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May 31, 2008
Researchers cite problems with media coverage of medical topics
In the Wall Street Journal's (5/28) Health Blog, Scott Hensley wrote that "[a]n independent analysis of 500 stories about medical topics by major consumer print and broadcast outlets in the U.S. found [that] 'journalists usually fail to discuss costs, the quality of the evidence, the existence of alternative options, and the absolute magnitude of potential benefits and harms.'"
The analysis was published in the May issue of the online journal PLoS Medicine by "Gary Schwitzer, B.A., of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism," and colleagues, MedPage Today (5/28, Smith) added. According to Schwitzer, the "coverage also usually ignores the quality of the evidence, and the existence of other options." But, "85 percent of the time, the mainstream media put the true newness of a procedure or product into context."
The investigators reached these conclusions after "monitor[ing] the top 50 newspapers (in circulation) in the U.S., the Associated Press, the three leading newsweekly magazines (Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report), and the morning and evening newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC."
Related Links:
- "How Do American Journalists Cover Medicine? Not Very Well," Scott Hensley, Wall Street Journal, May 28, 2008.
- " How Do US Journalists Cover Treatments, Tests, Products, and Procedures? An Evaluation of 500 Stories," Gary Schwitzer, PLoS Medicine, Vol. 5, No. 5, e95.
- "Mainstream Health Coverage Rated Unsatisfactory," Michael Smith, MedPage Today, May 28, 2008.
Posted by admin at 11:23 AM
May 26, 2008
NY Times: Study Finds Big Social Factor in Quitting Smoking
The New York Times (5/22, A22) reports that "[s]mokers tend to quit in groups,...which means smoking cessation programs should work best if they focus on groups, rather than individuals," according to a study published in the May 22 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nicholas A. Christakis, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., of Harvard Medical School, and James Fowler, Ph.D., of the University of California-San Diego, "followed thousands of smokers and nonsmokers for 32 years, from 1971 until 2003, studying them as part of a large network of relatives, co-workers, neighbors, friends, and friends of friends."
The researchers "analyzed 12,067 people from a single U.S. town, Framingham, Mass.," the Wall Street Journal (5/22, D6, Winstein) adds. They "found that a spouse who quits smoking makes one 67 percent less likely to smoke." Furthermore, a "friend's quitting decreases one's chance of smoking by 36 percent," and Framingham "[r]esidents with more schooling were more likely to influence each other than those without."
Related Links:
- "Study Finds Big Social Factor in Quitting Smoking," Gina Kolata, New York Times, May 22, 2008.
Posted by admin at 11:59 AM
NYTimes calls for end to "barbaric practice" of housing juveniles in adult prisons
The New York Times (5/23) editorializes that "[c]hildren who are confined to adult jails are at greater risk of being raped, battered, or pushed to suicide," and are also "more likely to become violent criminals than children handled through the juvenile justice system. When Congress reauthorizes the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, it should press the states to end this barbaric practice."
Currently, "laws in more than 40 states permit adult courts to try children as young as 14." According to the Times, it comes as no surprise that "these young people are much more likely to harm themselves in adult jails than in juvenile facilities. Those who survive often return to their communities as damaged people who are much more likely to commit crimes and return to prison."
Calling the "current system...counterproductive and inhumane," the Times concludes that Congress "should require all states that receive federal juvenile justice aid to refrain from housing people under the age of 18 in adult jails, except for those accused of the most serious crimes, like rape and murder."
Related Links:
- "," New York Times, May 23, 2008.
Posted by admin at 11:55 AM
May 23, 2008
Study indicates high level of PTSD among ground zero rescue and recovery workers
In continuing coverage from previous editions of Headlines, the New York Times (5/21, B6, DePalma) reports that "the percentage of ground zero workers who suffered post-traumatic stress" disorder (PTSD) "is roughly the same as for airline crash recovery workers and returning Afghanistan war veterans," according to a study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Examining self-reported survey data on 10,132 workers, researchers from New York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that about "one in 10 rescue and recovery workers who toiled at the site of the destroyed World Trade Center in 2001 and 2002 reported disturbing flashbacks and recurring nightmares." Nearly 11.1 percent of the participants "met the scientific criteria for probable post-traumatic stress. That is about the same percentage as for returning war veterans." Moreover, "even in workers who did not show enough signs of traumatic stress to be classified as having a disorder, there were ample signs of other psychological troubles that could lead to alcohol abuse and familial stress."
