Posted by admin at 12:59 PM

Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder May Increase Mortality Rates In Patients With Diabetes

MedWire (10/7, Cowen) reports, "Patients with diabetes and schizophrenia or bipolar disorder have significantly higher mortality rates than those with diabetes alone," according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry.

After analyzing "the QRESEARCH database to study data on survival rates in relation to mental health diagnoses among 43,992 patients with diabetes, aged at least 25 years, from 375 UK practices for the period 2001-2005," researchers found that "diabetes patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were significantly more likely to die during the study period than those with diabetes alone, at hazard ratios of 1.52 and 1.47, respectively."

Related Links:

- "a href="http://www.medwire-news.md/47/89551/Psychiatry/Serious_mental_illness_increases_mortality_risk_in_diabetes_patients.html">Serious mental illness increases mortality risk in diabetes patients," Mark Cowen, MedWire News, October 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:57 PM

Over Half Of Patients With Anorexia May Develop Eating Disorder By Age 10

The UK's Daily Mail (10/7, Bates) reports, "More than half of anorexia sufferers develop their eating disorder by the age of ten," according to a study by support group Overeaters Anonymous GB. "Family traumas, such as parents divorcing, are fuelling eating problems at primary schools."

The group, which "quizzed 250 sufferers through" its website, noted that "just under a third (29 per cent) said they were 11 to 15 when their anorexia began."

Related Links:

- "Half of anorexia sufferers 'develop eating disorder by age of 10'," Claire Bates, Daily Mail, October 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:55 PM

Article Discusses Privacy Concerns Surrounding EMRs

CNNMoney.com (10/6, Dubois) discussed privacy concerns surrounding electronic medical records, saying, "If you live in Texas, your medical records are definitely up for sale by the state. If you live anywhere else in the United States, they probably are for sale there, too."

The report said Texas has been selling "de-identified patient data to groups who can prove they would use it for research," but noted that "de-identification is far from foolproof." Deborah Peel, MD, psychiatrist and founder of a watchdog group called Patient Privacy Rights, said, "It's not a problem unique to Texas either," noting that she is "very certain this is happening in every state."

Related Links:

- "Electronic medical records: great, but not very private," Shelley DuBois, Fortune at CNNMoney.com, October 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:51 PM

October 06, 2010

CDC Study Says One In Four US High School Students, One In Seven Adults Binge Drink

AFP (10/6) reports, "Nearly one in four US high school students and one in seven adults binge drink, a public health danger that claims some 40,000 lives a year in the United States," according to a CDC study reported Tuesday.

The CDC based its study on "data gathered in 2009 from 412,000 US adults aged 18 years and older and 16,000 high school students."

CDC director Thomas Frieden said the "bouts of heavy drinking increase the risk of being involved in a fatal car crash, contracting a sexually transmitted disease, dating violence, and drug overdoses." It "can also harm a developing fetus if a woman drinks to excess while pregnant."

Reuters (10/6, Steenhuysen) reports that 21 percent of men reported binge drinking, compared with 10 percent in women. In addition, it was more common among whites than blacks – 16 percent of whites versus 10 percent of blacks.

Related Links:

- "One in four US high school students binge drinks: study," AFP, October 4, 2010.
- "One in 4 students, young adults binge drink: CDC," Julie Steenhuysen, Reuters, October 5, 2010.
- ","

Posted by admin at 09:34 PM

For Some People, Middle-Age May Be Danger Zone For Suicides

The Time (10/5, Melnick) "Healthland" blog reported, "New research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in Public Health Reports reveals that for some people, middle-age may be the danger zone" for suicides. "

Data show that there were 17.2 suicides per 100,000 45-to-54-year-olds in 2006 and 2007 -- up from 15 suicides per 100,000 people in this age group in 2001."

Some public health experts and sociologists theorize that depression, unrealistic expectations, and declining health may all play a role in middle-age suicides.

Related Links:

- "Are Unrealistic Life Expectations to Blame for Baby Boomer Suicides?," Meredith Melnick, Time, October 5, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:30 PM

Family-Based Treatment May Benefit Teens With Anorexia

The Wall Street Journal (10/5, Wang) reports that, according to a study published Oct. 4 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, the families of adolescent patients with anorexia nervosa are now being included more and more often in the treatment of the disorder.

The study found that having parents supervise each meal to make sure their child eats may be more efficacious than traditional one-on-one treatment with a therapist.

The Chicago Tribune (10/4, Deardorff) "Julie's Health Blog" reported, "Family-based therapy, often called the Maudsley Approach, should be the gold standard or first-line outpatient treatment for medically stable teens, said study co-author Daniel Le Grange, director of the Eating Disorders Clinic at the University of Chicago Medical Center." For the study, "120 patients with anorexia were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments."

HealthDay (10/4, Gardner) reported, "At six months, 40 percent of those in family-based treatment were in full remission versus 18 percent of those in individual therapy. At one year, the numbers were 49 percent and 23 percent, respectively." HealthDay pointed out that "the family therapy explored in this study focused on parents actively helping kids learn to eat and gain weight, then turning more autonomy over to the patients as their functioning improves."

Related Links:

- "Parental Role Aids Anorexia Recovery," Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street Journal, October 5, 2010.
- "Study: Family-based anorexia treatment most effective," Julie Deardorff, Chicago Tribune, October 4, 2010.
- "Anorexic Teens May Gain From Whole-Family Treatment," Amanda gardner, HealthDay, October 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:00 PM

Fort Hood Deaths Part Of "Alarming Surge" In Military Suicides In Texas

The Houston Chronicle (Wise, Wang) reported that four US soldiers stationed at Fort Hood, all of whom had "served combat tours in Iraq or Afghanistan," recently took their own lives.

Their deaths at the "sprawling Army base are part of an alarming surge in suicides among young active-duty military personnel, reservists, and veterans in Texas.

A Houston Chronicle analysis of the state's vital statistics found that suicides among Texans younger than 35 who had served in the military jumped from 47 in 2006 to 66 in 2009 -- an increase of 40 percent."

In a related story, the current issue of the Army Times (10/11) reports, "In the wake of a spike in suicides" at Fort Hood, its "senior officer has ordered a base-wide effort to check on each and every soldier."

Related Links:

- "Military sees suicide trend grow worse," Lindsay Wise, Yang Wang, Houston Chronicle, October 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:56 PM

Laws Improving Health-Insurance Coverage For Mental Illnesses, Substance Abuse

The Washington Post /Kaiser Health News (10/5) reports, "Two federal laws that provide better insurance coverage for more people with mental health and substance abuse conditions are just beginning to take effect, and advocates describe the changes as a huge win for consumers that will greatly improve treatment."

First, "under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, which took effect this year, the mental health and substance abuse benefits that a health plan provides have to be just as generous as its coverage for medical and surgical treatments."

Second, under the newly passed health reform law, "plans sold through the state-based insurance exchanges that will begin offering coverage in 2014 must include mental health and addiction benefits, and the benefits must be on a par with a plan's medical benefits."

Related Links:

- "New health-care law improves coverage for mental illnesses," Michelle Andrews, Washington Post, October 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:54 PM

October 04, 2010

Majority Of Suicidal Adolescents Seeking Emergency Care Go On To Receive Follow-Up Care By Mental-Health Professional

HealthDay (10/1, Mozes) reported that, according to research presented Oct. 1 at the Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, "the majority of suicidal adolescents who seek care in a hospital emergency room (ER) go on to receive follow-up care by a mental health professional in the next 30 days."

In a study "focused on the parents and guardians of a group of adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 who had undergone a suicide risk assessment administered by [ED] health-care professionals," researchers found that about 95 percent of suicidal teens treated in the emergency department "go on to visit a mental-health professional in the month following their initial" visit to the ED.

Related Links:

- "Most Suicidal Teens Seen in ER Receive Follow-up Care," Alan Mozes, HealthDay, October 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:11 PM

October 02, 2010

Mental Illness Stigma Persists Among Americans

From Medscape: "Despite widespread efforts to reduce the stigma attached to mental illness, Americans still perceive it as shameful, according to a new study published online September 15 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Public attitudes continue to fuel 'the myth that mental illness is lifelong, hopeless, and deserving of revulsion,' Bernice A. Pescosolido, PhD, distinguished professor of sociology at Indiana University, Indianapolis, and her colleagues write."

Read the full article at the link below.

Related Links:

- "Mental Illness Stigma Persists Among Americans," Fran Lowry, Medscape, September 22, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:15 PM

Despite Improved Efforts, Institutes Of Higher Education Still Finding It Difficult To Monitor Students' Mental Health

The Wall Street Journal (9/30, Shellenbarger) "The Juggle" blog reported that the suicide of a young Rutgers University student following the Internet posting of a sex video and the recent suicide by a University of Texas-Austin student shine a spotlight on mental-health issues of college students.

Since the Virginia Tech massacre of 2007, institutes of higher education have greatly increased efforts to monitor students' mental health. Despite such efforts, it still remains difficult to spot troubled adolescents who may, for the first time, be experiencing a mental illness or displaying signs of suicidality. Privacy laws may also limit the role an institution can play in intervening in crisis situations.

Related Links:

- "Suicide Highlights College Mental-Health Challenges," Sue Shellenbarger, Washington Post, September 30, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:12 PM

About One In 10 Americans May Be Depressed

AFP (9/30, Zeitvogel) reported, "Nearly one in 10 Americans is depressed, and one in 30 meets the criteria for major depression," according to a study published in the CDC's weekly Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) for Oct. 1.

In fact, "nine percent of more than 235,000 adults polled from 2006-2008 in 45 US states, the capital Washington, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, met the criteria for depression, and 3.4 percent for 'major' depression," the study found.

The study also found that "major depression affected women much more than men, as well as among those without health insurance vs. those with coverage," the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (9/30, Lang) "Health & Science Today" blog reported.

HealthDay (9/30, Reinberg) pointed out, "Rates of depression vary widely from state to state, ranging from a low of 4.8 percent in North Dakota to a high of 14.8 percent in Mississippi," with "more people in the Southeast" overall meeting "the criteria for depression, compared with other parts of the nation, the researchers found."

WebMD (9/30, Hendrick) reported, "The MMWR says the prevalence of major depression increased with age, from 2.8% among people aged 18 to 24 to 4.6% of people aged 46 to 64." However, seniors "reported less major depression, the CDC says, with only 1.6% of people aged 65 and older reporting depressive episodes."

Medscape (9/30, Cassels) reported that "racial and ethnic minorities," as well as "those with less than a high school education, previously married, unemployed or unable to work...were more likely to meet criteria for current depression."

Posted by admin at 05:11 PM

Study Says Baby Boomers Suicide Rate Rose Between 1999 And 2005

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (9/29, Johnson) "Health & Science Today" blog reports that "a new study finds that the suicide rate for middle-aged people, usually quite stable, rose noticeably between 1999 and 2005."

The study, which appears in the September/October issue of the journal Public Health Reports, found "that although the overall US suicide rate has been declining, it is climbing about 2% per year among male boomers and 3% per year among female boomers."

The "increases were especially pronounced for boomers who are unmarried and without a college degree." Between 2000 and 2005, "the suicide rate rose 30% for men and women ages 50 to 59 with some college but no degree," the Sentinel adds.

Posted by admin at 05:11 PM

Depression Cases Up 25% Since BP Gulf Coast Disaster: Gallup Survey

The AP (9/28) reported that "before the BP oil spill, the Gulf Coast was a place of abundant shrimping, tourist-filled beaches and a happy if humble lifestyle. Now, it's home to depression, worry and sadness for many."

A "Gallup survey released Tuesday of almost 2,600 coastal residents showed that depression cases are up more than 25 percent" since Gulf Coast oil disaster in April. The "conclusions were consistent with trends seen in smaller studies and witnessed by mental health workers," reported the AP.

Posted by admin at 05:10 PM

BP Oil Spill Takes Toll On Mental Health Along Gulf Coast

The AP (9/28, Reeves) reports that "the [BP] oil gusher is dead, but the mental trauma it caused along the Gulf of Mexico coast is still very much alive."

Surveys "show that in some areas badly affected by the oil, more than 40 percent of those seeking mental-health help say they are having problems because of the spill."

In fact, a study "conducted over the summer in 13 counties and parishes with a total population of 1.9 million found" that "13 percent of coastal adults from Louisiana to Florida suffered probable serious mental illnesses after the spill," although "it wasn't clear exactly how many problems were directly related to oil."

Sleeplessness, "anxiety, depression, anger, substance abuse, and domestic violence" are among "the most common problems reported by mental health agencies," the AP adds.

Posted by admin at 05:09 PM

Teens Who Have Abortions May Not Be At Increased Risk For Depression, Low Self-Esteem

Washington Post (9/24, Stein) "The Checkup" blog reported that, according to a study published in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, "teenagers who have abortions do not appear to be at increased risk for depression or low self-esteem."

After analyzing data collected from 289 teenage girls, 69 of whom said they had had an abortion, researchers "found no association between having had an abortion and depression or low self-esteem within either a year of the pregnancy or five years later."

Posted by admin at 05:08 PM

Lawmakers Urged To Do More To Prevent Troops From Taking Their Own Lives

In a letter to the editor of the New York Times (9/27, A22), US Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) asserts that while the US government "can and must do more to prevent returning troops from taking their own lives," legislation to "require regular...outreach by the Defense Department to those at-risk Guard and Reserve members who don't have the benefit of the kind of support structures available to the active-duty population" was "not included in the Senate version of the yearly Pentagon authorization bill."

Holt argues, "One thing the Pentagon" and the Department of Veterans Affairs "could do tomorrow is contract with the highly successful nonprofit Vet2Vet program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Its peer-to-peer veteran counseling program is widely credited with preventing suicides among New Jersey Guard members."

Posted by admin at 05:08 PM

Survey Associates Obesity With Depression

WebMD (9/24, Hendrick) reported that approximately "a quarter of obese Americans say they have been diagnosed with depression, a significantly higher percentage than normal weight people, according to the latest Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index." S

pecifically, "the survey finds that 23.2% of obese adults report having been diagnosed with depression, compared to 14.9% of people who are overweight, 14.3% of people of normal weight, and 19.1% of underweight people."

What's more, the survey "says that more than one in four American adults who are obese are considerably more likely than people who are a normal weight to report experiencing negative feelings of stress, worry, anger, and sadness."

Posted by admin at 05:07 PM

Partners Of Patients With Breast Cancer May Face Increased Risk For Mood Problems, Depression

BBC News (9/27) reports that, according to research published in the journal Cancer, "men whose partners have breast cancer should be checked for signs that their mental health has been affected."

In their study of some million plus men, Danish researchers "found that men watching their partner fight cancer were 39% more likely to need hospital care for mood problems," including "severe depression."

"Researchers also found that men whose partners had severe cases of breast cancer were more likely to be taken to hospital than those whose partners were less seriously ill," the UK's Daily Mail (9/27) reports.

"Serious mental health problems were also more likely in men whose partners suffered a relapse than in those whose partner remained cancer-free." Notably, "men whose partners died after breast cancer were more than three times as likely to develop an affective disorder than men whose partners survived."

Posted by admin at 05:05 PM

Employment A Struggle For Many Veterans With Mental, Cognitive Disabilities

After noting that a 2008 study by the Rand Corp. found that almost a third of US troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression, or traumatic brain injury, the Los Angeles Times (9/19, Zavis) reported, "Many of these new veterans struggle to find and retain civilian jobs."

However, officials "with the US departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor and Defense have worked to assure potential employers that the mental and cognitive disabilities of many veterans can be accommodated with little expense and minimum disruption."

Posted by admin at 04:55 PM

New policies, guideline-driven care may interfere with physician-patient relationship

In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal (9/17), Dr. Sally Satel, psychiatrist, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, and a lecturer at Yale University School of Medicine, writes on the humanism in medicine movement in medical schools. Proponents seek to increase clinical empathy. Satel agrees that respectful attentiveness and commitment to a patient's welfare must be taught. However, she believes that new policies and guideline-driven care will interfere with the creation of rich doctor-patient relationships.

Posted by admin at 04:54 PM

September 29, 2010

DEA Urges People To Clean Out Medicine Cabinets To Prevent Abuse

The Los Angeles Times (9/13, Faturechi) "LA Now" blog reported that "federal drug enforcement agents are encouraging the public to clean out their medicine cabinets." Later this month, "at almost 3,000 sites across the nation, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration will invite members of the public to turn in expired or leftover prescription and over-the-counter medications for disposal."

Officials say that the medicines are being "increasingly abused and can often find their way from medicine cabinets to the black market." The Detroit Free Press (9/13, Hall) also covered the story.

