Mental Ill Health Now The Highest Cost To Ill Health

The June issue of the European Journal of Neurology (vol12:1-27), Patrik Andin-Soboki et al, report the total cost for the 25 member states of the EU as a staggering €386 billion at 2004 costs that is €829 per head. A large part of the cause has its origins in early development. In a letter to the Lancet at the end of August, the Foundation blames the elite advisory system supposedly giving Government advice on health, nutrition and education for ignoring mental ill health and low birthweight which is the single most important determinant of mental impairment. (Crawford M et al Lancet. 2005; 366:714-5).

New Evidence on the Cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Adverse prenatal conditions predispose to Cot Death.

A study reported in the Lancet of more than a quarter of a million women in Scotland found that stunted prenatal growth and pre-term delivery were at the highest risk. And a previous cot death increased the risk, destroying the often used accusation of child abuse as the cause.

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