The authors "concluded that chronic mental health problems in ground zero workers have implications for public health."
Related Links:
- "Study Finds High Ground Zero Stress," Anthony DePalma, New York Times, May 21, 2008.
Posted by admin at 02:56 AM
May 20, 2008
New PBS Documentary Highlights APA Members in Fight Against Depression
A new documentary, "DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows" premiers nationwide Wednesday, May 21, at 9pm ET on the PBS television network (check your local listings). The film, producers say, "navigates the disease's complex terrain, highlighting the latest scientific research and innovative treatments."
The disorder is explored through interviews with families and individuals coping with its wide-ranging effects. The documentary then builds context through interviews with APA member experts, including Richard Friedman, M.D., Helen Kim, M.D., William McDonald, M.D., Charles Nemeroff, M.D., and Myrna Weissman, Ph.D.
Following the documentary, Jane Pauley hosts a panel discussion that will include Ken Duckworth, M.D., Dennis Charney, M.D. and Annelle Primm, M.D., director of APA's Office of Minority and National Affairs.
Posted by admin at 09:22 PM
Study indicates caregiver psychoeducation may reduce relapse recurrences in patients with bipolar disorder
MedWire (5/20, Davenport) reports that "[p]sychoeducation aimed at caregivers of bipolar patients" may help "reduce the risk for recurrences, particularly of mania and hypomania episodes" in patients with bipolar disorder, according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Bipolar Disorders.
Researchers from Spain's University of Barcelona "randomly assigned 113 medicated euthymic bipolar outpatients who lived with their caregivers to an experimental group in which the caregivers received 12 90-minute psychoeducation sessions on bipolar disorder and coping skills, or a control group in which the caregivers received no specific intervention." The patients themselves "did not attend the groups," but "they were assessed monthly for any mood recurrence during the intervention, and for 12 months of follow-up."
The investigators found that 61 patients had "a mood episode recurrence during follow-up, of whom 42 percent were from the intervention group, and 66 percent from the control group." Moreover, "among those with a hypomanic/manic episode, the intervention was associated with a significantly longer time to relapse, and a significantly lower number of patients experiencing relapse, at 17.5 percent, versus 37.5 percent for controls."
Related Links:
- "Caregiver psychoeducation reduces bipolar disorder relapse," Liam Davenport, MedWire NEws, May 20, 2008.
Posted by admin at 09:17 PM
Concerned when a friend does not reply?
QUESTION:
A questioner asked what to do when a friend who lives in another town who she suspects is having emotional difficulties, and who has attempted suicide in the past, doesn't answer phone calls, e-mails, or other attempts at communication.
ANSWER:
The first thing to do is to try to establish communication with your friend. It sounds as though you have already done this, but what might help is for you to send e-mails and voicemail messages telling her that you are very concerned and worried about her, that it frightens you to not hear from her, and that you beg her to at least send an e-mail or preferably call you to let you know how she is doing.
A second suggestion: If you ever believe there is a clear emergency, call the police in the local area where your friend lives and give them all the information you have, and they can try to help your friend or make sure she is OK.
Posted by admin at 09:08 PM
Television programs to explore how individuals cope with depression
The Washington Post (5/18, Y3) reported that filmmaker Larkin McPhee's "new documentary, Depression: Out of the Shadows, tracks a diverse group of people coping with the disease."
In the documentary, McPhee "shows viewers the personal stories of depression sufferers, including a teenager, a new mother, a gang member, and an author." After the broadcast, which is set to air on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on KCET-TV, journalist Jane Pauley, who herself "was diagnosed in 2001 with bipolar disorder," will anchor "a panel of mental health experts for a 30-minute discussion of the film." In addition, another broadcast, entitled Men Get Depression, will examine "the illness and its impact on men, their families, and careers."
It will air this Wednesday in the Washington, D.C. area "at 8 p.m. on PBS 32, and 11 p.m. on PBS 22."
