HEALTH notes

DEPRESSION ADVICE ONLINE

GROWING numbers of older people are seeking mental health counselling online, a study has found.

In the over-65s, men outnumber women using the internet for this kind of advice.

Depression affects 22% of older men and 28% of older women compared to 20% of the general population.

Researcher Sarah Bateup, of Ieso Digital Health which provides online help, says in the International Journal of Ageing and Society: “This study confirms digital health advice is not just for millennials. Older people are embracing technology too.

“It’s estimated only 15% of older people with depression receive any help at all from the NHS.”

YOUR PHARMACIST CAN HELP

FRUSTRATION over GP waiting times drives 10% of us to exaggerate symptoms to get a same day check-up.

And research by PAGB, the body for overthe-counter medicine makers, found 32% visit the doctor instead of a pharmacist for seasonal conditions such as sore throats, pictured.

The findings come from a survey of 2,000 UK adults.

PAGB chief John Smith said: “With the cold and flu season now upon us, it is crucial people have a better understanding of when they should visit their GP, and when treatment from a local pharmacist would be more appropriate.”

STRESS ‘CAN ALTER GENES’

RESEARCH has revealed long term impacts of stress on the body. Top scientists met in Washington DC to present findings from a host of studies at the annual Neuroscience 2017.

Evidence showed stress experienced by fathers could alter the way genes work in their sperm, which could lead to less resilient offspring.

Other findings showed how childhood trauma can cause elevated stress hormones in later life. Moderator Bruce McEwen, of Rockefeller University, said the studies “illuminate our understanding of the many negative effects of stress on the brain”.