The Forth Worth Star Telegram (9/13, Ramirez) noted that "several North Texas police and law enforcement agencies will be teaming with the Drug Enforcement Administration on Sept. 25 for a first-ever national 'Take Back' program where residents can safely discard prescription medications for destruction." The paper said that "in many cases, residents flush unused medicine down a toilet or throw them away," but "both disposal methods are potential safety and health hazards," according to the police.

Related Links:

- "DEA asks public to turn in unused medication in effort to prevent drug abuse," Robert Faturechi, Los Angeles Times, September 13, 2010.
- "North Texas cities will help dispose of unwanted prescription drugs," Domingo Ramirez, Jr., Fort Worth Star Telegram, September 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:49 AM

Dying At Home Easier On Cancer Patients As Well As On Caregivers

USA Today (9/14, Szabo) reports, "Cancer patients who died in a hospital or intensive care unit suffered more physical and emotional distress than those who died at home with hospice services, according to study of nearly 700 people in today's Journal of Clinical Oncology."

What's more, "caregivers suffered more, too, when their loved ones died in the ICU; more suffered lasting psychiatric problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a prolonged period of disabling grief, says the study, part of the larger Coping with Cancer study."

"While most cancer patients prefer to die at home, that's not always what happens, according to background information in the study," HealthDay (9/13, Gordon) reported. "More than one-third of cancer patients die in the hospital and eight percent die in the intensive care unit." Reuters (9/14, Fox) also covers the story.

Related Links:

- "Does it matter where cancer patients die? Study says yes," Liz Szabo, USA Today, September 13, 2010.
- "Dying at Home Often Easier on Cancer Patients, Caregivers," Serena Gordon, HealthDay, September 13, 2010.
- "Dying at home better for cancer patients," Reuters, September 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:45 AM

More Research Suggests Prenatal, Early Exposure To Thimerosal Does Not Increase Autism Risk

The Los Angeles Times (9/13, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Maybe Study Number Ten will suffice to reassure the one in four parents who have come to fear vaccinating their babies that doing so will not raise the likelihood of the kids' developing autism." To date, "reputable scientists, physicians, and researchers have tried and failed to find a causal -- or any -- link between thimerosal and autism." Now even an "actress who has been unswervingly vocal in her belief that vaccines caused her son's autism diagnosis, is no longer so certain."

And, newly released data from researchers handpicked by the CDC only add to the evidence that the mercury-based preservative, which is used in numerous vaccines, does not increase a child's autism risk, Reuters (9/14, Joelving) reports. In fact, says Dr. Frank Destefano, director of the Immunization Safety Office at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "This study should reassure parents about following the recommended immunization schedule."

For the study, the team "examined records from three managed care organizations (MCOs) to identify 256 children with [autism spectrum disorders] born between 1994 and 1999 and 752 children without autism matched to cases by age, gender, and MCO," WebMD (9/13, Martin) reported. According to the paper in Pediatrics, the researchers "found no increased risk for autism associated with prenatal exposure or exposure to thimerosal-containing immunizations in infancy or early childhood."

Geraldine Dawson, "chief science officer for a leading advocacy group, Autism Speaks," told HealthDay (9/13, Goodwin) that the "study adds to a large body of evidence indicating that early thimerosal exposure through vaccination does not cause autism." She also "urged parents to have their children vaccinated."

Related Links:

- "Once more, no link found between vaccine preservative and autism," Melissa Healey, Los Angeles Times, September 13, 2010.
- "No link found between vaccine mercury and autism," Frederik Joelving, Reuters, September 13, 2010.
- "CDC Study Shows No Vaccine, Autism Link," Salynn Boyles, WebMD, September 13, 2010.
- "More Evidence That Vaccines Don't Cause Autism," Jenifer Goodwin, HealthDay, September 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:40 AM

Traumatic Brain Injuries From Basketball Increasing Among Adolescents, Study Suggests

ABC World News (9/13, story 8, 2:20, Sawyer) reported, "Some sobering news tonight about the most popular sport for American children and teens, basketball." When "you think of the hazards of basketball, you think of sprained ankles or sprained fingers, but a journal called Pediatrics has a new study which says the number of teenagers and adolescents suffering traumatic brain injuries from basketball is soaring."

ABC's Sharyn Alfonsi explained, "Researchers say traumatic brain injuries associated with playing basketball, mostly concussions, spiked 70 percent over 10 years." More "kids now play basketball than any other sport," and emergency departments "report basketball now accounts for more head injuries than even football." The New York Times (9/13, Parker-Pope) "Well" blog and Reuters (9/13, Norton) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- "Basketball Linked to Brain Injury in Kids," ABC World News Tonight, September 13, 2010.
- "In Basketball, Danger of Head Trauma," Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, September 13, 2010.
- "Kids' brain injuries from basketball may be rising," Amy Norton, Reuters, September 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:32 AM

Number Of Older Adults Admitted To Substance-Abuse Treatment Facilities Has More Than Doubled Since 1992

USA Today (9/13, Klinck) reported, "The number of older adults admitted to substance-abuse treatment facilities has more than doubled since 1992, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration." According to "the organization's latest Treatment Episode Data Set report, released Thursday...the number of patients ages 50 and older has increased from about 102,700 in 1992 to 231,170 in 2008." The report noted "demographic shifts that suggest these patients are less economically stable," given the increases in unemployment and homelessness.

Related Links:

- "Number of older adults treated for substance abuse doubles," Betty Klinck, USA Today, September 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:30 AM

Marines Have Highest Rate Of Suicide Among Any US Military Service.

The Los Angeles Times (9/10, Perry) reported that in 2009, "52 Marines killed themselves, compared with 42 the previous year." In fact, last year's "toll is the highest since record-keeping began, giving the Marine Corps the grisly distinction of having the highest rate of suicide of any US military service." One factor behind the suicides may be "the unrelenting stress of back-to-back deployments," followed by "relationship, family and money problems, run-ins with authority figures, and a sense of isolation."

National Action Alliance For Suicide Prevention Launched. The AP (9/11, Jelinek) reported, "Struggling with sharp increases in suicides among US military forces, the Pentagon is joining a new national effort to reduce the number of Americans who take their own lives." On Friday, Defense Secretary Robert Gales and "Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appeared at the National Press Club in Washington to launch the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. The coalition of public and private groups is dedicated to reducing suicides across the US population."

Related Links:

- "Marine Corps seeks to use buddy ethic to stem rise in suicides," Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, September 10, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:25 AM

September 25, 2010

Congress Eliminates Term "Mental Retardation" From Federal Laws

The AP (9/24) reports, "Disabilities advocates on Thursday applauded Congress for passing legislation that eliminates the term 'mental retardation' from federal laws."

The measure "changes the phrase 'mentally retarded' to 'an individual with an intellectual disability' in existing health, education and labor law."

Senator "Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., sponsor of the bill with Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., said it would make language in federal law consistent with that used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the health arm of the United Nations and the White House."

Posted by admin at 05:04 PM

Bipolar Disorder Associated With Reduced Socioeconomic Status

MedWire (9/24, Cowen) reports that, according to a study published online in the Journal of Affective Disorders, "individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) have lower socio-economic status than the general population."

In a study of "257 patients with BD (51.4% women), aged at least 18 years," whose marital status and levels of education, income, and disability were compared to those of 56,540 matched controls from the general population, researchers found that people with BD earned less money and were "more likely to be single and receiving a disability pension," despite the fact that both patients with BD and the population sample had similar levels of education.

Posted by admin at 05:03 PM

IOM Report Highlights Progress Made in Women's Health Due To Medical Research

NBC Nightly News (9/23, story 7, 2:10, Williams) reported that "a new report that came out" Sept. 23 "from the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM)" examines areas in medical research in which "things are improving for women and where they are not."

Chief science correspondent Robert Bazell noted that, according to the report, the most progress "has been made against heart disease, breast cancer, and cervical cancer."

WebMD (9/23, Mann) reported, "Other areas where some gains were made in the past two decades include depression, HIV/AIDS, and osteoporosis in women." However, "little progress has been made in other conditions that affect women, including autoimmune diseases such as lupus, lung cancer, and Alzheimer's disease."

Study author Nancy E. Adler, PhD, of the University of California-San Francisco, called for results of clinical trials to be analyzed to reflect differences in gender, stating, "The National Institutes of Health should also require journal editors to publish sex stratification of results so that we know if drugs and/or devices are as effective for women as men."

The Wall Street Journal (9/24, Randall) also covers the story.

Posted by admin at 05:02 PM

Officials Urge People To Dispose Of Old Medication

The New York Times (9/24, A14, Goodnough) reports that police and DEA officials across the US have embarked on a program to collect "old opiate painkillers and other prescription" medications from peoples' medicine cabinets in a bid to stave off addicts who are increasingly raiding homes in search of the medicines. "In 17 states, deaths from drugs -- both prescription and illegal -- now exceed those from motor vehicle accidents, with opiate painkillers playing a leading role," the Times says.

The AP (9/24, Yost) reports, "The national prescription drug 'Take-Back' campaign will offer" thousands of "sites around the nation where the public can drop off expired, unused and unwanted prescription" medications.

Posted by admin at 05:02 PM

"Factitious Disorders" May Be More Common Than Thought

Time (9/23, Szalavitz) reports, "The stories boggle the mind: in August, a 28-year-old Washington woman claimed to be the victim of a mindless acid attack, and almost won the ultimate prize in attention-seeking -- an appearance on Oprah -- before admitting she had actually disfigured herself."

Another "woman in New York City recently faked leukemia to wheedle the community into paying for her dream wedding -- complete with a honeymoon in Aruba -- before she was revealed as a fraud and lost her husband, too."

According to Marc Feldman, MD, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Alabama, "factitious disorders are far more common than you might think. Experts believe they account for billions of dollars in unnecessary health spending."

Posted by admin at 05:01 PM

Diary May Help Reduce ICU Patients' Risk Of PTSD After Difficult Hospital Stay

HealthDay (9/22, Preidt) reported, "A diary can help reduce intensive care patients' risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a difficult stay in the hospital, according to a" study published online in the journal Critical Care.

In a study of 352 intensive care unit (ICU) patients, 162 of which were "randomly selected to receive diaries about their time in the ICU," researchers found that "patients who received a diary were less than half as likely to develop PTSD as the control group that didn't receive a diary."

Posted by admin at 04:59 PM

September 23, 2010

Sebelius Touts New Consumer Protections In Healthcare Law

USA Today (9/22, Young) reports, "Several key consumer protections under the nation's new health law begin taking effect Thursday -- six months after its enactment." For instance, "insurers can no longer set a dollar limit on the amount of care they'll provide over a person's lifetime or deny coverage to sick children. Young adults can stay on their parents' health plans until age 26," and consumers will "get greater rights to appeal insurers' decisions."

According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, "It's really putting in place long overdue consumer protections. ... It's getting rid of some of the worst rules of the industry that prevented people from getting covered at all or, at a time they needed coverage the most, limited the coverage they had."

ABC World News (9/21, story 3, 2:15, Sawyer) reported, "A centerpiece of the President's agenda has been health care reform, and it is now 36 hours until the first major changes from health care reform kick in." ABC (Tapper) went on to show Sebelius saying, "Some of the worst abuses, if you will, of the insurance companies are going to cease to exist." ABC added that "as of Thursday, insurance companies will no longer be able to stop providing coverage to customers because of technical errors on past applications. Or, impose lifetime dollar limits on essential benefits."

The San Jose Mercury News (9/22, Krieger Kleffman) reports, "Significant provisions of the health care reform bill roll out Thursday, reshaping the insurance landscape by significantly broadening access to coverage and care." Notably, "young adults may remain on their parents' policies until age 26 and minor children can't be denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Insurers are prohibited from canceling coverage for sick patients or those who have reached coverage limits -- when they need it most." The Lincoln Journal Star (9/22, Andersen) also notes several of the key provisions taking effect on Thursday.

Elimination Of Lifetime Benefit Caps Will Help Millions With Private Plans. Reuters (9/21, Kingsbury) reported that one of the provisions of the healthcare law which will become effective on Thursday is the elimination of lifetime health benefit caps. Notably, this will affect mostly people who have individual insurance policies, but consumers who have run afoul of the cap in the past say that this is a welcome change.

Posted by admin at 04:58 PM

Military Veterans, Unemployed More Likely To Commit Suicide

The Orlando Sentinel (9/22, Shrieves) reports, "At a time when government funds for mental health help have dried up, Americans are in greater danger of becoming depressed and suicidal -- because of unemployment and the recession. Add in returning war veterans and you've got a potential mental health crisis."

The Sentinel adds, "According to [the] National Alliance on Mental Illness, people who are unemployed and military veterans are at higher risk of suicide." The Chicago Tribune (9/22) runs the same story, under the same headline.

Posted by admin at 04:57 PM

Teens Reporting "Substantial" Acne More Likely To Report Suicidal Ideation

The Los Angeles Times (9/17, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published online Sept. 16 in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, teens "who reported having 'substantial' acne were 80% more likely to report suicidal ideation, compared to teens with clearer complexions."

For the study, investigators analyzed answers from "questionnaires from 3,775 Norwegian teens (most of them 18 or 19) and looked for an association between acne severity and mental health."

The study authors discovered that the worse a teen's acne was, the higher the likelihood they would consider suicide.

Posted by admin at 04:56 PM

Bad Acne In Teens Associated With Suicidal Thoughts, Study Suggests

CNN (9/16, Peeples) reported that "compared to their clear-skinned peers, teens who have bad acne are more than twice as likely to have mental health problems and are at greater risk of having suicidal thoughts," according to a new study of Norwegian youth.

"Nearly all teenagers have some pimples, and up to one in five will develop a moderate to severe case of acne." In the study, "which was funded by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health" and published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, "the researchers surveyed nearly 4,000 teens ages 18 or 19." Fourteen "percent of the teens reported having 'a lot' or 'very much' acne." The study found that "nearly 25 percent of the teens with 'very much' acne said they'd had thoughts of suicide, compared with 11 percent of the study participants overall."

But, "it's not clear whether having bad skin makes teens depressed, or whether some other underlying condition links depression with acne," reported the Time (9/16, Melnick). "Considering that depression can cause poor self-esteem and sometimes even body dysmorphia, it's also possible that depressed teens would self-report 'substantial' acne more often than their peers." In other words, "depression could fuel poor body image, which could cause a teenager to believe that his acne is worse than it is."

Meanwhile, Reuters (9/16, Kelland), citing the Norwegian researchers behind the study, wrote the results suggest that concerns over Roche's acne-treating drug Accutane being potentially responsible for depression may have been inflated. That's because the condition itself is now being linked to depression suicidal thoughts, rather than the medicine.

In "addition to 'suicidal ideation' -- contemplating suicide at times, but not necessarily carrying it out -- they were more than twice as likely to lack friends, 51 percent likelier never to have had sex and 41 percent likelier to do poorly at school," noted AFP (9/16). HealthDay (9/16, Preidt) also covered the news.

Posted by admin at 04:53 PM

Study: Illegal Drug Use Up In 2009

On its website, KOKI-TV Tulsa (9/17, Levingston) reports that, according to a SAMHSA report, "the number of Americans abusing illegal substances is the highest its been in a decade, 21.8 million Americans, 12 and older, to be exact."

AFP (9/17) reports, "Some seven million Americans older than 12 took prescription drugs for non-medical reasons. The bulk of the abuse of prescription medications involved painkillers, which some 5.3 million Americans used off-label last year -- a rise of 20 percent from 2002. Among teens, the rate of nonmedical prescription painkiller use rose 17 percent year on year, with most youngsters saying they got the meds from friends, family or an unsecured medicine cabinet." The AFP notes, "The rise in the use of illegal drugs was driven in large part by an increase in the use of marijuana, which 77 percent of the survey respondents said they had used in the past month. Among teens, marijuana use rose nine percent in 2009, partly because 'discussions of legalization, so-called medical marijuana and a proliferation of pro-drug messages' have left America's youth 'misinformed about a drug whose potency has tripled in the past 20 years,' SAMHSA said."

On its website, WCCO-TV Minneapolis (9/17, Seavert) reports that ONDCP Director Gil Kerlikowske "called the increase in drug use disappointing but said he was not surprised given 'eroding attitudes' about the perception of harm from illegal drugs and the growing number of states approving medicinal marijuana. 'I think all of the attention and the focus of calling marijuana medicine has sent the absolute wrong message to our young people,'" he said.

HealthDay (9/17, Reinberg) also notes that "Kerlikowske took aim at the media for influencing some of the cultural mind-shift. 'I can absolutely not rule out this constant discussion of so-called medical marijuana, marijuana legalization and the downplaying of marijuana harms that is prevalent in the media.'"