Related Links:
- "A Look at the Many Faces of Depression," Kathy Blumenstock, Washington Post, May 18, 2008.
Posted by admin at 09:05 PM
Columnists advise readers to taper off antidepressants very slowly to minimize side effects
In the People's Pharmacy column in the Los Angeles Times (5/19), pharmacologist Joe Graedon and medical anthropology and nutrition expert Teresa Graedon write, "There's little that can minimize dizziness, anxiety, and other side effects common when tapering off drugs like Cymbalta (duloxetine)," and Effexor (venlafaxine).
Physicians "don't always warn patients about the possibility of withdrawal symptoms (dizziness, difficulty concentrating, sweating, anxiety, insomnia, or electric shock-like sensations) when they prescribe such medicines."
While the Graedons "don't know of any good way to diminish the uncomfortable side effects resulting from withdrawal," they caution readers to "take it even more slowly" when coming off antidepressant medications.
Related Links:
- "Side effects of antidepressant withdrawal," Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2008.
Posted by admin at 09:01 PM
May 17, 2008
Research suggests depressed mothers may place babies, toddlers at risk for injury
The UPI (5/16) reports that babies "and toddlers whose mothers are severely depressed are almost three times more likely to suffer injuries than other children," according to a study published in the Advanced Access edition of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham "examined a sample of 1,364 mothers..., who were periodically asked to list all their children's injuries, as well as how often they themselves experienced symptoms of depression."
According to PsychCentral (5/15, Nauert), "Only 2.5 percent of the mothers in the sample reported severe, clinical depression, and 15.5 percent reported being moderately depressed." The investigators "found that young children, from birth to three years, whose mothers suffered severe, chronic depression, were three times more likely to experience accidental injuries than infants and toddlers whose mothers were only moderately depressed." Notably, the "link between severe, chronic depression in mothers and injuries in young children remained consistent, even when taking into account the families' socio-economic status, parenting styles, and the children's sex, temperament, and behavior."
The authors theorized that "[a] likely cause for the link between severe maternal depression and young children's injury risk is that chronically depressed mothers may not appropriately safeguard the physical environments that children engage in." Alternately, symptoms of depression, which "include inattention, poor concentration, and irritability,...'might lead to poor or inconsistent supervision and enforcement of safety-related rules,'" the authors suggested.
The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry recently awarded its Outstanding Merit Award to "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies," a program of the Child Center and Adult Services Inc. of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Related Links:
- "Mom's depression linked to kid's injuries," United Press International, May 15, 2008.
- "Depressed Moms Place Kids at Risk for Injury," Rick Nauert, Ph.D., PsychCentral, May 15, 2008.
- ABSTRACT "Chronic Maternal Depression and Children's Injury Risk," avid C. Schwebel, PhD and Carl M. Brezausek, MS, Journal of Pediatric Psychiatry, May 12, 2008.
Posted by admin at 05:29 PM
May 16, 2008
Foreclosures take rising toll on mental health
On its front page, USA Today (5/15, 1A, Armour) reports that the current "escalating pace of foreclosures...are creating a range of emotional problems" among homeowners, some "mental-health specialists say."
Distressed homeowners are suffering from "anxiety disorders, depression, and addictive behaviors such as alcoholism and gambling," and in "a few cases," homeowners facing foreclosure have committed suicide. Mental-health professionals are now seeing "more drinking, domestic violence, and marital problems linked to mortgage concerns, as well as children trying to cope with extreme anxiety when their families are forced to move." Even homeowners not facing foreclosure are still "at risk of less-severe, but still significant, psychological distress" as they "worry that they won't be able to make their mortgage payments on time."
Psychiatrists say that "financial stresses...tend to bring pre-existing mental-health issues to the surface. Studies also show a strong connection between financial distress and emotional stress, including anxiety" and depression, which may go untreated for lack of resources. Psychiatrist Joseph Weiner, M.D., of New York's North Shore University Hospital, stated, "Often, there is a dilemma of not being able to afford private mental-health treatment in the midst of a financial crisis."
