| Many fathers get depressed after having children One in five men suffer from depression by the time their child is 12, according to a Medical Research Council studyOne in five men become depressed after becoming fathers as they juggle lack of sleep, extra responsibilities and a changed relationship with their partners, new research shows.By the time their first child is 12, 21% of fathers have had at least one episode of depression, according to an in-depth study funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).The findings provide strong evidence that postnatal depression affects significant numbers of men as well as women, and last night prompted calls for fathers-to-be to have their mental state assessed by the NHS in the same way as expectant mothers during their pregnancy. There are worries that problems with a parent's wellbeing can damage their children's behaviour and development.Research scientists led by Professor Irwin Nazareth, director of the MRC's general practice research framework, studied 86,957 families who received medical care between 1993 and 2007. They identified depression among parents by analysing diagnoses of the condition and antidepressant prescriptions.Some 3% of fathers had had depression in the first year of their child's life, rising to 10% by the time their offspring was four, 16% by the age of eight and 21% by 12, it was found.The study also underlined how postnatal depression among mothers is much more common. Of those studied, 13% had been depressed within a year of giving birth, 24% by the time their child reached four, 33% by eight and 39% by the age of 12.The researchers say the stresses of having a child trigger the depression – such as too little sleep, changed responsibilities and extra pressures being placed on the parents' relationship.Professor Steve Field, leader of the UK's 44,000 family doctors, said: "This is the best piece of research I've seen on this important but under-appreciated area of medical care. As a GP, I have often seen fathers stressed and depressed, particularly in the first year or two after becoming a parent."Men who are adapting to the new duty of parenthood while continuing in their job are under stress, and many do not go to see their GP to talk about any fears and worries they may have, added Field, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs."This should raise awareness of the stresses and potential problems ahead for dads and dads-to-be and also encourage GPs to screen men, if appropriate. This study should help improve the quality of dads' lives and ensure that talking therapies or other treatments, if needed, are used early."Rob Williams, chief executive of the Fatherhood Institute, said: "For too long there's been the assumption that it's depression and other mental health problems in mothers that has an impact on children. But in reality, the impact of a father's poor mental health on his children is also powerful."The study is likely to have underestimated the numbers of fathers who experience depression, because we know fathers are less likely than mothers to seek help with depression."Both GPs and health visitors should screen fathers as well as mothers for depression, especially when the woman is depressed, as their partners are more likely to feel the same, Williams added."We are missing a golden opportunity to forewarn new parents of the challenges they might face once their baby arrives. Parents need to be told about the risks of depression for both mothers and fathers and they should also be told about the signs which they should be looking out for in their partner."Postnatal depressionHealthMedical researchDenis Campbellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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Election unlikely to change US farm subsidies By STEVE KARNOWSKI 2010-10-15T08:03:35ZMINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Republicans might take control of Congress as they ride a wave of voter anger over deficit spending and big government, but experts who follow agriculture say they don't expect deep cuts in subsidies to farmers who grow crops such as corn and soybeans.... hosted.ap.org |
Use the profit motive to fight climate change | David Cameron The prime minister argues that there are huge gains to be made from a green economyOver the past 12 months, we've seen the devastation that unchecked climate change could bring – floods in Pakistan, forest fires in Russia, mudslides in China. And yet over the same 12 months we've seen a growing despondency about international efforts to protect our planet. Copenhagen was a disappointment for everyone who cares about climate change.Though some important steps were taken, simply not enough progress was made. But today, as the world looks to Cancún, I want to argue that everyone who cares about climate change should take heart – because I believe there are three clear reasons to have hope for the future.The first is that multilateral action is far from dead. British ministers are going to Mexico this week with an approach that is both realistic and optimistic. Realistic, because we don't expect a global deal to be struck in Cancún, but optimistic too, because we are viewing this as a stepping stone to future agreement. The momentum for action is with us. Last year, all the major economies, including the US and China, put forward together, for the first time, the actions they would take to limit emissions.This year is about building on that and bringing a global deal closer, maintaining momentum through to next year's summit in South Africa and beyond. It is vital that we demonstrate that progress is being made and the responsibility rests with all of us to put our shoulder to the wheel and push things forward. Moving step by step might be frustrating, but the consolation is that we are clearly going in the right direction.The second reason to take heart is that there is a compelling economic case to be made for fighting climate change that is barely out of the blocks yet. The green effort should not be downgraded or swept under the carpet because of spending cuts and austerity. On the contrary, both developed and developing countries have the potential to make massive gains from a green economy; the low carbon market is already worth up to £3.2 trillion and is forecast to grow by around 4% a year over the next five years.I passionately believe that by recasting the argument for action on climate change away from the language of threats and punishments and into positive, profit-making terms, we can have a much wider impact. That's why this government has set up the Capital Markets Climate Initiative – to help trigger a new wave of green investment in emerging economies and make the City of London the global capital of the fast-growing green investment sector.That brings me to the third cause for hope – Britain's ability to make change directly, even outside the progress made on multilateral decision-making. Yes, climate change is a global threat and yes, the UK accounts for less than 2% of the world's emissions, but that doesn't mean we have to wait around for a global deal in order to make a difference. For a start, there's a lot we can do bilaterally, both through government and through business. Earlier this month, Britain and China agreed to work together to pilot low-carbon initiatives. The UK-India Business Leaders Climate Group has published its first report, full of ideas on joint research programmes and skills exchanges. We are providing technical assistance to Indonesia to tackle deforestation. And within the EU we are driving work to promote investment in low-carbon infrastructure. In so many ways, we are already working directly with our friends to good effect.We can also lead change with unilateral action – setting a shining example domestically for other countries to follow. When this coalition was formed, I set out our ambition to be the greenest government ever and we are wasting no time in trying to achieve that. In the coming weeks and months, we'll be taking forward some major commitments including a new Green Deal that will insulate millions of homes, a Green Investment Bank to drive low-carbon growth and £850m funding for a renewable heat initiative. This initiative alone is going to make a massive difference to our environment and to our economy. It will drive by more than tenfold the increase of renewable heat over the coming decade, radically reducing carbon emissions and creating thousands of jobs.Another major way the UK can make a difference is through our aid programmes – and our commitment to ring-fencing aid means we're able to help the poorest countries cope with a changing climate and get access to clean energy.So these are real causes for hope. The opportunity to make progress towards a global climate change deal. A compelling case to be made for countries the world over to move to low-carbon economies. A chance for Britain to make a difference both at home and in direct partnership with major economies. For all these reasons I believe we can be optimistic about the future. In the past decade, we have seen a move in public attitudes to climate change and a hardening of political will to deal with it; over the next decade, I am convinced we can make a real difference.Climate changeClimate changeDavid Cameronguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |