OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of peer support for reducing symptoms of depression. METHODS Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and CENTRAL databases were searched for clinical trials published as of April 2010 using Medical Subject Headings and free text terms related to depression and peer support. Two independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared a peer support i...

BACKGROUND Psychological distress among medical students is commonly observed during medical education and is generally related to poor academic self-perception. We evaluated the role of peer social support at medical schools in the association between psychological distress and academic self-perception. METHODS An online survey was conducted in a medical degree program for 138 international ...

Government policy is to recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, with continued breastfeeding while solid foods are introduced. Current breastfeeding data does not include rates of exclusive breastfeeding but the UK has one of the lowest rates of breastfeeding worldwide, especially among families from disadvantaged groups. A marked feature is the rapid decline over the first fe...

Cancer can be a devastating diagnosis, creating social, emotional, financial and psychological problems. Peer support programs are based on the premise that support from others who have been through a similar experience can help reduce the negative impacts of this disease. While there is strong theoretical rationale for this, empirical evidence that would guide program planning is scarce. We co...

BACKGROUND Although peer-to-peer contact might empower patients in various ways, studies show that only a few patients actually engage in support groups. OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to explore factors that facilitate or impede engagement in face-to-face and online peer support, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). METHODS A questionnaire was completed by 679 patients bei...