Related LInks:
- "Foreclosures take an emotional toll on homeowners," Stephanie Armour, USA Today, May 15, 2008.
Posted by admin at 01:04 PM
May 13, 2008
Foundation Presents Outstanding Merit Award to "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies"
At the annual meeting of the Maryland Psychiatric Society, on April 24th, The Maryland Foundation's Outstanding Merit Award was presented to "Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies," a program of the Child Center and Adult Services Inc. of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The award was received by Nancy Ebb, LCSW, JD and Bruce Tannenbaum M.D., respectively, Co-Director and Psychiatric Consultant at the Center.
The Foundation was impressed with this program because it treats pregnant, uninsured mothers who have suffered from abusive and traumatic experiences. These women are predominantly poor immigrants and many are or have recently been suicidal. Of particular value, the board believed, was that this early intervention prevented future mental illness in both the mothers and their babies.
Honorable mention was awarded to the Gaudenzia Foundations New Vision of Hope Program which is a treatment program in Baltimore for men and women who have been diagnosed by a licensed professional as suffering from both substance abuse and mental health problems.
Posted by admin at 04:33 PM
U.S. House panel questions drug industry about direct-to-consumer advertising
ABC World News (5/8, story 7, 2:25, Gibson) reported that on Thursday on Capitol Hill, "lawmakers had some tough questions" for the pharmaceutical industry. Questions have been raised "about whether ads for some big-selling drugs have been misleading, perhaps putting consumers at risk."
During a hearing by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce subcommittee "to discuss specific ads by Pfizer, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co, Inc., and Schering-Plough Corp.," Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) "said television commercials, in particular, use deceptive techniques to push products to potential patients and increase sales," Reuters (5/9, Heavey) explains. Rep. Stupak suggested that it may be necessary for Congress to "enforce significant restrictions" on direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads in order "to protect American consumers from manipulative commercials designed to mislead and deceive for the profit of pharmaceutical companies."
According to Rep. Stupak, "Congress should consider new restrictions on ads," the Boston Globe /Bloomberg (5/9) notes. In addition, the AMA testified that a "moratorium should be placed on ads for newly approved drugs until doctors are educated and regulators have signed off on the messages."
Related Links:
- "The Truth Behind Drug Ads: Lawmakers Question Whether Pharmaceutical Drug Tell the Truth," Lisa Stark, Tom Shine and Kate Barrett, ABC News, May 8, 2008.
- "Drugmakers need to rein in ads, hearing told," Susan Heavey, Reuters, May 8, 2008.
- "AMA Calls For Limits on Drug Ads," Bloomberg News in the Boston Globe, May 9, 2008.
Posted by admin at 04:22 PM
Survey indicates serious mental illness may cost U.S. billions in lost earnings annually
In continuing coverage from yesterday's edition of Headlines, HealthDay (5/8, McKeever) reported that "[s]erious mental illness costs Americans at least $193 billion a year in lost earnings alone," according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
The study, which was funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, "broadly defines mood and anxiety disorders that greatly limit a person's ability to function for at least 30 days a year, including instances of any condition linked to suicidal behaviors or frequent violent acts, as serious mental illness (SMI)." Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D., of Harvard University, and colleagues, "analyzed 2002 data collected from a nationally representative study of almost 5,000 Americans, aged 18 to 64, to determine earnings lost in the year prior to the survey." The researchers "found that respondents with SMI reported receiving about 40 percent less in earnings than those without serious mental disorders, who earned an average $38,852." By "extrapolating these results to the general population," the investigators "arrived at the $193.2 billion figure."
According to Congressional Quarterly's (5/9, Sowder-Staley) HealthBeat News, "The survey did not evaluate people who were hospitalized, incarcerated, or affected by autism or schizophrenia." Therefore, "researchers warn that actual costs could be higher than the estimate."
Related Links:
- "Mental Illness Costs U.S. Billions in Lost Earnings," KEvin McKeever, Business Week, May 8, 2008.
Posted by admin at 04:15 PM
May 05, 2008
Pentagon plans to change mental healthcare disclosure rule for security clearances
The AP (5/1, Jelinek) reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to announce a new policy whereby "U.S. troops won't have to reveal all their mental health counseling when applying for security clearances."
The Pentagon hopes the change "will ease the stigma of seeking help for combat stress." Gates is expected to reveal the policy on Thursday. The current security clearance application "asks applicants whether they have consulted a mental health professional in the past seven years. If so, they are asked to list the names, addresses, and dates they saw the doctor or therapist, unless it was for marriage or grief counseling and not related to violent behavior."
Under the new, "less stringent" rule, "troops would not have to worry about therapy they got for difficulties caused by their wartime tours of duty or other missions, said four officials familiar with the revision."
Related Links:
-"Officials say Pentagon easing security clearance screening," Pauline Jelinek, Washington Post, May 1, 2008.
-"DoD Changes Security Clearance Question on Mental Health," Fred W. Baker III, American Forces Press Service, May 1, 2008.
Posted by admin at 12:44 PM
APA study suggests military troops, spouses hesitant to seek mental health treatment
CNN (5/1) reports that, according to a survey by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), "U.S. military personnel fear that seeking help for mental health problems could harm their careers."
The APA's survey included "78 members of the military and 113 spouses," and found that "[t]hree of five members of the military worry that [seeking help] would have at least some impact" on their careers, while "[a]bout half said they thought other people would think less of them if they sought help for mental health problems." Carolyn Robinowitz, M.D., president of the APA, "called the figures in the survey 'alarming' and urged Congress to devote more money to treating mental health problems arising from service in combat zones."
The AFP (5/1) explains that, in the survey, "[n]early six in 10 U.S. military members said their deployment in a war zone has caused them to suffer from 'negative experiences' associated with stress." However, "a mere 10 percent have sought treatment for mental health concerns," and "[t]wo-thirds of military members said they rarely, if ever, talk about their mental health with family and friends."
Of the symptoms reported, almost "half (48 percent) of the soldiers said they had difficulty sleeping, half reported feeling depressed, and one-third reported a lack of interest in daily activities." Furthermore, 65 percent of respondents "said they were unfamiliar with the warning signs of mental health problems that might result from being in a war zone" while 35 percent "said they knew what to look for."
Related Links:
- "Study finds troops shy away from mental health care," CNN, April 30, 2008.
- "Fearing stigma, US soldiers hide mental problems: study," AFP, April 30, 2008.
Posted by admin at 12:24 PM
May 02, 2008
FDA will require drug developers to test for psychiatric side effects
In continuing coverage from previous editions of Headlines, the Chicago Tribune (4/29, Healy) reported that "a spate of recent announcements from federal health officials suggests a surprising new interpretation of suicidal fantasies and depression: Sometimes sadness, anxiety, and self-destructive thoughts are not symptoms, but side effects," of medications prescribed for smoking cessation, epilepsy, asthma, and influenza.
While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "stresses that it has established no direct causal link between these medications and suicidal thoughts," agency "regulators acknowledge that they have had one of two indicators of potential trouble in each case."
In some instances, "a review of a drug's early clinical trials turned up increased rates of suicidal thinking among subjects taking the medicine," or some "patients taking a medication developed symptoms of depression." As a result, "the agency will require developers of many new drugs to test for psychiatric side effects." And, should "early warning systems detect even a hint of psychiatric danger with a medication's use, government officials" will be "inclined to alert first, study later."
Related Links:
- "Thoughts of suicide? It could be the meds you're taking," Melissa Healy, Chicago Tribune, April 29, 2008
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Posted by admin at 01:24 PM
NAMI says U.S. women suffer from depressive symptoms at twice the rate of men
United Press International (4/30) reports that "[o]ne in eight U.S. women gets depressed -- twice the rate of men," according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). NAMI also said that "[m]iddle-age[d] Hispanic women have the highest rate of symptoms, followed by middle-aged African-American women."
In addition, "[y]oung Asian American women have the second highest rate of suicide among those ages 15 to 24, but adolescent American Indian or Alaska natives are most likely to attempt suicide, and die from suicide."
Related Links:
- "Women depressed at twice the rate of men," United PRess International, April 29, 2008.
- Women and Depression brochure site at NAMI
Posted by admin at 01:18 PM