Social isolation and all-cause mortality: a population-based cohort study in Denmark.

Social isolation is associated with increased mortality. Meta-analytic results, however, indicate heterogeneity in effect sizes. We aimed to provide new evidence to the association between social isolation and mortality by conducting a population-based cohort study. We reconstructed the Berkman and Syme's social network index (SNI), which combines four components of social networks (partnership, interaction with family/friends, religious activities, and membership in organizations/clubs) into an index, ranging from 0/1 (most socially isolated) to 4 (least socially isolated). We estimated cumulative mortality and adjusted mortality rate ratios (MRR) associated with SNI. We adjusted for potential important confounders, including psychiatric and somatic status, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status. Cumulative 7-year mortality in men was 11% for SNI 0/1 and 5.4% for SNI 4 and in women 9.6% for SNI 0/1 and 3.9% for SNI 4. Adjusted MRRs comparing SNI 0/1 with SNI 4 were 1.7 (95% CI: 1.1-2.6) among men and 1.6 (95% CI: 0.83-2.9) among women. Having no partner was associated with an adjusted MRR of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-2.1) for men and 1.7 (95% CI: 1.2-2.4) for women. In conclusion, social isolation was associated with 60-70% increased mortality. Having no partner was associated with highest MRR

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes in psychiatric disorders: an umbrella review with meta-analysis of 245 observational studies from 32 systematic reviews

Aims/hypothesis: Estimates of the global prevalence of type 2 diabetes vary between 6% and 9%. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes has been investigated in psychiatric populations but a critical appraisal of the existing evidence is lacking, and an overview is needed. This umbrella review summarises existing systematic reviews of observational studies investigating the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in people with a psychiatric disorder. / Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception to 17 January 2021 and screened reference lists of included systematic reviews. On the basis of prespecified criteria, we included systematic reviews investigating the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in adults (aged ≥18 years) with a psychiatric disorder. Titles and abstracts of 5155 identified records and full texts of 431 selected studies were screened by two independent reviewers, based on predefined eligibility criteria and an a priori developed extraction form, following the PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed with the ROBIS instrument. Data extracted from primary studies were synthesised using random-effects meta-analyses. / Results: A total of 32 systematic reviews with 245 unique primary studies were identified and met inclusion criteria. Twelve had low risk of bias. They reported type 2 diabetes prevalence estimates ranging from 5% to 22% depending on the specific psychiatric disorder. We meta-analysed data for ten categories of psychiatric disorders and found the following prevalence estimates of type 2 diabetes: in people with a sleep disorder: 40%; binge eating disorder: 21%; substance use disorder: 16%; anxiety disorder: 14%; bipolar disorder: 11%; psychosis: 11%; schizophrenia: 10%; a mixed group of psychiatric disorders: 10%; depression: 9%; and in people with an intellectual disability 8%. All meta-analyses revealed high levels of heterogeneity. / Conclusions/interpretation: Type 2 diabetes is a common comorbidity in people with a psychiatric disorder. Future research should investigate whether routine screening for type 2 diabetes and subsequent prevention initiatives for these people are warranted

Psychiatric disorders as risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus: An umbrella review protocol

Introduction: Numerous longitudinal studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined psychiatric disorders as risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A more comprehensive overview of the area is warranted to summarise current evidence and discuss strengths and weaknesses to guide future research. / Aim: The aim of this umbrella review is to determine whether and to what extent different psychiatric disorders are associated with the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, the umbrella review also assesses the evidence on potential mediating mechanisms. / Methods and analysis: The present umbrella review will consist of a comprehensive systematic search of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational longitudinal studies investigating whether a psychiatric disorder is associated with the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. PubMed, Embase, PsychINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews will be searched, and the results will be screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Furthermore, the reference lists of included publications will be manually searched. Two independent reviewers will extract data and assess the methodological quality in the included systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Evidence on potential mediating mechanisms included in the systematic reviews and meta-analyses will also be reviewed. The implications of the overview will be discussed in light of the quality of the included studies, and suggestions for clinical practice and future research will be made. / Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required for this umbrella review. Our review will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed international journal using open access option if available. The results will also be disseminated at international conferences. / PROSPERO registration number: CRD4201809636

What technology for autism needs to be invented? Idea generation from the autism community via the ASCmeI.T. App

