainty in life is death. Visiting academic in Health and Social Care, Carol Komaromy, researched the complex issues of death and dying, covering topics like the place of grief in society and how people cope with death depending on their gender or profession. To mark Dying Matters Awareness Week, from 9th to 15th May, […]

Q&A: Does fertility treatment affect breast cancer risk?

13 April 2016

One in eight UK women get breast cancer at some point in their lives. A study out today explores whether there are links between fertility treatments and what can be seen on a breast screening mammogram, and hence possibly to breast cancer risks. The researchers used data from over 43,000 Swedish women who had had […]

What is brain plasticity and why is it so important?

5 April 2016

What makes the brain special is that, unlike a computer, it processes sensory and motor signals in parallel. It has many neural pathways that can replicate another’s function so that small errors in development or temporary loss of function through damage can be easily corrected by rerouting signals along a different pathway. The problem becomes […]

If we are not rich can we still be happy? OU academic investigates

17 March 2016

Rich beyond your wildest dreams, but does that make you happy? Professor Paul Anand argues that it is factors other than simply wealth which determine your happiness levels and to mark World Happiness Day this weekend he introduces the measurement concept and the value of flourishing. The latest findings of the World Happiness Report, were […]

People with learning disabilities want to find love too

12 February 2016

This Valentine’s Day will once again see a celebration of love. Unfortunately for many people with learning disabilities, this is just a dream. Although they may want to be in a relationship, they are often faced with barriers and challenges that prevent them finding what many take for granted. But specialised dating agencies can help […]

Why assisted suicide is a ‘moral maze’

11 February 2016

Dr Sam Murphy, Lecturer in health studies and Interim Assistant Head of Department, in the Faculty of Health and Social Care writes on the controversial subject of assisted suicide… The recent BBC programme How to Die: Simon’s Choice brought to the fore the dilemmas that arise following a diagnosis of a terminal illness such as […]

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Category: Health