Magic Statistics

Two new studies suggest that psychotic illnesses are related to social factors.  In particular, family breakdown for at least one year before age 16 is linked with a doubling of the risk of adult psychosis.  The studies were conducted by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London.

They found schizophrenia was nine times more common in people from African Caribbean origin, and six times more common in people from black African origin than in the white British population.

In a second paper, they found that separation from one or both parents for more than a year before the age of 16, as a consequence of family breakdown, was associated with a 2.5 fold increased risk of developing psychosis in adulthood.

Family breakdown of this type was found to be more common in the African-Caribbean community (31%) than the white community (18%).

Researcher Dr Craig Morgan said: "These findings provide evidence that early social adversity may increase the risk of later psychosis.

"Such early adversity may be one factor contributing to the high rate of psychosis in the African-Caribbean population."

This finding presents a major challenge to the currently accepted view that psychosis results largely, if not entirely, from genetic causes.  More investigation is needed into how social adversity interacts with biological factors.

The researchers also discounted the possibility that drug usage could account for higher psychosis among black people, noting that prevalence of drug abuse is about the same among blacks as among the overall population.

Both papers are to be published in the journal Psychological Medicine and can be downloaded here.

h/t: The Szasz Blog

British Airways set off an unprecedented public outcry in Britain and overseas when it suspended without pay, and then rejected an appeal from, employee Nadia Eweida for wearing a small cross to work at BA’s Heathrow check-in counter.  Miss Eweida had the support of her union, 100 MPs, fourteen Church of England bishops, and many other church leaders.  Christian groups began organising consumer boycotts of the airline.

Finally, after Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams threatened to consider selling off the C of E’s £10 million holding in the airline, a light went on at head office.

British Airways paved the way last night for a climbdown over its refusal to allow a Christian worker to wear a cross over her uniform.

The airline bowed to the threat of a boycott by consumers and condemnation from politicians and churchmen by announcing a review of its uniform policy.

The move came hours after Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, threatening to withdraw the Church of England's £10.25 million investment in BA.

It was a blow for Willie Walsh, the airline's chief executive, who had staked his authority on insisting that Nadia Eweida, a check-in worker, keep to its rules.

While defending the policy as consistent with industry standards and non-discriminatory, he signalled that the outcry had swayed BA.

Roman Catholic leaders in Britain and the Vatican spoke out in support of Miss Eweida, as did Anglican Archbishop of Nigeria Peter Akinola, who saw BA’s policy as anti-Christian and said that, if the company stood its ground, he would encourage Christians throughout Africa to boycott BA.  Even British Muslims joined the chorus of disapproval.

British MPs immediately acknowledged BA’s about-face.

Ann Widdecombe, the former Conservative Home Office minister, said: “I cannot believe that a major company couldn’t have worked out weeks ago that the way out of this was a review instead of taking everything to the wire and losing custom and goodwill en route.”

The Labour MP Ian Austin said: “All they have to do is let staff who want to wear a cross do so, just like the other faith symbols they are allowing staff to wear at the moment.”

The airline allows Muslims and Sikhs to wear headscarves and turbans to work, but demanded that Miss Eweida either cover up her cross or remove it.

Throughout the uproar, which began over a month ago, neither Prime Minister Tony Blair nor any senior cabinet secretary nor any major party leader has uttered a word about it.  Amanda Platell of the Daily Mail lays into the cowards.

Deafening silence of our gutless leaders
. . .
This week our Prime Minister (a devout practicing Christian, remember) refused to comment over a blatant act of religious oppression when British Airways refused to allow Nadia Eweida to wear a small silver cross to work.

Blair was joined in that chorus of silence by our next PM, Gordon Brown, as well as the Tory leader David Cameron and the Lib Dem's Ming Campbell. All claim to be Christians. All say they are defenders of British values. But none spoke up.

Have we ever had a more gutless bunch of individuals leading this country?

Thank God for the church leaders and ordinary people who have spoken up in defence of religious liberty—in one of the nations that gave birth to liberty.  Thank God especially for Archbishop of York John Sentamu who was in the forefront of the campaign of public support for Miss Eweida.

h/t for Daily Mail news link: Pearcey Report

Previous related posts:

• You can work for us if you stay out of sight
• Another sign of the end?