In autism and technology research, technologies are often developed by researchers targeting specific social and communication difficulties experienced by individuals with autism. In some technology-based projects, children and adults with autism as well as parents, carers, teachers, and other professionals, are involved as users, informers, and (more rarely) as co-designers. However, much less is known about the views of the autism community about the needs they identify as areas that could be addressed through innovative technological solutions. This paper describes the ASCmeI.T. project which encourages members of the autism community to download a free app to answer the question: If there was one new technology to help people with autism, what would it be? This project provides a model of e-participation in which people from the autism community are involved from the start so that new developments in digital technologies can be better matched to support the needs of users

PROTOCOL: In‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness: An evidence and gap map

Abstract This is the protocol for an evidence and gap map. The objectives are as follows: This EGM aims to map available evidence on the effects of in‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups in all settings

Investigating hyper-vigilance for social threat of lonely children

The hypothesis that lonely children show hypervigilance for social threat was examined in a series of three studies that employed different methods including advanced eye-tracking technology. Hypervigilance for social threat was operationalized as hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion in a variation of the hostile attribution paradigm (Study 1), scores on the Children’s Rejection-Sensitivity Questionnaire (Study 2), and visual attention to socially rejecting stimuli (Study 3). The participants were 185 children (11 years-7 months to 12 years-6 months), 248 children (9 years-4 months to 11 years-8 months) and 140 children (8 years-10 months to 12 years-10 months) in the three studies, respectively. Regression analyses showed that, with depressive symptoms covaried, there were quadratic relations between loneliness and these different measures of hypervigilance to social threat. As hypothesized, only children in the upper range of loneliness demonstrated elevated hostility to ambiguously motivated social exclusion, higher scores on the rejection sensitivity questionnaire, and disengagement difficulties when viewing socially rejecting stimuli. We found that very lonely children are hypersensitive to social threat

In‐person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness: An evidence and gap map

BackgroundSocial isolation and loneliness can occur in all age groups, and they are linked to increased mortality and poorer health outcomes. There is a growing body of research indicating inconsistent findings on the effectiveness of interventions aiming to alleviate social isolation and loneliness. Hence the need to facilitate the discoverability of research on these interventions.ObjectivesTo map available evidence on the effects of in-person interventions aimed at mitigating social isolation and/or loneliness across all age groups and settings.Search MethodsThe following databases were searched from inception up to 17 February 2022 with no language restrictions: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, EBM Reviews—Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, APA PsycInfo via Ovid, CINAHL via EBSCO, EBSCO (all databases except CINAHL), Global Index Medicus, ProQuest (all databases), ProQuest ERIC, Web of Science, Korean Citation Index, Russian Science Citation Index, and SciELO Citation Index via Clarivate, and Elsevier Scopus.Selection CriteriaTitles, abstracts, and full texts of potentially eligible articles identified were screened independently by two reviewers for inclusion following the outlined eligibility criteria.Data Collection and AnalysisWe developed and pilot tested a data extraction code set in Eppi-Reviewer. Data was individually extracted and coded. We used the AMSTAR2 tool to assess the quality of reviews. However, the quality of the primary studies was not assessed.Main ResultsA total of 513 articles (421 primary studies and 92 systematic reviews) were included in this evidence and gap map which assessed the effectiveness of in-person interventions to reduce social isolation and loneliness. Most (68%) of the reviews were classified as critically low quality, while less than 5% were classified as high or moderate quality. Most reviews looked at interpersonal delivery and community-based delivery interventions, especially interventions for changing cognition led by a health professional and group activities, respectively. Loneliness, wellbeing, and depression/anxiety were the most assessed outcomes. Most research was conducted in high-income countries, concentrated in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, with none from low-income countries. Major gaps were identified in societal level and community-based delivery interventions that address policies and community structures, respectively. Less than 5% of included reviews assessed process indicators or implementation outcomes. Similar patterns of evidence and gaps were found in primary studies. All age groups were represented but more reviews and primary studies focused on older adults (≥60 years, 63%) compared to young people (≤24 years, 34%). Two thirds described how at-risk populations were identified and even fewer assessed differences in effect across equity factors for populations experiencing inequities

Autism spectrum disorders in adolescence and adulthood: Long-term outcomes and relevant issues for treatment and research

The advances in research and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) over the past three decades have focused largely on early childhood and school-age years. Although ASD is a lifelong condition, there has been relatively little attention paid to ASD during the adolescent and adulthood periods. As the population of those with ASD continues to rise and age, the need to provide research and treatment for this group has become increasingly evident. This paper reviews the current literature available on symptoms, functioning, and treatment of adolescents and adults with ASD, as well as the unique issues that arise for individuals with ASD after childhood. Adulthood outcomes for ASD are generally poor, even for those with average to above average cognitive ability. Further research and additional clinical resources are needed for this rapidly increasing group