Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic
As lockdown measures begin to ease, what evidence is there about the impact that COVID-19 has had on our mental health? The COVID-19 pandemic has… Read More »Mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic
Health & Social Care
Alcohol-specific deaths in Northern Ireland
Overview The latest figures published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) (February 2021) show that the number of alcohol-specific deaths in 2019… Read More »Alcohol-specific deaths in Northern Ireland
Eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic
Following the Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which took place in the United Kingdom in March 2021, this article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic… Read More »Eating disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic
Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake
As the COVID-19 vaccination programme progresses in Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom, this article considers the causes and consequences of misinformation… Read More »Social media spread of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake
COVID-19: Vaccines and other potential treatments
This article considers a number of recent medical developments in relation to COVID-19 and the implications of the new vaccine for Northern Ireland. Coronaviruses are… Read More »COVID-19: Vaccines and other potential treatments
‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Social distancing and face coverings to minimise the spread of the virus
Context The RaISe research paper ‘Exit’ from COVID-19 ‘lockdown’: Health-related issues (20 May 2020) contained sections on transmission of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and two of… Read More »‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Social distancing and face coverings to minimise the spread of the virus
‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Use of testing and contact tracing
The Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe) has published a number of papers on testing for Sars-CoV-2 tracking and contact tracing, including ‘Testing for Sars-CoV-2… Read More »‘Exit’ from COVID-19 lockdown: Use of testing and contact tracing
Ten reasons to be cautious about using R to support decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic
The risk is that a complicated number is released without context into a world that doesn’t know how to think about it. The ‘R… Read More »Ten reasons to be cautious about using R to support decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19: How is testing and contact tracing being used in Northern Ireland and beyond?
Dr Janice Thompson and Sinéad McMurray This article is based on information extracted from the RaISe briefing paper: Testing for Sars-CoV-2 in the UK;… Read More »COVID-19: How is testing and contact tracing being used in Northern Ireland and beyond?
Loneliness: What is it and what can be done about it?
Although loneliness and social isolation are often reported synonymously, they are in fact distinct concepts. A person who is isolated may not necessarily be lonely,… Read More »Loneliness: What is it and what can be done about it?