On the Fox Report with Shepard Smith (9/16, Smith) correspondent Trace Gallaher reported that he had "just talked to" Kerlikowske and that "when it comes to ecstasy, he says we've simply taken our eye off the ball. Back in the early 2000's, there was an early campaign warning young people about the dangers of ecstasy or X as they call it. When campaign went away, the usage went up. As for methamphetamine, the drug czar blames cold medicine or at least the main ingredient -- pseudoephedrine. Even though the feds cracked down on it back in 2006." In a brief clip, Kerlikowske said, "They put pseudoephedrine behind the counter and you have to show ID. Unfortunately, what we've seen in the last couple of years is that groups of people called smurfers are able to use false ID. and other ways to get around that act, buy the pseudoephedrine and manufacture a very high grade meth." Gallaher also noted that Kerlikowske said that "medical marijuana just sends a very bad message to young people." The report also showed a brief clip of Kerlikowske discussing why he is opposed to marijuana legalization.

CNN's The Situation Room (9/16, Blitzer) showed a brief clip of Kerlikowske in which he said, "Young heavy marijuana users are much more likely to report getting Ds and Fs than As and Bs. Are more likely to be in trouble with the law for crimes like theft." Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve reported Kerlikowske said "fewer teens see marijuana as dangerous because of media coverage of current policy debates." In a brief clip, the Kerlikowske said, "I absolutely cannot rule out this constant discussion of so-called medical marijuana and marijuana legalization and the downplaying of marijuana harms that is prevalent in the media."

Posted by admin at 04:51 PM

September 20, 2010

Study Associates Type D Personality With Increased Heart Problems

In the Washington Post (9/14) "The Checkup" blog, Rob Stein wrote that research reported in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes suggests people with type D personalities may be "prone to heart problems." These people tend "to experience a lot of negative emotions, such as pessimism, anxiety, irritation, depressed mood," don't often share their emotions, and fear disapproval.

According to US News & World Report (9/14, Haupt), type D personalities "are at three times the risk for future heart problems, including peripheral artery disease, heart failure, and death, compared to more optimistic sorts." Researchers "analyzed 49 previous studies involving more than 6,000 people" to arrive at their conclusions. Barry Jacobs, a clinical psychologist and American Heart Association spokesman, said, "It really adds weight to the argument that this core, hostile personality is a concern -- or ought to be a concern -- for people who have it."

Related Links:

- "Are you a Type D personality?," Rob Stein, Washington Post, September 14, 2010.
- "'Type D' Personality: How Distress Affects Your Health," Angela Haupt, U.S. News and World Report, September 14, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:47 PM

September 12, 2010

Cost of brand-name drugs continues to increase.

The San Diego Union-Tribune (9/10, Lavelle) reports, "The cost of brand-name prescription drugs -- which account for 78 percent of drugs sold -- continues to rise.

A recent study by AARP of the 217 most widely used brand-name prescription drugs shows retail prices increased an average 8.3 percent in 2009," compared "with a 7.9 percent increase in 2008, 7 percent in 2007, 6.1 percent in 2006 and 6 percent in 2005." What's more, data show that the "retail price of 207 brand-name drugs on the market since December 2004 increased by 41.5 percent over five years, far outpacing the consumer price index, which rose 13.3 percent."

Related Links:

- Why job-based insurance costs are soaring," Janet Lavelle, San Diego Union Tribune, September 9, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:12 PM

Study Suggests Obesity May Worsen Brain Damage From Heavy Drinking.

HealthDay (9/9, Preidt) reported that a study published online and in the December print issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research found that "obesity caused by heavy drinking can add to brain damage caused by drinking itself."

In a news release, principal investigator Dieter J. Meyerhoff, of the University of California-San Francisco and San Francisco VA Medical Center, said, "This new study suggests that a high BMI, independent of drinking and smoking, is also associated with brain injury." In a release, Susan F. Tapert, PhD, of the University of California-San Diego and director of substance abuse/mental illness in the VA San Diego Healthcare System, said, "In other words, weight also is related to brain health among those with alcoholism."

Posted by admin at 07:05 PM

Individuals Taking Sleeping, Anti-Anxiety Medicines May Have Higher Chances Of Dying.

The UK's Telegraph (9/9, Smith) reported, "Research has found that people taking" sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications "are at least a third more likely to die during the 13-year study than those not on them."

The study, published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, and "based on data from more than 14,000 people between 1994 and 2007," also found that people taking the medicines "at least once in the month before the survey had a higher chance of dying from any cause." The researchers wrote, "Combining a pharmacological approach in the short-term with psychological treatment is a promising strategy for reducing anxiety and promoting sleep."

Related Links:

- Sleeping pills are not 'candy' and may increase risk of death," Rebecca Smith, UK Telegraph, September 9, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:52 PM

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Explained.

Ray Andrews, of the Houston/Harris County Office of Drug Policy, and Dori Wind, special counsel with the Office of Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan, write in the Houston Chronicle (9/9) about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

They explain, "Some of the most common characteristics of alcohol-related brain damage include: poor impulse control and poor problem solving skills, difficulty linking actions to consequences, poor social communication, limited abstract reasoning, and lack of trial and error learning. People with FASD have great difficulty internalizing values, feelings and laws, and may develop inappropriate social, sexual, and sociopathic behaviors." Andrews and Ryan assert, "Educating mothers to not drink while trying to get pregnant or during pregnancy will not only result in an increase in healthy children, but a decrease in social services taxpayers must provide."

Posted by admin at 06:43 PM

Low Socioeconomic Status Associated With Worse Mental Health In Prostate Cancer Survivors.Low Socioeconomic Status Associated With Worse Mental Health In Prostate Cancer Survivors.

MedWire (9/6, Guy) reported, "Long-term prostate cancer survivors have worse mental health if they have a low rather than high socioeconomic status (SES)," according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the journal Urology.

In a study of "584 long-term (5-10 years) prostate cancer survivors who reported their mental and physical state via a questionnaire," researchers found after adjusting for confounding factors that Mental Component Summary "scores were worse for low SES than high SES patients."

Related Links:

- Low socioeconomic status linked to mental health in prostate cancer survivors," Sarah Guy, MedWire, September 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:31 PM

Fathers May Also Suffer From Depression During Baby's First Year.

The Los Angeles Times (9/6, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" reported that, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, "new fathers have been experiencing elevated rates of depression for some time."

After analyzing data on about 87,000 UK couples who had a baby between 1993 and 2007, researchers found that "for fathers, the rate of depression in the first year was 3.56 cases per 100 person-years. It then fluctuated between 1.95 and 2.72 cases per 100 person-years until their kids became teenagers."

Related Links:

- Fathers can suffer from postpartum depression too," Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots, September 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:20 PM

Many People With Depression, Psychotic Disorders Fail To Seek Help.

The Wall Street Journal (9/7, Bernstein) reports that about 15 million US adults experience a major depressive disorder each year, and approximately six million may also have schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, but 50% of people with psychotic disorders say that they are not sick and refuse to seek help.

Similar rates of denial are also found in people with clinical depression. Experts say that it can be challenging for relatives and friends of people with these conditions to help them change their minds and seek assistance.

Posted by admin at 06:15 PM

Military Veterans With PTSD More Likely To Develop Dementia Than Those Without PTSD.

HealthDay (9/2, Preidt) reported, "Military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, are more likely to develop dementia than those without the disorder," according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

In a study of "10,481 veterans, aged 65 and older, who had been seen at least twice at [a Veterans Affairs] medical center between 1997 and 1999" and who were followed until 2008, researchers found that "dementia occurred in 11.1 percent of patients who had PTSD but had not been injured during combat, and in 7.2 percent of those who had PTSD and had suffered combat injuries," whereas "dementia rates for veterans without PTSD were 4.5 percent for those without combat injuries and 5.9 percent for those who'd suffered combat injuries."

Posted by admin at 06:08 PM

September 11, 2010

Teens from different ethnic groups may abuse substances for different reasons.

The CNN (8/30, Hellerman) "The Chart" blog reported that "teens of different ethnic groups use alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes for different reasons and educators should use different strategies to keep them clean," according to a new study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, "analyzed roughly 5,500 responses from seventh- and eighth-graders in Southern California to surveys that were distributed by researchers from the RAND Corporation." Hispanic "students were the most likely to report having tried alcohol, cigarettes, or marijuana," followed by "African-American students" and then Caucasians. The blog entry also noted that Asian-American students "were substantially less likely" to have tried any substance.

Related Links:

- Ethnic differences seen in youth drug use," Caleb Hellerman, CNN, September 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:36 AM

Physical symptoms of depression may impact heart.

The Los Angeles Times (8/31, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported that "depression's physical warning signs -- fatigue, sleep disturbance, and appetite changes --...are the most corrosive to the heart," according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

After following 1,024 patients with heart disease for an average of six years, researchers found that, "even after taking account of the severity of a patient's illness and the factors that influence his or her risk of worsening health, the large numbers of patients who reported suffering depression's physical symptoms -- tiredness, appetite changes, sleep disruptions -- fared worse than the smaller group who reported they were extremely sad, felt guilty or worthless, or had suicidal thoughts."

Related Links:

- In depression, it's the physical symptoms that carry heart risk," Melissa Healy, the Los Angeles Times, August 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:29 AM

September 10, 2010

Over Half A Million US Children, Teens Now Taking Antipsychotics, FDA Report Says.

On its front page, the New York Times (9/2, A1, Wilson) reports, "More than 500,000 children and adolescents in America are now taking" antipsychotics, "according to a September 2009 report by the Food and Drug Administration."

Recently, another study "found a doubling of the rate of prescribing" antipsychotics "for privately insured two- to five-year-olds from 2000 to 2007. Only 40 percent of them had received a proper mental health assessment, violating practice standards from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry." Many experts now believe that prescribing antipsychotics for young children may be risky for the development of both their bodies and their brains.

Related Links:

- Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young," Duff Wilson, The New York Times, September 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:49 PM

Mental Health Leads List Of Top Five Concerns At Colleges.

The NPR (9/1, Wyckoff) "Shots" blog reported on "what health concerns are topping the agenda now," according to college health officials and Dr. Al Glass, president of the American College Health Association.

The issues, in order, are mental health, because "stress is a biggie," followed by sleep issues; the "perennial concern" of infectious diseases such as flu; exercise needed to prevent obesity, and alcohol abuse.

Related Links:

- 5 Big Health Issues On Campus," Whitney Blaire Wyckoff, NPR: Shots Blog, September 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:42 PM

NY Times Say Pentagon, Congress Should Target Suicide Prevention As "Vital Wartime Mission."

The New York Times (9/2, A34) editorializes that "military and civilian experts" from the Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide have conducted an "ambitious, yearlong study," one "ordered by Congress in facing the fact that the suicide tally" for the US military "has been increasing despite intensified prevention programs."

After noting that the task force said the main factors contributing to the increasing tally include lengthy combat deployments, the continuing stigmatization of seeking mental health services, and the lack of a top-level Pentagon anti-suicide office and suicide prevention policy, the Times argues that the task force has "laid out a mandate for Congress and the Pentagon to target suicide as a most vital wartime mission."

Related Links:

- When Warriors Hurt Themselves," Editorial, The New York Times, September 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:36 PM

August 26, 2010

CDC Officials Urging Public To Get Flu Shot Sooner This Year.

The Wall Street Journal (8/25, McKay) reports that this year, CDC and other health officials are urging Americans to get the flu shot, which contains protection against three strains, most notably, H1N1, early.

CDC Director Thomas Frieden stated, "I think last year will be a plus rather than a minus in terms of vaccine coverage," and added that the agency is working on new technology that will allow vaccines to be produced faster. Nevertheless, CDC officials are aware that some people are still hesitant to get the vaccine because of concerns that it was not adequately tested, or because they believe H1N1 is not a major health threat.

Related Links:

- This Flu Season's Goal Is More Shots, Sooner ," Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal, August 25, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:24 PM

CBT May Help Adults With AD/HD.

The Los Angeles Times (8/24, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published in the Aug. 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), "a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing patterns of thought and behavior that are counterproductive, can help" adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). Researchers found that 12 50-minute sessions of CBT "that aimed to educate, coach, and devise strategies to improve and sustain focus, helped subjects live and work more effectively."

The CNN (8/24, Landau) "The Chart" blog reported that investigators randomized "86 adults who had already been taking medications for AD/HD before entering the study...to one of two therapies," either CBT or "training in progressive muscle relaxation and other techniques as applied to AD/HD symptoms." The study authors discovered that "participants who went through cognitive behavioral therapy had significantly better outcomes than those who did the relaxation therapy."

What's more, "the improvements lasted the whole year" in the CBT group, HealthDay (8/24, Gardner) reported. Now, according to the researchers, "the questions are whether patients will go for it and whether insurance companies will pay for it." Reuters (8/25, Pittman) also covers the story, as did WebMD (8/24, Hendrick).

Posted by admin at 08:13 PM

Patients With Psoriasis May Have Increased Risk For Psychiatric Conditions.

Medscape (8/20, Barclay) reported that, according to a study published in the August issue of the Archives of Dermatology, "risk for psychiatric conditions may be increased in patients with psoriasis."

For the study, researchers, "using a General Practice Research Database of data collected as part of patients' electronic medical records from 1987 to 2002...identified 146,042 patients with mild psoriasis, 3956 patients with severe psoriasis, and 766,950 patients without psoriasis." Notably, "compared with control subjects, patients with psoriasis had adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for diagnoses of depression, anxiety, and suicidality of 1.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37 - 1.41), 1.31 (95% CI, 1.29 - 1.34), and 1.44 (95% CI, 1.32 - 1.57), respectively.

Posted by admin at 08:07 PM

Army Troops Seeking Mental Healthcare More Than 100,000 Times A Month.

Time (8/22, Thompson) reports, "While its combat troops fight two wars," US Army "mental-health professionals are waging a battle to save soldiers' sanity when they come back, one that will cost billions long after combat ends in Baghdad and Kabul."

In fact, "Army troops, Time has learned, are seeking mental help more than 100,000 times a month. That figure reflects a growth of more than 75% from the final months of 2006 to the final months of '09, according to Army data." As a result, "Army Lieut. General Eric Schoomaker, the surgeon general who oversees the mental and physical well-being of the nation's soldiers, concedes he doesn't have the doctors and therapists he needs." Currently, the Army has only 414 psychiatrists to deal with the increased demand.

Fort Hood's Mental-Health System Severely Strained. In a lengthy article, USA Today (8/23, Zoroya) reports, "Nine months after an Army psychiatrist was charged with fatally shooting 13 soldiers and wounding 30, the nation's largest Army base can measure the toll of war in the more than 10,000 mental health evaluations, referrals or therapy sessions held every month." In fact, "about every fourth soldier here, where 48,000 troops and their families are based, has been in counseling during the past year, according to the service's medical statistics. And the number of soldiers seeking help for combat stress, substance abuse, broken marriages or other emotional problems keeps increasing." As a result, Fort Hood's mental healthcare system is in danger of being overwhelmed.

Related Links:

- Invisible Wounds: Mental Health and the Military," Mark Thompson, Time, August 22, 2010.

- Thousands strain Fort Hood's mental health system," Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, August 22, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:51 PM

Study Examines Effects Of Prenatal And Childhood Exposures To Pesticides.

The Los Angeles Times (8/19, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported that a study published Aug. 19 "in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives examines the effects of both prenatal and childhood exposure to" organophosphate "pesticides, which are widely used in the United States to control insects on food crops." For the study, researchers from the University of California-Berkeley have been following "more than 300 Mexican American children" and their mothers "living in the heavily agricultural Salinas Valley."

The Time (8/19, Blue) "Wellness" blog reported, "When the women were pregnant, the researchers took urine samples and tested them for their level of organophosphate metabolites." At follow-up "five years later, the children born to women with high levels of pesticide traces in their urine were far more likely to have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder."

"For each tenfold increase in pesticide metabolites in a mom's system, the risk of an attention disorder rose fivefold in her child," MSNBC (8/19, Carroll) reported.

The San Francisco Chronicle (8/19, Scott) "The Thin Green Line" reported that the study's authors "point to other studies showing that food is a significant source of exposure for the general population." For that reason, "they suggest that pregnant women eat organic produce, or at least wash conventional produce very thoroughly." The UK's Telegraph (8/19, Alleyne), the UK's Daily Mail (8/19, Macrae), and Reuters (8/20) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- More evidence links pesticides to hyperactivity
," Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times, August 19, 2010.

- A link between pesticides and attention disorders?," Laura Blue, Time: Wellness Blog, August 19, 2010.

- ADHD risk may be tied to pesticide exposure before birth ," Linda Carroll, MSNBC, August 19, 2010.

- Researchers: Pregnant women should eat organic," Cameron Scott, San Francisco Chronicle, August 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:25 PM

Increasing Number Of Americans With Mental-Health Issues Receiving Medication Alone.

Reuters (8/20, Norton) reports that, according to a paper published online Aug. 4 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, an increasing number of Americans with mental-health issues are receiving medication alone as treatment, compared to 10 years ago.

At the same time, psychotherapy, either on its own or in combination with medication, has become less prevalent, indicating a shift in US outpatient mental healthcare.

Some psychiatrists are concerned about the trend, because combination therapy is often the most successful for patients with depression, while others say that medication makes it easier for some people to get treatment. Some experts suspect that aggressive pharmaceutical company marketing of medications to both physicians and patients may also play a role in the shift toward treatment by medication only.

Posted by admin at 07:20 PM

July 30, 2010

Suicide Calls In Houston Soar Amid Difficult Economy.

The Houston Chronicle (7/21) reports "suicide-related calls to Crisis Intervention of Houston have surged since the economic downturn began a few years ago, with the number of calls tripling in the first half of 2010 compared with the first six months of last year."

Counselors "attribute the spike" to the "prolonged pressures of extended joblessness, depleted savings and expired unemployment benefits." Shari Koziol, Crisis Intervention's executive director, said, its crisis hotline "received 451 suicide-related calls in the first half of 2009 and 1,446 over the same period this year." Scott Hickey, a clinical psychologist at Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of Harris County, said, "We have reports at our neuropsychiatric center that we have had about a 30 percent increase
in crisis visits in the last year."

Related Links:

- Houston crisis center awash with suicide calls," Cindy George, The Houston Chronicle, July 20, 2010.

Posted by admin at 11:13 PM

People who feel anxious about relationships may be predisposed to certain

The Los Angeles Times (7/21, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reports that "people who feel anxious about relationships or avoid them could be predisposed to certain health problems," according to a study published in the July issue of the journal Health Psychology. Investigators "looked at data on 5,645 people who took part in the nationally represented survey of adults ages 18 to 60." Study participants were also "surveyed about their relationships."

The Time (7/20, O'Callaghan) "Wellness" blog reported that individuals "who were insecure in their relationships were more likely to suffer from a range of health problems including heart
disease, and faced a 50% higher risk for heart attack or stroke compared with those not plagued by relationship anxiety."

Related Links:

- Relationship anxiety may cause more than heartache," Tiffany O'Callaghan, Time "Wellness Blog", July 20, 2010.

Posted by admin at 10:44 PM

Some insurance plans still do not cover mental illnesses.

Kaiser Health News (7/21, Steadman) reports, "For decades, mental health advocates have fought get health insurance 'equal rights' for patients with mental illnesses or brain disorders," and despite the passage of two mental health parity laws, many plans have still not implemented the new regulations, and may "wait until the start of the next plan year to comply."

In addition, there is "continued exemption of small businesses and
individual health insurance plans from parity requirements." Nevertheless, as a result of these laws, "an estimated 140 million Americans no longer face higher deductibles, steeper co-payments or other restrictions when they seek mental health and substance abuse treatment services."

Related Links:

- Despite Parity Law, Mental Health Coverage May Still Fall Short," Kate Steadman, Kaiser Health News, July 21, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:45 AM

Thirty-Two US Soldiers Committed Suicide In June.

NBC Nightly News (7/16, story 6, 2:40, Williams) reported, "We have
learned a terrible statistic in this country this week. ... In the month of June," there were "32 suicides among US soldiers. It's part of a significant uptick since the start of the year. It's happening in the midst of two wars that the US Army is fighting, and despite a huge campaign to stop it."

The Washington Post (7/17, Jaffe) reported, "The boost in the
number of suicides in June was likely driven by the 'continued stresses on the force' caused by the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, said Col. Chris Philbrick, the director of the Army's suicide prevention task force."

Related Links:

- Army's high suicide rate tied to rise in risky behaviors," Anne Gearan, MSNBC, July 29, 2010.

- Army reports 32 suicides in June, highest number since early 2009," Greg Jaffe, The Washington Post, July 17, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:19 AM

Abused Children May Face Increased Risk Of Developing Psychiatric

Medscape (7/16, Brauser) reported, "Childhood abuse and neglect are
significantly associated with increased rates of anxiety, mood, and
substance use disorders in young adulthood, according to" a study published in the July issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry. Investigators examined "data from 2144 respondents (between the ages of 16 and 27 years) to the Te Rau Hinengaro: New Zealand Mental Health Survey between the years 2003 and 2004."

The researchers found that, "after adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic correlates, child protection agency history was associated with several individual mental disorders, mental disorder
comorbidity, and all mental disorder groups [at] both12-months and
lifetime."

Posted by admin at 02:09 AM

July 12, 2010

Sadness, Happiness May Spread Like Infectious Diseases.

The Los Angeles Times (7/8, Bernstein) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, emotions "appear to spread like" an infectious disease. Harvard and MIT scientists had "wanted to see if a mathematical model developed to track and predict the spread of infectious diseases such as SARS and foot-and-mouth disease could also apply to the spread of happiness -- and found that it worked."

Using data "collected from 1,880 subjects in the Framingham Heart Study," investigators eventually observed a "correlation between an individual's emotional state and those of the person's contacts."

Related Links:

- How are sadness and happiness like diseases? They're infectious, study finds," Rachel Bernstein, Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots Blog, July 8, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:31 PM

HHS Proposes New Health IT Changes To HIPAA.

Modern Healthcare (7/9, Conn) reports, "HHS has proposed a new federal healthcare information privacy rule to amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 [HIPAA]." HHS says that "the proposed rule would give patients the right to restrict certain disclosures and ban the sale of patient data without patient consent."

In addition, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology will issue "a final regulation on standards and criteria by which electronic health-records systems will be tested and certified for eligibility in a stimulus law program subsidizing EHR purchases by providers."

Reuters (7/9, Lentz) notes that HHS proposed a new rule that would extend HIPAA by fining American companies for any disclosure of private patient information while working in partnership with hospitals.

Related Links:

- Late News: HHS tweaking HIPAA," Modern Healthcare, July 9, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:24 PM

Children With Poor Problem-Solving Skills More At Risk Of Becoming Bullies, Victims.

USA Today (7/9, Jayson) reports "children and teens who have poor problem-solving skills are more at risk of becoming bullies, victims or both than peers who don't have such difficulties," according to a review of studies conducted over the past 30 years.

Researchers from Louisiana State University and the University of California at Riverside "looked at 153 studies, with sample sizes ranging from 44 to 26,430." Researchers said most programs to prevent bullying use strategies "that favor removing the bully from the environment," but "interventions that target both the behaviors and the environments are more promising."

Related Links:

- New research predicts likelihood of being bully, victim," Sharon Jayson, USA Today, July 9, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:17 PM

Adolescent "Cyberbullies" More Likely To Suffer From Both Physical, Psychiatric Troubles.

HealthDay (7/6, Reinberg) reported, "Teens who 'cyberbully' others via the Internet or cell phones are more likely to suffer from both physical and psychiatric troubles, and their victims are at heightened risk, too," Finnish researchers found after surveying nearly 2,500 kids.

"Compared to teens who didn't engage in such behaviors," cyberbullies "had trouble getting along with others and often suffered from hyperactivity and conduct problems," according to the paper in the Archives of General Psychiatry. "Cyberbullies also frequently smoked or got drunk, reported headaches, and were more prone to not feeling safe at school."

As for the victims, they "reported emotional, concentration, and behavioral issues, as well as trouble getting along with their peers," according to WebMD (7/6, Mann). "These teens were also more likely to report frequent headaches, recurrent stomach pain, and difficulty sleeping; one in four said they felt unsafe at school." In light of these findings, lead researcher Andre Sourander, MD, PhD, "a child psychiatrist at Turku University," said, "Future research is needed on whether anti-bullying policies materials, interventions and mobile telephone and Internet user guidelines are effective for reducing cyberbullying."

Editor’s Note:

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry has made bullying a particular focus of our attention, helping sponsor educational programs in Maryland on this topic geared for medical professionals.

Related Links:

- Mental Health Woes Plague 'Cyberbullies' and Their Victims," Steven Reinberg, HealthDay News, July 6, 2010.

- Study Shows Mental and Physical Impact of Cyberbullying on Victims and Bullies," Denise Mann, WebMD, July 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:03 PM

Depression May Double Dementia Risk Later In Life.

BBC News (7/6) reports that two papers appearing in "Neurology suggest depression does mean dementia is more likely, although they do not show why." The first study "followed 1,239 US people and looked at the number of times a person experienced depression related to their risk of dementia." Investigators found that "having two or more episodes of depression nearly doubled the risk of dementia."

Meanwhile, the other study looked at data on nearly "1,000 people with an average age of 79 who had been enrolled into a large US heart study," the UK's Press Association (7/6) reports. "At the beginning, all were free of dementia." Psychological tests "identified 125, or 13%, of the study participants, [who] were classified as being depressed." By study end, some 17 years later, "164 of the recruits had dementia, of whom 136 were diagnosed with Alzheimer's."

Among those with "dementia, 22 percent had been depressed at the study's start, compared to 17 percent who were not depressed," the Boston Globe (7/5, Cooney) "White Coat Notes" blog reported. "Looking at how people scored on the 60-point depression screening test, the researchers found that for each 10-point increase, there was a 50 percent increased risk of dementia." And "after accounting for age, sex, and other characteristics among the participants, depressed people were more than one and a half times more likely to develop dementia than people who were not depressed."

Putting forth theories about why the link may exist, investigators say that "depression could be an early sign of changes in the brain that lead to dementia," CNN (7/5, Landau) reported. "Exercise and social engagement have been shown to protect against dementia in other research." And, says the lead author of the Massachusetts study, "given that depressed people tend to be less active and more withdrawn, these habits could influence the development of dementia."

Related Links:

- Depression may double dementia risk, say researchers," BBC News, July 6, 2010.

- Depression may increase risk of dementia, study says," Boston Globe, July 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:41 PM

July 06, 2010

Demand For Psychiatrists Climbing Faster Than For Any Other Medical Specialty.

USA Today (7/1, Steinberg) reports that Merritt Hawkins, "a national physician recruiting firm, says the demand for psychiatrists is climbing faster than for any other medical specialty."

In fact, "from April 2009 to March 2010, the company...received 179 requests for psychiatrists -- a 47% increase from the previous year and 121% increase from the 2006-2007 survey." Steven Schlozman, chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning, explained that even though "the number of students who have gone into psychiatry in the past five years has actually increased slightly...more students are entering medical fields, such as dermatology and radiology." Kurt Mosley, of Merritt Hawkins, "says it's 'the perfect storm right now' as more than half of all psychiatrists age 55 and older are nearing retirement, and there aren't enough physicians to take their spots."

Related Links:

- Of medical specialties, demand for psychiatrists growing fastest," Stephanie Steinberg, USA Today, July 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 11:55 AM

July 02, 2010

Demand For Psychiatrists Climbing Faster Than For Any Other Medical Specialty.

USA Today (7/1, Steinberg) reports that Merritt Hawkins, "a national physician recruiting firm, says the demand for psychiatrists is climbing faster than for any other medical specialty."

In fact, "from April 2009 to March 2010, the company...received 179 requests for psychiatrists -- a 47% increase from the previous year and 121% increase from the 2006-2007 survey." Steven Schlozman, chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning, explained that even though "the number of students who have gone into psychiatry in the past five years has actually increased slightly...more students are entering medical fields, such as dermatology and radiology." Kurt Mosley, of Merritt Hawkins, "says it's 'the perfect storm right now' as more than half of all psychiatrists age 55 and older are nearing retirement, and there aren't enough physicians to take their spots."

Related Links:

- Of medical specialties, demand for psychiatrists growing fastest," Stephanie Steinberg, USA Today, June 30, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:13 PM

Certain Signs May Indicate Adolescents May Be Suffering From Depression.

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (6/29, D1, Bernstein) discusses signs parents should look for in teenagers who may be suffering from depression.

While experts caution that parents should not diagnose depression in their children themselves, they should consult with a mental health professional should their child demonstrate four of more signs of certain behaviors over the course of two weeks or longer. Parents should look for signs of sleep impairment or disturbance, diminished interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of worthlessness, diminished energy and concentration, marked changes in appetite, obvious psychomotor disturbances, and suicidality.

Posted by admin at 07:08 PM

Medical Experts Attempt To Determine Health Risks Of Oil Spill.

The Miami Herald (6/26, Tasker, Figueroa) reported, "So far, most health problems among oil spill workers have been relatively mild, involving heat stress, respiratory problems, headaches, and throat irritations," HHS "spokeswoman Lisa Kaplowitz told a US Senate subcommittee last week."

Meanwhile, "11 oil spill workers have been hospitalized briefly with nausea, dizziness and chest pains amid debate over whether they were caused by a dock cleaning chemical, the oil dispersant Corexit, heat and fatigue or a combination." This "lack of certainty led the US Institute of Medicine, health arm of the National Academy of Sciences, to hastily convene a symposium of experts in New Orleans on Tuesday and Wednesday seeking better understanding."

Related Links:

- Medical experts study human health effects of BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico," Fred Tasiker and Laura Figuera, Miami Herald, June 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:59 PM

Psychiatrists Warn Of Emotional Toll Of Oil Spill.

The AP (6/28, McConnaughey, Stacy) reports, "The relentless spill is bringing back feelings that are far too familiar" to those "still dealing with the physical and emotional toll wrought by Katrina five years ago," and "psychiatrists who treated people after Katrina and have held group sessions in oil spill-stricken areas say the symptoms showing up are much the same: Anger. Anxiety. Drinking. Depression. Suicidal thoughts."

Families who depend on the fishing industry, "the backbone of the coastal economy, are especially hard-pressed as the waters that make up their livelihood are sporadically closed because of fears the oil will taint fish, oysters and shrimp," while "oil field workers, whose salaries are among the best the region can offer, worry about their industry's long-term future."

Posted by admin at 06:53 PM

Feelings Of Comfort Or Discomfort May Influence People's Actions.

The AP (6/25, Schmid) reports, "Scientists using seat-of-the-pants research -- literally -- say how something feels to you can affect how you act."

For instance, "in one experiment...86 people took part in negotiations over a new car with a sticker price of $16,500." The researchers found that "people on stiff wooden chairs took a hard line in the deal, raising their offered price by $896.50," while people "in soft chairs were willing to spend an extra $1,243.60." The study authors said that the hardness "produced strictness and rigidity in the negotiation." The NIMH and MIT funded the study.

Related Links:

- Study: How things feel affects what people do," Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press, June 24, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:45 PM

New Treatment Plan For Patients With Depression Reports Increased Success Rate.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune (6/25, Lerner) reports that "only six percent of Minnesotans treated for depression at primary care clinics report that they're free of symptoms within six months," but an "an innovative" treatment program was able "to boost the success rate" to 26 percent.

According to a report by healthcare quality group MN Community Measurement, the Diamond program "relies on 'care managers' to maintain frequent contact with patients," including checking on them by phone to see if they're taking their medications. The program started as a pilot project at 10 Minnesota clinics and has since spread to 83 clinics statewide.

Related Links:

- Closely managed depression care wins high marks," Maura Lerner, Minnneapolis Star Tribune, June 24, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:31 PM

Kennedy Says Addiction Treatment In The US Is Lacking.

CQ HealthBeat (6/24, Reichard) reports, "With federal officials nodding in agreement, a visibly angry and distressed Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island on Wednesday slammed the way addictions are treated in the United States."

During "a House subcommittee hearing, Kennedy called even the programs with the finest reputations 'losers' because they treat people away from their communities and lack a consistent way of tracking behavior and keeping patients 'on the wagon' when they get back home." Kennedy "also dismissed as misplaced an entreaty by witness Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, that incentives be created for pharmaceutical companies to develop treatments to counter addiction."

Posted by admin at 06:24 PM

Army Task Force Recommends Different Approach To Pain Relief.

USA Today (6/24, Zoroya) reports that an Army task force released a 169-page report Wednesday that suggests the military provides inadequate pain relief for its patients, and "contributes to suicides, prescription drug abuse and aggravates cases of mental illness and brain injury."

The task force also said the military relies too much "on narcotic pain relievers, while a 'no pain, no gain' military culture encourages troops to ignore injuries until discomfort becomes chronic." The report said "the Pentagon must reorganize how it deals with troops in pain, including training and hiring more pain-management specialists, and finding different methods of pain relief."

Related Links:

- Report: Military's pain relief programs fall short," Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, June 23, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:15 PM

Men Stressed By Attempt To Balance Work, Parenting Responsibilities.

The New York Times (6/20, WK1, Parker-Pope) reported on the front page of its Week in Review section that "several studies show that fathers are now struggling just as much -- and sometimes even more -- than mothers in trying to fulfill their responsibilities at home and in the office."

In addition, fathers "seem more unhappy than mothers with the juggling act: In dual-earner couples, 59 percent of fathers report some level of 'work-life conflict,' compared with about 45 percent of women, according to a 2008 report from the Families and Work Institute in New York." One expert noted, "Men are facing the same clash of social ideals that women have faced since the 1970s -- how do you be a good parent and a good worker?"

Related Links:

- For Fathers, a Tough Balancing Act," Tara Parker-Pope, The New York Times, June 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:37 PM

Researchers Examine Websites Promoting Eating Disorders.

ABC World News (6/17, story 6, 1:55, Sawyer) reported, "There are troubling new findings tonight about that insidious Internet threat -- websites promoting eating disorders, targeting young men and women. Researchers now say they have found 180 of these sites, and they've discovered hidden ways fragile teens are recruited."

HealthDay (6/17, Goodwin) reported that the study published in the June 17 issue of the American Journal of Public Health found that in addition to pro-anorexia and pro-bulimia websites, "eating disorder experts say they now have to contend with 'pro-ana' and 'pro-mia' bloggers and 'thinspiration' Twitter updates sent right to an interested party's mobile phone." Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that "'thinspiration,' such as photos or videos of very thin models and actresses, were on 85 percent of the sites. And about 43 percent provided specific instructions on concealing eating disorders." Notably, "only 13 percent of sites contained an overt statement that eating disorders are a problem."

Posted by admin at 05:31 PM

Study Finds High Rates Of Functional Impairment In Returning Soldiers Due To PTSD.

Medscape (6/15, Cassels) reported that, according to astudy published in the June issue of the Archives of Psychiatry, "approximately 10% of US Army soldiers returning from Iraq have severe functional impairment attributed to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression."

After analyzing 13,226 questionnaires from veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom who belonged to four Active Component (nonreserve) and two National Guard (reserve) infantry brigade combat units, researchers "using the least stringent definition of PTSD" found that "the prevalence rates across the Active Component and National Guard study groups ranged from 20.7% to 30.5%. Depression rates ranged from 11.5% to 16%."

Posted by admin at 05:24 PM

Study Examines PTSD-Related Hyperarousal Symptoms Of Returning Iraq, Afghanistan Soldiers.

HealthDay (6/15, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published online June 15 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, "sleep problems, irritability, concentration problems, jumpiness and feeling constantly 'on guard' are among the hyperarousal symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) associated with anger and hostility in US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan."

After interviewing 676 veterans, researchers also "found that those who had difficulty controlling violent behavior were more likely than others to have witnessed family violence before they joined the military, fired a weapon during deployment, been deployed for more than one year, or continued to experience hyperarousal symptoms."

Posted by admin at 05:17 PM

Insufficient Evidence Exists To Recommend Any Single Factor Protective Of Cognitive Decline Late In Life.

Bloomberg News (6/15, Ostrow) reports, "Exercising or following the Mediterranean diet may not slow memory loss or lower a person's chance of developing Alzheimer's disease."

In fact, "combined data from 275 studies found weak evidence of a benefit, not enough to warrant government recommendations that people change their habits to lessen the risk for the illness, a panel advising the National Institutes of Health said in a statement. The findings accompanied ananalysis of research on cognitive decline" published online June 15 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Time (6/14, Park) reported, "To clarify the state of the current evidence and offer physicians clearer treatment guidelines, the National Institutes of Health...in early 2009 commissioned a detailed analysis of existing studies: 165 papers published between 1984 and 2009." For years, "data have associated behaviors, such as keeping the mind actively engaged throughout life, staying physically active, eating certain foods and supplementing the diet with specific vitamins and nutrients with lower rates of dementia in old age." However, researchers "found that there was not sufficient evidence to recommend any single activity or factor that was protective of cognitive decline later in life."

Related Links:

- Alzheimer's Risk May Not Improve With Exercise, Healthy Food, Panel Says," Nicole Ostrow, Bloomberg News, June 14, 2010.

- Study: Lifestyle May Not Prevent Alzheimer's
," Alice Park, Time, June 14, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:53 PM

Attorneys Readying Lawsuits Against Michigan's Medicaid Program, Insurers To Cover Autism Therapy.

The Detroit News (6/14, Kozlowski) reports that "most Michigan insurers still don't cover autism therapies, a situation many are trying to change through lawsuits and legislation to take the financial burden off families. Services, which can cost up to $50,000 annually, are not covered because many insurers deem the therapies experimental."

Even "though the Michigan House has passed legislation to require insurance companies to cover the costs of therapy for autistic children, and a bipartisan task force is conducting hearings around the state, some autism activists believe it won't become law." For that reason, "attorneys are ready to file lawsuits against Michigan's Medicaid program and other insurers to get children therapeutic coverage."

Related Links:

- Advocates seek autism coverage from Michigan insurers," Kim Kozlowski, The Detroit News, June 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:36 PM

Studies Find High Levels Of Happiness, Suicide Among People In Midlife.

The New York Times (6/13, WK4, Cohen) reported, "A new study of a Gallup telephone poll that essentially took a snapshot of how more than 340,000 respondents felt on a particular day in 2008 found that starting at age 50, there was a sharp rise in the level of happiness that people reported."

Paradoxically, another study (pdf) detailing "the results of the latest federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey of violent deaths in 16 states, released last month, found that in 2007, for the second year in a row, the group between ages 45 and 54 had the highest rate of suicide." Some experts theorize that baby boomers are more likely to be depressed than previous generations, while others say that increased use of prescription painkillers may be associated with rising suicide rates.

Related Links:

- In Midlife, Boomers Are Happy — and Suicidal," Patricia Cohen, The New York Times, June 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:19 PM

CDC Report Details Deaths, ED Visits Among Partygoers Taking "Ecstasy."

The Los Angeles Times (6/12, Lin) reports, "A 24-year-old man died and 18 others were transported to emergency" departments "after taking Ecstasy at an all night New Year's Eve rave at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, according to a report released Thursday."

These incidences occurred shortly after the deaths "of two men who had attended a Cow Palace rave over the Memorial Day weekend south of San Francisco." The authors of the article, which appears in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, said such cases raise "questions about whether publicly owned venues like the Sports Arena should host such events."

This is an issue that will only grow larger, considering that "use of the drug is increasing, and many overdoses go underreported," Bloomberg News (6/11, Randall) reports. In fact, the "number of patients at treatment programs in Los Angeles County citing ecstasy as their drug of choice increased almost sevenfold from 2005 to 2009."

One expert, who was not involved in the report, says that the increase may be the result of "a sense among some partygoers that the drug is safe," according to HealthDay (6/10, Reinberg). "However, this report -- like others before it -- shows that the danger is real and 'educating young folks in a realistic way about risks may help to reduce use,'" he added. The AP (6/11) also covers the story.

Related Links:

- One died and 18 were hospitalized after taking Ecstasy at an L.A. rave New Year's Eve," Rong-Gong Lin II, The Los Angeles Times, June 11, 2010.

- Ecstasy Surge in Los Angeles Triggers Death, 18 Hospitalized after Rave," Tom Randall, Bloomberg News, June 10, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:46 PM

June 23, 2010

Low-Intensity Exercise Can Reduce Depression And Improve Recovery After A Stroke.

HealthDay (6/7, Preidt) reported that "low-intensity exercise can reduce depression and improve recovery after a stroke," according to a study scheduled to be presented at the Canadian Stroke Congress.

In a study of 103 patients who had had a stroke, approximately "half were then enrolled in an...experimental effort called the Graded Repetitive Arm Supplementary Program (GRASP)." Investigators found that "the functioning of arms and hands that had been affected by the stroke improved, on average, 33 percent for" participants in the GRASP group. Furthermore, patients in this group "reported less depressive symptoms."

Posted by admin at 05:31 PM

Investigation: Military Failing To Diagnose Brain Injuries.

NPR (6/7, Miller, Zwerdling) reported that an investigation by NPR and ProPublica found that "the military medical system is failing to diagnose brain injuries in troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, many of whom receive little or no treatment for lingering health problems."

Unpublished military research found that "tens of thousands of troops with" TBI aren't reflected in the military statistics. NPR asserted, "The military continues to overlook similarly wounded soldiers," adding that "some senior Army medical officers remain skeptical that mild traumatic brain injuries are responsible for soldiers' troubles with memory, concentration and mental focus." Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, the Army's most senior medical officer, "acknowledged shortcomings in the military's diagnosing and documenting of head traumas."

Related Links:

- Military Still Failing To Diagnose, Treat Brain Injuries," T Christian Miller and Daniel Zwerdling, NPR, June 8, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:17 PM

Study Examines PTSD, Increased Risk Of Dementia Among Older Veterans.

Reuters (6/8, Harding) reports that a related study published in the June 8 issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry has found that veterans over the age of 55 with PTSD may be almost twice as likely to become demented as veterans who do not have PTSD.

Researchers from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California-San Francisco arrived at that conclusion after tracking some 180,000 veterans over the age of 55 for seven years. The researchers theorized that years of prolonged stress may cause changes in the brain leading to dementia.

Related Links:

- PTSD may boost dementia risk in older vets," Anne Harding, Reuters, June 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:57 PM

One In 10 Iraq Veterans May Develop A Severe Case Of PTSD.

The Los Angeles Times (6/7, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that a study published June 8 in the Archives of General Psychiatry examines "how many soldiers develop" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) "and other mental health disorders after deployment."

Researchers "from the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command examined 13,226 anonymous surveys completed by veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom." The investigators found that "roughly one in 10 survey-takers had PTSD that was severe enough to cause 'serious functional impairment.'"

"Between nine percent and 14 percent of the soldiers were diagnosed with PTSD or depression resulting in serious impairment, while 23 percent to 31 percent were deemed to have some impairment," CNN /Health.com (6/7 Gardner) reported. Notably, "the risk of mental health problems may be more persistent among National Guard soldiers, the study suggests. A greater proportion of men and women in the National Guard than in the Army were diagnosed with PTSD and depression one year after their return, although the two groups had similar rates at the three-month mark."

The NPR (6/7, Hensley) "Shots" blog reported, "The researchers conclude that it's clear even a year after deployment, 'many combat soldiers have not psychologically recovered.'" And, "because the time between deployments is often only a year to 18 months for active soldiers, a 'sizable proportion' are likely returning to with lingering mental health issues."

According to HealthDay (6/7, Edelson), approximately "50 percent of those with strictly defined depression or PTSD also admitted to alcohol misuse or physical aggression." The study's "findings suggest a need for improved post-deployment screening, the researchers said."

The Scientific American (6/7, Harmon) "Observations" blog, the Time (6/7, O'Callaghan) "Wellness" blog, and the Discovery Channel (6/7, Niiler) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- About 1 in 10 Iraq veterans develops a serious case of PTSD, researchers say," Karen Kaplan, The Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots Blog, June 7, 2010.

- Depression, PTSD plague many Iraq vets," Amanda Gardner, CNN Health, June 7, 2010.

- PTSD And Depression Common In Returning Combat Soldiers," Scott Hensley, NPR "Shots", June 7, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:45 PM

June 22, 2010

Suicide Rate Among People Aged 45-54 Continues To Rise.

The New York Times (6/6, A16, Cohen) reported, "For the second year in a row, middle-aged adults have registered the highest suicide rate in the country," according to the CDC. Typically, "the eldest segment of the population, those 80 and older, has had the highest rates of suicide in the United States."

But, data from 2007 show that the "45-to-54 age group had a suicide rate of 17.6 per every 100,000 people. The second highest was the 75-to-84 age range, with a rate of 16.4, followed by those between 35 and 44, with a 16.3."

Related Links:

- In Midlife, Boomers Are Happy — and Suicidal," Patricia Cohen, The New York Times, June 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:52 AM

Experts Say Modern Reliance On Gadgets Is Exacting A Mental Toll.

In a front-page article, the New York Times (6/7, A1, Richtel) reports, "Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information."

Notably, "These play to a primitive impulse to respond to immediate opportunities and threats. The stimulation provokes excitement -- a dopamine squirt -- that researchers say can be addictive. In its absence, people feel bored." Psychiatrist Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse, says, "The technology is rewiring our brains." Volkow "and other researchers compare the lure of digital stimulation less to that of drugs and alcohol than to food and sex, which are essential but counterproductive in excess."

Related Links:

- Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price," Matt Richtel, The New York Times, June 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:38 AM

Childhood Bereavement May Leave Psychological Scars For Decades Afterwards.

The Wall Street Journal (6/2, Zaslow) reports that bereavement experienced during childhood leaves adults emotionally scarred for decades afterwards, according to a study released by Comfort Zone Camp, the provider of camps specially designed for children who have lost a parent.

Meanwhile, a study newly released by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center found that children who lose a parent to suicide may themselves also commit suicide, while youngsters who lose their parents during childhood may end up in the hospital suffering from depression. The authors of the Hopkins study suggested that primary-care physicians and pediatricians better monitor the mental health of all children who lose a parent.

Related Links:

- Families With a Missing Piece," Jeffrey Zaslow, The Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:31 AM

Talk Therapy May Work As Well As Antidepressants For Treating Anxiety, Depression, Survey Suggests.

WebMD (6/1, Doheny) reported that, according to a survey released June 1 and to appear in the July issue of Consumer Reports, "antidepressants are commonly prescribed for treating both anxiety and depression, but talk therapy appears to work just as well as the medications."

WebMD explained that the survey included data from 1,544 respondents "who had sought professional help for depression, anxiety, or another mental health problem between January 2006 and April 2009." Notably, "of the 45% of respondents who turned to talk therapy, either alone or with medication, 46% said the therapy sessions had made their condition 'a lot better,' while 45% termed things 'somewhat better.'"

Related Links:

- Consumer Reports Survey Shows Both Treatments Are Effective for Depression and Anxiety," Kathleen Doheny, WebMD, June 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:19 AM

June 10, 2010

SSRI Antidepressants May Increase Risk Of Developing Cataracts.

The Los Angeles Times (6/1, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Ophthalmology, "the family of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, increases the risk of developing cataracts by about 15%, but some members of the family produce a higher risk."

Researchers, in a study of "18,784 cataract patients and 187,840 healthy controls over the age of 65," found that "fluvoxamine (Luvox) increases the risk by 39%, venlafaxine (Effexor) increases the risk by 33%, and paroxetine (Paxil) increases the risk by 23%."

HealthDay (6/1, Mozes) reported that "rising risk was only associated with the current use of such medications, not prior use, the authors noted." Moreover, the investigators "observed that not all antidepressants appeared to be linked to an increased risk for cataracts, although they noted that the lack of an association was not definitive proof that there is in fact no risk." The study's lead author explained, "The eye's lens has serotonin receptors, and animal studies have shown that excess serotonin can make the lens opaque and lead to cataract formation."

Related Links:

- Antidepressants known as SSRIs increase risk of cataracts, study says," Thomas H. Maugh II, The Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots Blog, June 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:43 PM

Small Study Associates Olfactory Reference Syndrome With High Risk For Suicidality.

Medscape (6/2, Cassels) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, olfactory reference syndrome (ORS), "a rare but serious mental illness causing individuals to falsely believe that they omit an offensive or foul body odor, is associated with significant increased risk for attempted suicide and psychosocial impairment."

In a study of 20 patients with ORS, researchers found that 32% of them "attempt suicide and 68% have suicidal thoughts." Moreover, "these patients have significant rates of psychiatric hospitalization, they avoid social situations, and many become completely housebound for significant periods."

Posted by admin at 07:37 PM

Study Finds Happiness Increases And Stress Declines With Age.

The New York Times (6/1, Bakalar) reports, "A large Gallup poll has found that by almost any measure, people get happier as they get older, and researchers are not sure why."

The survey, conducted "in 2008, covered more than 340,000 people nationwide, ages 18 to 85, asking various questions about age and sex, current events, personal finances, health, and other matters." Researchers "also asked about 'global well-being' by having each person rank overall life satisfaction on a 10-point scale." They found that "people start out at age 18 feeling pretty good about themselves, and then, apparently, life begins to throw curve balls. ... By the time they are 85, they are even more satisfied with themselves than they were at 18." Notably, "the researchers found that stress declines from age 22 onward, reaching its lowest point at 85."

Related Links:

- .Happiness May Come With Age, Study Says," Nicholos Bakalar, The New York Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:30 PM

Spending time with doctors may be good for depression.

WebMD (5/29, Laino) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting, "simply spending more time with the doctor may help people with depression feel better."

After analyzing "data from major studies pitting the antidepressant Effexor [venlafaxine] against placebo in people with depression," researchers found that "about 30% of patients on placebo who were given one screening test per visit showed mood improvements on...the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale," whereas "about 42% of patients on placebo improved when given four assessments per visit." The study authors theorized that spending time with healthcare staff may cause patients with depression to experience the placebo response.

Related Links:

- More 'Doctor Time' Helps Ease Depression," Charlene Laino, WebMD, May 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:34 PM

Group Calls For Screening Children, Teens For Mental-Health Issues.

The Wall Street Journal (6/1, Wang) reports that an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) task force now recommends that children should be screened for mental-health issues at every visit to the pediatrician.

The AAP task force also suggests that physicians should put together a list of mental-health clinicians to whom they can refer young patients needing further assessment. The AAP has found that approximately one in five children and teenagers may have a mental illness, but only 20% of those youngsters get appropriate treatment, a fact made worse by a shortage of psychiatrists in the US. Child psychiatrist David Fassler, MD, treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association, hailed the AAP report as "helpful and comprehensive."

Posted by admin at 06:21 PM

Studies On Chocolate's Effects May Have Ties to Chocolate Makers.

The Los Angeles Times (5/31, Conis) reported that "most of the human studies on chocolate's effects have so far been small and of short duration -- and have ties to chocolate makers."

While dark chocolate contains flavonoids which studies have linked to "decreased blood pressure, lower cholesterol," and "reduced risk of heart disease," it is "in no way a diet food." Psychiatrist Philip Muskin, MD, of Columbia University, stated, "Chocolate may be one of the most reliable pleasures in the world...but it has be eaten in moderation."

Related Links:

- Science picks through the chocolate nuggets," Elena Conis, The Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:57 PM

People Who Score Higher On Depression Test Eat More Chocolate.

The Los Angeles Times (5/31, Conis) reported that, according to a study published in April in the Archives of Internal Medicine, "people who score higher on a depression test eat more chocolate than those who are not depressed: eight one-ounce servings per week, as opposed to five."

Some researchers "speculate that chocolate, which some people crave as if it were a drug, could exhibit drug-like properties, improving mood in the short term, but worsening mood with long term, high level consumption."

Related Links:

- The mysterious, dark-coated relationship between chocolate and mood," Elena Conis, The Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:36 PM

Recession's Psychological Toll Leads More Workers To Seek EAP Programs.

The Baltimore Sun (6/1, Sentementes) reports that the "Great Recession is taking a steep psychological toll," and employers are "seeing a rising volume of requests to assistance programs that offer help resolving personal issues, including financial stress, as part of health benefits."

For example, Magellan's employee-assistance programs "increased 10 percent nationally last year," while MHN, Health Net's behavioral health subsidiary, has seen the number of its programs "to help workers cope with on-the-job change and stress grow 45 percent from 2007." But, in an effort to limit expenses, "some companies are cutting back on the EAP benefits," industry experts said.

Related Links:

- The recession's psychological toll," Gus G. Sentementes, The Baltimore Sun, May 31, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:24 PM

May 31, 2010

More Americans Using Federally Funded Suicide-Prevention Hotline.

The Wall Street Journal (5/28, Randall) reports that, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, more Americans are using the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, a federally-backed hotline for suicide prevention that provides 24-hour, free access to counselors.

The hotline is seeing substantial increases in the number of callers, even though the economic downturn is easing. SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, JD, noted that "the Lifeline has made a remarkable difference in saving the lives of countless Americans."

Related Links:

- Suicide-Prevention Hotline Gains Awareness," Maya Jackson Randall, The Wall Street Journal, May 27, 2010.

Posted by admin at 01:06 AM

Weight Gain In Anorexia Nervosa Patients Linked To Improvements In Gray Matter Volume.

The Los Angeles Times (5/27, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Anorexia nervosa takes a tremendous toll on the body," and that "includes brain volume, which may be reduced because of the disorder."

Now, however, researchers at Yale are saying "those deleterious effects could be reversed when anorexics gain weight." In fact, after looking at the MRIs of "32 adult women with anorexia nervosa" and 21 healthy controls, investigators noted that "when the anorexic women did gain weight, gray matter volume improved after several weeks, although it didn't fully return to normal." The "volume of white matter...also improved as the anorexic women gained weight," according to the paper in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Posted by admin at 12:59 AM

Researchers Analyze Autism Websites To Determine Reliability Of Information.

HealthDay (5/25, Goodwin) reported that "entering the term 'autism' into the three major search engines today yields more than 17.4 million results, according to new research" presented May 19 at the International Meeting for Autism Research.

Investigators analyzed about "160 of the most visited autism sites to determine how often they met measures of quality and accountability, including whether or not the site was selling something; if citations about research supposedly showing the efficacy of a treatment included author identification and references; if the information was current; and if the site asked visitors for personal information (a red flag)." The majority of the "sites did not meet all of the criteria for quality, said lead study author Brian Reichow, a post-doctoral associate at Yale University Child Study Center."

Related Links:

- As Autism Web Sites Boom, Experts Urge Caution," Jenifer Goodwin, HealthDay, May 25, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:53 AM

Court Program Aims To Address Defendants' Underlying Mental Health Issues.

The Chicago Tribune (5/26, Fabbre) reports that Will County's "new mental health court program" is "designed to help keep people out of jail by addressing their underlying mental health issues."

The mental health court "requires defendants to sign a contract -- pleading guilty to their charges -- upon acceptance into the program. The judge, prosecutor, defense attorney and mental health professionals from the Will County Health Department then work out a treatment program that could involve anything from medication and counseling to weekly drug tests and classes for stress management." Advocates "say the programs help mentally ill defendants from landing in court again and consequently ease the case loads in overburdened courts."

Related Links:

- Treatment, not jail, focus for mentally ill," Alicia Fabbre, The Chicago Tribune, May 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:46 AM

Long-Term Antidepressant Use May Not Always Be Needed To Prevent Future Bouts Of Depression.

WebMD (5/24, Laino) reported that, according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, "long-term use of antidepressants may not always be needed to prevent future bouts of depression."

After reviewing "16 studies conducted to test the hypothesis that antidepressants prevent depression," researchers found that "at least two-thirds of depressed patients who will relapse do so in the first six months after stopping antidepressant medication." Study author and psychiatrist Brian Briscoe, MD, of the University of Louisville, stated, "If you don't get depressed within the first six months after coming off the medication, you may not be at any higher risk of being depressed than any other patient."

Related Links:

- Long-Term Antidepressants to Prevent Depression?," Charlene Laino, WebMD, May 24, 2010.

Posted by admin at 12:37 AM

May 29, 2010

Medication Nonadherence Costs Over $170 Billion In The US Annually.

Pauline W. Chen, MD writes in the New York Times (5/21) Doctor and Patient column, "Like politics, religion and sex, medication nonadherence, or noncompliance, remains a topic of conversation that most of us try to avoid."

"While anyone who has ever tried to complete a full course of antibiotics can understand how easy it is to skip, cut down or forget one's medications altogether, bringing the topic up in the exam room feels more like a confession or inquisition than a rational discussion." In fact, "few of us want to talk about medication nonadherence, much less admit to it." Data show that medication nonadherence costs "more than $170 billion annually in the United States alone."

Related Links:

- When Patients Don’t Fill Their Prescriptions," Pauline W Chen, New York Times, May 20, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:50 PM

Rate of Prescription Medication Use Among Children Outpaced Adults Last Year.

The AP (5/20, Murphy) reports, "Prescription drug use among children grew several times faster than for adults last year, due in part to swine flu drugs and type 2 diabetes medications, according to Medco Health Solutions Inc."

In fact, "a five percent increase in prescription drug use for children contributed to a 10.8 percent spending increase last year." On the other hand, "overall prescription drug use rose 1.3 percent, and drug spending climbed 3.7 percent." Notably, "more children are being treated with cholesterol fighters or powerful antipsychotics normally used by adults."

According to Reuters (5/20, Berkrot), medications that are usually prescribed to treat schizophrenia are being used to help children suffering anxiety or depression, a practice that's increased twofold since 2001. What's more, some antipsychotics have been linked to weight gain. As for medications to treat AD/HD, data indicate that the increase was more distinct among young adults. Citing the obesity epidemic, Medco chief medical officer Dr Robert Epstein also pointed out that since 2001, there's been a 50 percent increase in the number of children between 10 and 19 who use cholesterol-lowering medications, a 147 percent swell in teens taking acid reflux and heartburn remedies, and a 24 percent increase in prescriptions for blood pressure medicines. The NPR (5/19, Hensley) "Shots" blog also covered the story.

Related Links:

- Medco report finds big jump in child prescriptions," Tom Murphy, Pawtucket Times, May 19, 2010.

- Prescription drug use by U.S. children on the rise," Bill Berkrot, Reuters, May 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:36 PM

May 20, 2010

CDC Report Reveals Suicide Was Leading Cause Of Violent Death In 2007.

The CNN (5/13, Park) "Paging Dr. Gupta" blog reported, "In 2007, the number of suicides was twice that of homicides, based on statistics from 16 states, according to a report released" on May 13 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

And, "among the deceased who had mental health problems, 74.9 percent had received a diagnosis of depression/dysthymia, 14.5 percent had...bipolar disorder, and 8.1 percent had an anxiety disorder," the report found. Approximately "20 percent had a history of previous suicide attempts, 28 percent expressed their intent prior, and about a third left a suicide note."

HealthDay (5/13, Reinberg) reported that the 16-state survey, which provides "some insights into ways to improve efforts to prevent violent deaths," found that "most suicides were among people 45 to 54 years of age, which represents a demographic shift; people over 80 typically have the highest suicide rates. The age shift might be related to problems with mental health, jobs, finances, or relationships, the study said."

Related Links:

- CDC: Twice as many U.S. suicides as homicides," Madison Park, CNN, May 13, 2010.

- Suicide Leading Cause of Violent Death: CDC
," Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, May 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:53 PM

Thousands Of Female Veterans Screen Positive For Military Sexual Trauma.

The NPR (5/13, Kaplan) "All Things Considered" program ran the fourth of a five-part series on veterans, reporting, "In the past five to six years," Lauren Devor, a "clinical social worker and the coordinator of the women's veterans homeless program" at the Veterans Affair Boston Health Care System, "says she's seen more and more" young, female Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, many of whom have children.

One such veteran, Rachel Caesar, says she was sexually harassed in the military, but received help from Devor and Eve Davison, a "clinical psychologist at the VA hospital in Boston." NPR added, "According to the VA, more than 48,000 female veterans screened positive for military sexual trauma in 2008."

Related Links:

- Military Sexual Trauma: A Little-Known Veteran Issue," Susan Kaplan, National Public Radio, May 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:47 PM

Mental Health Leading Reason For Hospitalization In 2009 For US Troops.

USA Today (5/14, Zoroya) reports, "Mental health disorders caused more hospitalizations among US troops in 2009 than any other reason, according to medical data released recently by the Pentagon" in its Medical Surveillance Monthly report.

USA Today points out that this "historic high reflects the growing toll of nearly nine years of war," a point emphasized by Brig. Gen. Loree Sutton, "director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury," who said, "Our troops are facing multiple deployments and experiencing psychological stress due to prolonged exposure to combat."

Related Links:

- Mental care stays are up in military," Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, May 16, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:41 PM

UK Troops Suffer Far Lower Rates Of PTSD Than US Troops.

The New York Times (5/17, A10, Carey) reports that, according to a study published online May 13 in The Lancet, "British troops who have fought in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer far lower rates of post-traumatic stress than Americans do."

In fact, "while estimated rates of the condition in troops returning to the United States range from 10 to 15 percent, the new study found a rate of just four percent among Britons -- even though they and the Americans have seen equal amounts of combat in recent years." The researchers theorized that the discrepancy may be partly due to the fact that "reservists make up about 30 percent of American forces, but only 10 percent of British forces," and could also reflect the differences in US and UK deployment schedules in which UK forces have shorter tours with longer intervals in between than American troops.

Related Links:

- U.S. Troops Suffer More Stress Than Britons, Study Says," Benedict Carey, New York Times, May 16, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:34 PM

Early Intervention For Patients With First Episode Of Psychosis May Be Cost-Effective.

MedWire (5/18, Czyzewski) reports that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, "a program of early intervention for patients with a first episode of psychosis is likely to be cost-effective in terms of improved vocational and quality-of-life outcomes."

After randomizing 144 patients diagnosed with non-affective psychosis "to receive care from...psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, nurses, and healthcare assistants" or to standard care, the researchers found that "intervention reduced total expenditure by one third compared with standard care." They suggested that fewer hospitalizations offset the cost of the intervention and its related services.

Related Links:

- Early psychosis intervention ‘cost-effective’," Andrew Czyzewski, MedWire News, May 18, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:27 PM

More Than Half Of TBI Sufferers May Experience Depression In Year Following Injury.

The Los Angeles Times (5/18, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "In the year following a traumatic brain injury (TBI), roughly half of survivors likely experience a bout of clinical depression -- a rate almost eight times higher than that found in the general population," according a study published in the May 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In addition, "those whose head trauma was followed by depression reported significantly more pain, greater mobility problems, and more difficulty carrying out their usual responsibilities than those who were not plagued by post-injury depression."

HealthDay (5/18, Gardner) reported, "In this study of 559 patients with traumatic brain injury, more than half (53.1 percent)...endured major depressive disorder at some point during the study follow-up." Notably, "in terms of risk factors, patients with major depression at the time of their injury or before their injury, as well as those who were younger and those who reported alcohol dependence, were most likely to suffer depression after head trauma." In addition, "those who were diagnosed with major depression were...more likely to have anxiety disorders, the researchers found."

Reuters (5/19, Lowe) reports that the study suggested that depression following TBI "is an invisible disorder within an often invisible injury," and its authors called for "aggressive efforts" to detect and treat patients suffering from the disorder.

Related Links:

- Traumatic brain injuries linked to depression," Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2010.

- Major Depression Often Follows Brain Injury," Amanda Gardner, HealthDay, May 18, 2010.

- Major depression common after brain injury: study," Rachael Myers Lowe, Reuters, May 18, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:10 PM

New Fathers May Also Suffer From Depression.

ABC World News (5/18, story 12, 1:15, Sawyer) reported, "We've all become a lot more sensitive to the problems of postpartum depression (PPD) in new moms." Now, however, "it turns out now that...new fathers may be suffering, too."

USA Today (5/19, Szabo) reports that, according to a study published May 19 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, "14% of American men develop depression, either during their partner's pregnancies or in the first year after delivery." In other countries, "approximately 8% of fathers...develop the problem, according to the analysis, which included 43 studies of 28,000 people."

The study "found that 10.4% of men experienced serious depression at some point between his partner's first trimester and one year after childbirth, more than double the depression rate for men in general," the Los Angeles Times (5/19, Roan) reports. Unfortunately, "paternal depression symptoms are much less likely to be recognized than maternal depression," because men do not become weepy or sad, and instead may display anger, irritability, or detachment from their families.

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal (5/19, D1, Wang) reports that reasons for depression in men bear similarities to those for women, and may result from being deprived of sleep and stress between partners.

Bloomberg News (5/19, Ostrow) reports that depression "may also occur because of changes in perceived role in life, financial stress, isolation from friends and social activities." Paternal "depression was highest in the three to six months following the baby's arrival," possibly "because family leave ends about that time, particularly in the US," the study authors from the Eastern Virginia Medical School theorized.

According to CNN (5/19, Landau), "depression in fathers has potential negative implications for the family, and for the child's development and behavioral and emotional health," lead author James Paulson, PhD, "said. Paulson's study also found that fathers' depression tended to have an association with mothers' depression -- so when moms were more depressed, so were dads." Still, further research "is needed to determine how the two are related, as one parent's moods have not been proven to cause the other's."

On its "All Things Considered" program, NPR (5/18, Silberner) reported, "The study's conclusion is well supported, says Gregory Simon," MD, MPH, "a psychiatrist with Group Health Research Institute, a nonprofit in Seattle, and likely to be a surprise to men and to many health care professionals."

Related Links:

- Postpartum depression hits as many dads as moms," Liz Szabo, USA Today, May 19, 2010.

- Study: Postpartum depression affects fathers too," Shari
Roan, Los Angeles Times, May 19, 2010.

- Dads Get Postpartum Depression Just Like Moms, Study Finds," Nicole Ostrow, Bloomberg News, May 18, 2010.

- Dads get postpartum depression, too," Elizabeth Landau, CNN Health, May 18, 2010.

- Study Finds Dads Suffer Postpartum Depression," Joanne Silberner, National Public Radio, May 18, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:38 PM

Lawsuit Seeks To Bar Detention Of New York City Foster Youths In Psychiatric Hospitals.

The New York Times (5/13, A24, Sulzberger) reports, "A federal lawsuit is seeking to bar New York City from allowing troubled foster-care children to be kept in psychiatric hospitals after doctors have recommended their release, a practice that routinely adds months to a hospitalization despite laws that require such children to be placed in the least restrictive environment possible.

The suit, filed on Wednesday in United States District Court in Brooklyn, claims that the practice means that children who no longer require hospitalization are being kept in locked quarters where they have limited access to schooling, family visits, and even walks outside." The suit, which has requested class-action status, "is seeking a preliminary injunction ordering the release of the three children, as well as a court order prohibiting the city from continuing to place foster-care children in hospitals unless doing so is medically necessary," as well as financial damages.

Related Links:

- Foster Children Mistreated, Suit Against City Claims," A. G. Sulzberger, New York Times, May 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:26 PM

Minnesota Attempts To Help Mentally Ill Veterans Accused Of Crimes.

NPR (5/12, Mador), in its "All Things Considered" program, ran the third of a five-part series on veterans, noting that as some Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffering from mental-health problems "get in trouble with the law and become entwined in the criminal justice system, states are looking for new ways to help," including Minnesota, where a "special court aimed at helping vets avoid jail time will launch this summer, and police officers are being trained to identify veterans with combat-related issues before they end up in court."

According to NPR, most of at "least two dozen Veterans Treatment Courts...operating around" the country "have a good track record of dramatically cutting re-arrest rates."

Related Links:

- New Minn. Court Handles Vets Accused Of Crimes," Jessica Mador, National Public Radio, May 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:16 PM

Serious Mentally Ill Persons Three Times More Likely To Be Incarcerated Than Hospitalized, Report Says.

According to USA Today (5/13, Rubin), "on average, a seriously mentally ill person in the USA is three times more likely to be incarcerated than hospitalized, areport (pdf)" issued by "the National Sheriffs' Association and the Treatment Advocacy Center found." In fact, "in no state was a seriously mentally ill person -- someone with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, for example -- less likely to be incarcerated than hospitalized."

Researchers based the report on "previously unpublished 2004-2005 data from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Bureau of Justice." USA Today notes psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey, MD, founder of the Treatment Advocacy Center, co-authored this report.

Related Links:

- Mentally ill people are sent to jail more often than hospital," Rita Rubin, USA Today, May 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:08 PM

Survey Says Stigma Of Mental Illness Has Declined.

HealthDay (5/6, Dotinga) reported that, according to an online survey commissioned by the American Psychiatric Association and conducted by Harris Interactive, "more than a third of Americans polled believe that the stigma of mental illness has declined and they attribute the change largely to openness by friends, family members, and public figures about their own conditions."

Nearly "80 percent of those polled said that such openness on the part of family and friends had had at least a moderate impact on the stigma of mental illness," the survey of "2,285 adults aged 18 and older" found.

Related Links:

- Many Americans Say Stigma of Mental Illness Is Fading," Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, May 6, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:56 PM

Adult Survivors Of Childhood Cancer Four Times More Likely To Suffer PTSD.

The Los Angeles Times (5/6, Maugh) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published online April 30 in the journal Pediatrics, "adult survivors of childhood cancer are four times as likely as their siblings to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)."

In a study of "6,542 adults over 18 who were diagnosed with cancer between 1970 and 1986, as well as 368 of their siblings," researchers found that "about 9% of the adults suffer PTSD," compared to "only 2% of their siblings."

Posted by admin at 05:43 PM

CDC Report Says Motor Vehicle Accidents Are Top Cause Of Death Among US Teens.

HealthDay (5/5, Reinberg) reported that "of the more than 16,000 teenagers who die in the United States each year, most are killed in automobile accidents, but murder, suicide, cancer, and heart disease also take their toll, a new government report finds."

WebMD (5/5, Hendrick) reported that "the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) says that 48% of deaths in youngsters 12 to 19 are caused by unintentional injuries. Of these injuries, 73% are caused by motor vehicle accidents." The report found that "other leading causes of teenage deaths are homicide (13%), suicide (11%), cancer (6%), and heart disease (3%)."

Related Links:

- Car Crashes Leading Cause of Teen Deaths in U.S.," Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, May 5, 2010.

- Traffic Accidents Are Top Cause of Teen Deaths," Bill Hendrick, WebMD News, May 5, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:32 PM

Stress At Work May Raise Risk Of Heart Disease For Women Under 50.

The UK's Daily Mail (5/6, Hope) reports that "career women with stressful jobs face a higher risk of heart disease," according to a study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Investigators "looked at the impact of work pressure on heart disease risk among 12,116 nurses, who were aged between 45 and 64 at the start of the research in 1993 and were followed for 15 years."

The UK's Press Association (5/6) reports that "by 2008, 580 women had been admitted to hospital with heart disease, of which 138 had suffered a heart attack, 369 had angina, and 73 had another type of heart disease."

BBC News (5/6, Brimelow) reports that "the researchers found that those who described pressure at work as "much too high" were 35% more likely to have developed heart disease than those who were comfortable with the pressure." However, "when they broke the results down by age, they found it was only the women aged 50 and under who were affected significantly."

According to the researchers, "This study adds to the previous body of evidence suggesting harmful effects of excessive psychological demands at work on cardiac health, but is one among very few that demonstrates the effect among women," Reuters (5/6) reports

Related Links:

- Stressful jobs giving women heart disease: High flyers at 50% greater risk," Jenny Hope, UK Daily Mail, May 10, 2010.

- Women under 50 'face work stress risk'," Adam Brimelow, BBC News, May 6, 2010.

- Work stress can raise women's heart disease risk," Kate Kelland, Reuters, May 5, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:59 PM

Older People May Have Lower Rates Of Mood, Anxiety Disorders Than Younger People.

HealthDay (5/5, Dotinga) reported that, according to a study published online May 3 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, "older people have lower rates of mental illnesses related to mood and anxiety than younger people."

After analyzing survey data on 2,575 people aged 55 and older, researchers found that "five percent said they'd had a mood disorder -- such as depression or bipolar disorder -- within the past year. Twelve percent reported anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and three percent said they had both mood and anxiety disorders." However, people "aged 85 and older, were the least likely to report having the conditions," while women generally had about twice the rate of such disorders as men did.

Related Links:

- Older Adults Have Lower Rates of Mood, Anxiety Disorders," Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, May 5, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:51 PM

May 17, 2010

Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy May Increase Psychiatric Risks In Children.

HealthDay (5/4, Behen) reported that, according to research presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, "a woman who smokes while pregnant increases her baby's risk of developing psychiatric problems in childhood and young adulthood."

After analyzing "the birth records of more than 175,000 Finnish children born in the late 1980s, as well as their use of psychotropic medications as children and young adults," researchers found that "exposure to prenatal smoking increased the risk for using all psychotropic" medicines, but particularly for medications to treat addiction and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, as well as antidepressants.

Related Links:

- Smoking While Pregnant May Raise Psychiatric Risks in Kids
," Madonna Behen, HealthDay, May 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:41 PM

Technology Helps Caregivers Look After Sufferers of Alzheimer's, Dementia.

The New York Times (5/5, A3, Johnson) reports, "Companies that make GPS devices are also starting to enter the growing Alzheimer's market with products that look like wristwatches, and even shoes with GPS monitors embedded in the heels. ... Lower on the technology scale, but widespread in its use around the nation, is radio frequency tracking."

A nonprofit organization, Project Lifesaver, "equips Alzheimer's sufferers with wristbands," and "contracts with local government agencies to set up the service."

Related Links:

- Resources and Technology to Help Caregivers Cope," Kirk Johnson, New York Times, May 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:26 PM

May 16, 2010

Wandering Alzheimer's Victims Increasingly Becoming Focus Of Search-And-Rescue Operations.

On its front page, the New York Times (5/5, A1, Johnson) reports, "About six in 10 dementia victims will wander at least once, healthcare statistics show, and the numbers are growing worldwide, fueled primarily by Alzheimer's disease."

The "rising numbers of searches are driving a need to retrain emergency workers, police officers, and volunteers around the country who say they throw out just about every generally accepted idea when hunting" for Alzheimer's sufferers. Retired FBI agent Robert B. Schaefer, who now conducts training sessions for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, recently told a class that "a dementia wanderer will sometimes take evasive action to avoid detection, especially if the disease has made them paranoid about authority figures."

Related Links:

- More With Dementia Wander From Home," Kirk Johnson, New York Times, May 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:55 PM

Studies Mixed On Effects Of Violent Video Games On Children.

The Los Angeles Times (5/3, Adams) reports, "A number of studies have shown that watching a lot of violence on television or playing violent video games...produces aggressive tendencies in kids."

However, "other researchers pooh-pooh such assertions and say that scientific findings have been decidedly mixed -- with several studies finding no effects of violent video games on children and teens who play them." Still, "the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids' exposure to screen time (meaning TV, video, computer and video games) be limited to one to two hours a day," and parents should set limits on precisely what their children watch or play.

Related Links:

- Effects of violent video games," Jill U Adams, Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:45 PM

May 13, 2010

Wisconsin Legislature Passes Bill To Create Prescription Medication-Tracking Database.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (5/1, Kertscher) reported that the Wisconsin "Legislature has overwhelming approved a bill that aims to curb 'doctor shopping' by abusers of prescription" medicines, "which are causing a growing number of overdose deaths locally and nationally."

The bill "would create a statewide database to track prescriptions that are filled for" medications "deemed to have the most potential for abuse," including OxyContin [oxycodone], Vicodin [acetaminophen/hydrocodone], and morphine.

Related Links:

- Legislature approves bill to curb 'doctor shopping'
," Tom Kertscher, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, May 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:46 PM

May 11, 2010

Push Begins For National Prescription Database To Fight Abuse.

The AP (5/3, Risling) reports that while a California "online drug database went into effect last year to thwart addicts who bounce from doctor to doctor to feed a habit or make a small fortune peddling meds, there's now a push to extend it beyond state lines to snare so-called doctor shoppers and curb drug abuse."

The National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act, which was signed by President Bush in 2005, allocated "more than $50 million" to states for programs in which doctors and other authorized users can access patient records. Although the "law aims to have a coordinated national system," there "are no estimates what that would cost and a majority of the federal money hasn't been allocated."

Related Links:

- States Want to Share Patients’ Prescription Information to Curb Abuse
," Greg Risling, CNSNews.com, May 03, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:06 AM

VA Using PTSD Therapy Developed By University Of Pennsylvania Psychologist.

Time (4/30, Kluger) magazine profiles 72-year-old "psychologist Edna Foa...of the University of Pennsylvania."

According to Time, no one is "doing more to end" the suffering caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than Foa, who developed a "therapy...known as prolonged exposure, or PE," which "involves identifying thoughts and situations that trigger the most fear, and then gently exposing sufferers to them." Time point outs that the US military "is embracing PE," while the Department of Veterans Affairs "is putting the protocol into wide use, and implementing programs to teach it across the various services."

Related Links:

- Edna Foa," Jeffrey Kluger, Time, April 10, 2010.

Posted by admin at 02:58 AM

US Army looks into suicide prevention.

ABC World News (4/29, story 9, 3:40, Sawyer) reported, "In the battle against suicide in its ranks," the US Army is "fighting an elusive, often silent, enemy. Last year, 160 active-duty soldiers committed suicide despite an unprecedented effort to address the problem."

This enemy took the life of Chris Galloway, a "36-year-old father of three from Michigan" who "did tours of Iraq and Afghanistan." After noting that 40-year-old Jim Haus, another troubled soldier, decided to get help before following through on a plan to commit suicide, ABC News said Galloway's widow and Haus' wife both "agree...the suicide prevention effort must involve" educating families for it to be successful.

Posted by admin at 02:53 AM

May 10, 2010

Psychiatrist Makes Case For Integrated Treatment.

In a lengthy piece in the New York Times (4/25, MM40), psychiatrist Dan Carlat, MD wrote, "When our patients need more from us" psychiatrists "than just medication...we should be prepared to provide it."

"Oddly, managed-care companies discourage us from doing psychotherapy, arguing that it is cheaper to have psychiatrists do 20-minute medication visits every three months and to hire a lower paid non-MD for more frequent therapy visits. But, the few studies that have analyzed the economics of these arrangements have found that integrated treatment actually saves money," requiring less of an expenditure from insurance companies "than when the treatment is split between psychiatrists and psychotherapists. When patients see only one provider, they require fewer visits overall."

Related Links:

- Mind Over Meds," Daniel Carlat, The New York Times, April 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:01 PM

Children Or Adolescents Who Lost A Parent To Suicide May Be More Likely To Die The Same Way.

CNN (4/22, Landau) reports that "people who as children or adolescents lost a parent to suicide are more likely to die the same way," according to a large study scheduled to be published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Investigators "looked at data from Sweden's population registry, examining [the] records of" millions of "children, teens and young adults." The researchers "found that Swedes who were children or adolescents when a parent took his or her own life had a three-fold increased risk of dying by suicide themselves."

Related Links:

- Study: Children of suicide more likely to take own lives," Elizabeth Landau, CNN Health, April 21, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:55 PM

April 23, 2010

Adolescent Depression Awareness Program Wins 2010 Outstanding Merit Award

At the MPS annual meeting in April, the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry presented its 2010 Outstanding Merit Award to the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program of the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins.

The Board was particularly impressed with this outstanding program, which through student, parent and teacher education seeks to increase awareness of adolescent depression and bipolar disorder while reducing the stigma associated with these illnesses.

In addition, the foundation awarded Honorable Mentions to the Southern Maryland Community Network in Prince Frederick, which offers essential services to persons with severe and persistent mental illness, and to Helping Other People through Empowerment, Inc. Wellness and Recovery Center in Baltimore, which assists adults with mental illness in becoming empowered to rejoin mainstream society by increasing awareness of available resources through peer support.

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry established the annual Outstanding Merit Award for a worthy program in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

• Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness


• Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness


• Reduces the stigma of mental illness

The award, open to the entire Maryland community, carries a prize of $500.

related Links:

- Johns Hopkins Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP)
- Southern Maryland Community Network
- Helping Other People through Empowerment

Posted by admin at 03:59 PM

2011 Outstanding Merit Award Entries Open Now

Nominations are now being accepted for the Foundation's 2011 Outstanding Merit Award.

The annual Outstanding Merit Award is given for a worthy endeavor in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

• Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness



• Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness



• Reduces the stigma of mental illness

Nominations for this award of $500 are being invited from the entire Maryland community. A short nomination form must be submitted with a cover letter by March 1, 2011, to the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, 1101 Saint. Paul Street, Suite 305, Baltimore, MD 21202-6405. The form is available as PDF or Word document.

The 2010 award was presented to the to the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program of the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, which through student, parent and teacher education seeks to increase awareness of adolescent depression and bipolar disorder while reducing the stigma associated with these illnesses.

Related Links:

- Download 2011 Outstanding Merit Award nomination form (Microsoft Word document)
- Download 2011 Outstanding Merit Award nomination form (PDF document)
- 2010 Winner: Adolescent Depression Awareness Program at Johns Hopkins
- 2009 Winner: Gaudenzia Park Heights New Vision of Hope Program in Baltimore
- 2008 Winner: Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies program
- 2007 Winner: Bowie Therapeutic Nursery Center, Inc.
- 2006 Winner: Mr. Edgar K. Wiggins

Posted by admin at 02:04 PM

April 22, 2010

CDC Exercise Guidelines Remain Unchanged.

The Oklahoman (4/15, Jahnke) reports that "since 2008, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended adults get 150 minutes -- 30 minutes, five days a week -- of moderate activity. The CDC also recommends twice weekly strength-training sessions."

The article goes on to say the CDC recommendation has not changed, even though a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that more activity is needed.

Related Links:

- CDC guideline unchanged," Krista Jahnke, The Daily Oklahoman, April 15, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:22 PM

Physical Activity May Strengthen The Brain.

ABC World News (4/14, story 11, 2:10, Sawyer) reported, "Federal health experts released a report today showing physical activity strengthens the brain. A study of school kids showed improved grades and test scores."

ABC (Wright) added, "At the University of Illinois, Dr. Charles Hillman's research shows that after a 30 minute stint on the treadmill, students actually do up to ten percent better at problem solving." Dr. Charles Hillman, University of Illinois: "It's good for attention. It's good for how fast individuals process information." Wright added that at one school that emphasizes physical education to strengthen the brain, a program has "been in place five years."

Posted by admin at 08:11 PM

Drug Czar Says Nation Needs New Drug Policy.

CQ HealthBeat (4/15) reports that White House National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske said that "the US needs to discard the idea that enforcement alone can eliminate our nation's drug problem."

Kerlikowske called for a new strategy which would address "our nation's enormous demand for drugs by scaling up our public health policy response, integrating treatment programs into mainstream medicine, and recognizing that effective drug policy requires engagement at the community level."

Posted by admin at 07:57 PM

Depression Associated With Heavy Smoking.

The Los Angeles Times (4/14, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Despite the now well-known and far-reaching effects of smoking, more than one-fifth of Americans still smoke," and many may find it "hard to quit because they also have depression."

In fact, data compiled by the CDC indicate that "43% of adult smokers age 20 and older" are dealing the condition. "Among men ages 40 to 54, a whopping 55% of those who smoke have depression," while "among women ages 20 to 39 who smoke, 50% have depression."

After analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, investigators also noted that "the number of cigarettes people smoke increases as their depression deepens," WebMD (4/14, DeNoon) reported. In fact, "nearly twice as many depressed smokers as non-depressed smokers average more than a pack of cigarettes each day (28% vs. 15%)." What's more, "smokers suffering depression grab for that first cigarette of the day sooner than smokers who aren't depressed."

"Exactly why depressed people tend to smoke more was beyond the scope of the study," HealthDay (4/14, Doheny) reported. But, Dr. Laura Pratt, "an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics," pointed out that "some research has suggested they might be self-medicating, with the cigarettes somehow acting as a calming or relaxing mechanism." Stanton A. Glantz, director of the University of California-San Francisco's Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, "agrees that depressed people who smoke may be self-medicating. Part of the problem, he said, is that mental-health professionals have been slow to deal with the tobacco issue." AFP (4/14) also covered the study.

Posted by admin at 07:29 PM

Columnist provides tips on how to recognize, deal with depression in seniors.

In the Los Angeles Times (4/17) Dealing With column, Rosemary McClure discusses depression in the elderly and how many adult children may not even recognize symptoms of depression in their parents.

"Increasingly, health professionals are recognizing that depression among older adults is a serious problem that needs to be treated." Saying that "depression isn't normal at any age," experts point out that people with depression "account for as many as one-fifth of the population of older adults in the United States." The condition, if left untreated, may contribute to alcohol or prescription-medication abuse, illness, or even suicide. McClure provides tips on how to recognize depression in older adults and how to help them deal with it.

Related Links:

- Dealing with depression in seniors," Rosemary Mclure, Los Angeles Times, April 17, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:18 PM

New research seeks to determine impact of marriage on health.

The New York Times (4/18, Parker-Pope) reports, "Contemporary studies...have shown that married people are less likely to get pneumonia, have surgery, develop cancer, or have heart attacks. A group of Swedish researchers has found that being married or cohabiting at midlife is associated with a lower risk for dementia."

Indeed, "for many years, studies like these have influenced both politics and policy, fueling national marriage-promotion efforts, like the Healthy Marriage Initiative of the US Department of Health and Human Services. From 2006 to 2010, the program received $150 million annually to spend on projects like 'divorce reduction' efforts and often cited the health benefits of marrying and staying married." Yet, "while it's clear that marriage is profoundly connected to health and well-being, new research is increasingly presenting a more nuanced view of the so-called marriage advantage."

Related Links:

- Is Marriage Good for Your Health?," Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times, April 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:00 PM

UnitedHealth begins extending dependent coverage until age 26 today.

The Wall Street Journal (4/19, Johnson) reports that starting today, UnitedHealth Group, Inc. intends to begin allowing graduating college seniors to remain on their parents' health insurance plans, a move which puts the insurer ahead in terms of complying with a health reform provision that will take effect in September.

This change is expected to affect about 150,000 graduating students for whom UnitedHealth provides employer-sponsored coverage. Notably, UnitedHealth said that it already allows dependent coverage until age 26 for its private insurance plans. The Journal says that this change indicates that UnitedHealth is taking swift action to implement the new healthcare law.

Posted by admin at 06:51 PM

Implementation Of Mental Health Parity Law Plagued With Delays.

CQ Weekly (4/19, Zeller) reports, "The mental health care parity law enacted a year and a half ago requires insurance companies to offer comparable benefits for mental and physical health."

CQ adds, "The regulations were finalized in January and took effect this month," but implementation of the law could be delayed because "three companies that manage mental health services on behalf of large insurance companies [have] filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services improperly fast-tracked the rule-making -- and that the rules they came up with would diminish the quality of care for the mentally ill." In contrast, "Mental health groups say the departments have done a pretty good job with the rules and it's time to move on."

Posted by admin at 06:41 PM

Alcohol may cause, worsen asthma, hay fever symptoms.

In the New York Times (4/20, D5) Really? column, Anahad O'Connor writes, "Studies have found that alcohol can cause or worsen the common symptoms of asthma and hay fever, like sneezing, itching, headaches and coughing."

Yet, it is not "always the alcohol itself" that exacerbates the condition. "Beer, wine, and liquor contain histamine," a "chemical that sets off allergy symptoms." Beer and wine "also contain sulfites, another group of compounds known to provoke asthma and other allergy-like symptoms."

Related Links:

- The Claim: Alcohol Worsens Allergies," Anahad O'connor, New York Times: Really Collumn, April 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:29 PM

One-Third Of Young People Who Use Tanning Beds May Be Addicted To The Behavior.

The Los Angeles Times (4/20, Roan) reports that, according to a study published in the April issue of the Archives of Dermatology, "as many as a third of young people who use tanning beds may be addicted to the behavior."

While "it's unclear how or why tanning can become compulsive...exposure to UV light triggers production of brain chemicals called endorphins that boost mood. One study, published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found that frequent tanners experience some withdrawal symptoms when given naltrexone, a drug that blocks endorphins."

Despite the fact that "indoor tanning can cause skin cancer, premature skin aging, and eye damage, according to the US Food and Drug Administration," Bloomberg News (4/20, Randall) explains that "about one-third of college students who tried indoor tanning facilities were addicted to the artificial rays, and the addicts drank more alcohol and smoked more marijuana than other students, researchers found."

Time (4/19, Park) reported, "In a study of 421 college undergraduates, researchers in psychiatry and psychology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the University of Albany, State University of New York, found that a subgroup of indoor tanners showed classic signs of substance-related disorder: they were hooked on their tanning-booth sessions the same way others are dependent on alcohol or drugs. The frequent tanners were also more likely to report moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression than peers who were not addicted to tanning or did not tan at all."

According to HealthDay (4/19, Gardner), if the study's conclusions are true, then "addiction treatments might actually help prevent skin cancer, experts say." HealthDay quoted study co-author Catherine E. Mosher, PhD, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, as saying, "Counseling could be a logical intervention for these people who have excessive visits to tanning salons."

Focusing on reaction to the study, WebMD (4/19, Mann) quoted dermatologist Darrell S. Rigel, MD, of New York University Medical Center, as saying, "Tanning is an addiction, just like smoking, and there is a cancer outcome just like there is with smoking." But, "John Overstreet, executive director of the Indoor Tanning Association in Washington, DC, says labeling something as an addictive behavior is becoming something of a trend. 'It is really popular to label a group or activity as an addiction such as Internet addiction, pornography addiction, or video game addiction, and this is a form of condemnation by labeling and I am not sure it is scientifically sound,' he says."

Reuters (4/20, Levitan), BBC News (4/20), the UK's Daily Mail (4/20, Hope), the UK's Telegraph (4/20), and the UK's Press Association (4/20) also cover the story, as did Medscape (4/19, Brooks).

Related Links:

- Indoor tanning may be addictive," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, April 20, 2010.

- Tanning Addicts Drink More Alcohol, Smoke More Pot, Study Finds
," Tom Randall, Bloomberg News, April 19, 2010.

- Tanning Bed Use Might Become Addictive
," Amanda Gardner, HealthDay, April 19, 2010.

- Indoor Tanning Addiction Linked to Anxiety, Drug Abuse," Denise Mann, WebMD, April 19, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:50 PM

Limits On Health Insurance Coverage Under New Law Discussed.

In response to a reader's question about whether insurance companies can still limit coverage for categories, such as physical therapy and mental illness, Michelle Andrews wrote in the New York Times (4/20) Prescriptions blog, "Yes, it's likely that your insurer will be able to continue to limit physical therapy and mental health benefits under the new health law."

"Existing health plans won't ever have to provide the 'essential health benefits' that will be mandatory in the health insurance exchanges and for individual and small group plans starting in 2014." Yet, "even health plans subject to the essential benefits provisions are unlikely to offer unlimited coverage in these areas, said Jennifer Tolbert, associate director of the Kaiser Family Foundation."

Related Links:

- Can Insurers Still Cap Physical Therapy Visits?," Michelle Andrews, The New York Times: Perscription Blog, April 20, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:38 PM

Prescription-Medication Abuse Growing Exponentially, Expert Says.

In a commentary in the Baltimore Sun (4/21), Nancy Rosen-Cohen, PhD, executive director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Maryland, writes about prescription-medication abuse, which is "growing at an exponential rate. Between 1992 and 2002, the number of prescriptions written increased by 61 percent, but the number of prescriptions written for opiates increased by almost 400 percent." Rosen-Cohen asserts, "Meaningful change will require that we raise awareness on the dangers of prescription medicine and add substantial resources for treatment and prevention."

To that end, "the Obama administration...has proposed a 6.5 percent increase for prevention and treatment in the fiscal 2011 budget," a decision applauded by mental-health professionals across the state of Maryland.

Related Links:

- The quiet epidemic," Nancy Rosen-Cohen, The Balitmore Sun, April 21, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:29 PM

Cannabis Use In Prior Year Associated With More Acute Onset Of FEP.

MedWire (4/21, Czyzewski) reports that, according to a study published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, "in patients presenting with a first episode of psychosis (FEP), cannabis use in the previous year is associated with a more acute onset of illness."

In a study of "468 individuals from the Aetiology and Ethnicity of Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses (AESOP) study who presented to UK health services with a FEP between 1997 and 1999," then obtaining information about substance use in the year before the study, researchers found that cannabis use "was associated with a more acute mode of illness onset, after adjustment for age, gender and ethnicity (OR=2.03)."

Related Links:

- Cannabis use associated with acute illness onset in psychosis," Andrew Czyzewski, MedWire, April 21, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:22 PM

April 14, 2010

Cognitive Behavioral Techniques May Help Binge Eaters Gain Control.

CNN (4/1, Park) reported, "Many patients who suffer from" binge eating, a disorder that "could be added as a psychiatric condition in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," may "believe they are overeating and seek weight-loss treatment rather than mental health help, experts" say.

"Even when they receive a proper diagnosis, the treatments for binge eating are expensive, time-consuming, and sometimes difficult to obtain." So, researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research decided to "examine whether a self-guided program would help 123 study participants."
According to the Los Angeles Times (4/1, Dennis) "Booster Shots" blog, those "who went through a 12-week, eight-session program" meant to change their thinking and behavior "were much more likely to gain control of their eating than those participants who simply received the various types of treatment they'd normally get in a managed-care setting." Specifically, "after 12 weeks, 28.3% of the treatment-as-usual group and 63.5% of the cognitive-behavioral-therapy group had managed to stop binging," according to the paper in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. "After a year, those numbers were 44.6% and 64.2%, respectively."

Related Links:

- Self-help treatment effective for binge eating, researchers say," Madison Park, CNN News, April 1, 2010.

- Diagnostic criteria for eating disorders is too narrow, researchers say," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, April 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:49 PM

Alcohol study unearths unexpected underage results.

The Washington Post (4/1) The Checkup blog reported that although recent research shows that moderate consumption of alcohol by adults "can confer cardiovascular benefits," a new survey shows that over "a quarter (27.6 percent) of people aged 12 to 20 had consumed alcoholic beverages in the month before being questioned.

The survey of 19,176 people in that age group, conducted from 2006 to 2008 by SAMSAH, also found that in some states, that number topped 40 percent." The data also revealed that the "District of Columbia had the highest percentage of young people -- 18.8 percent -- who'd bought their own booze the last time they drank. The national average was 8.6 percent." Notably, "SAMHSA, in cooperation with the Ad Council, has launched an updated version of their five-year-old public-service campaign to address the issue."

Related Links:

- Underage drinking abounds," Jennifer LaRue Huget, The Washington Post, April 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:40 PM

FAA Drops Ban On Pilots Taking Four Antidepressants.

Bloomberg News (4/2, Hughes) reports, "Pilots taking Prozac [fluoxetine] will be permitted to fly as US regulators drop a decades-old ban on four antidepressants."

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, in an interview, said this change, which will start April 5, was due to a "better understanding" of the medications' effects. "FAA policy bans pilots from flying if they have depression because the condition can be distracting in the cockpit and pose a safety risk, according to the agency. Under the new policy, pilots with depression can seek treatment with one of the four medications and keep flying." FAA health specialists will also monitor the pilots. This rule "may cover as many as 10,000 pilots...said Fred Tilton, the federal air surgeon."

Related Links:

- Prozac Pilots May Fly as FAA Drops Ban on Medicines ," John Hughes, Bloomberg News, April 2, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:36 PM

Pregnancy-Specific Anxiety Associated With Lower 12-Month Mental Development Scores In Offspring.

In the Wall Street Journal (3/31) Work & Family column, Sue Shellenbarger observes that, according to a study recently published in the journal Child Development, excessive worry about pregnancy itself in mothers-to-be, called pregnancy-specific anxiety, was associated with lower 12-month mental development scores in their babies.

Therefore, obstetricians are counseling expectant mothers to reach out to friends and family for support to help lessen any anxiety.
Health Reform Law Expands Mental-Health Parity To Millions More People.

Posted by admin at 08:32 PM

Psychiatrists Seeing Some People Asking To Be Diagnosed With Bipolar Disorder.

The UK's Daily Mail (3/30) reports that in light of celebrities recently admitting they have bipolar disorder "to help raise awareness" of the condition, thereby "giving the condition an air of glamour and creativity," now some "psychiatrists and GPs are seeing a disturbing new fashion: people asking to be diagnosed as bipolar."

Worse yet, according to a report published in the Royal College Of Psychiatrists' official journal, many people are now "confusing normal mood swings with" bipolar disorder.

Related Links:

- Is celebrity soul-baring spreading depression?," John Naish, UK Daily Mail, March 30, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:23 PM

April 13, 2010

VA Offers Lifeline To Troubled Veterans.

On its website, CNN (3/26, Ure) reported that the "Veterans Affairs Department's National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the upstate New York town of Canandaigua," which is "staffed around the clock seven days a week, opened in July 2007, largely borne from widespread criticism that the department was not responding adequately to veterans in crisis."

After noting that Janet Kemp, the "Veterans Administration Suicide Prevention Coordinator, says the phones haven't stopped ringing since" the crisis center's inception, CNN said the "center's newest feature is a chat line for those who prefer computer-oriented communication, especially young vets such as those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Related Links:

- For veterans in crisis, a lifeline," Laurie Ure, CNN, March 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:30 PM

Prescription Medication Use "Soaring" For Deployed US Troops.

ABC World News (3/24, story 6, 2:40, Sawyer) broadcast that on Wednesday, a "Senate panel heard that more than 20% of service members" at war "now report psychological distress and their use of prescription" medications "is soaring," with "at least eight percent of the force...using pills, including" antidepressants, "prescribed right on the front lines.

Psychologist Jason Prinster," who "served in Afghanistan," expressed concern, saying, "We're sending soldiers on combat missions who are depressed, who are suicidal, and we are prescribing medication that has significant side effects." ABC added, "The military is making an effort to provide therapy to service members having mental health issues, but given the remoteness of some" bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is "not always possible and remains a real concern."

Posted by admin at 08:23 PM

US Battlefield Medics To Conduct Mandatory Concussion Exams.

The AP (3/25, Dishneau) reports, "Battlefield medics will soon conduct mandatory examinations of service members who may have sustained concussions instead of waiting for them to complain of symptoms, the military's brain-injury experts said Wednesday.

The medical leaders developing new guidelines say early diagnosis will lead to better treatment and tracking of concussions, the most common form of traumatic brain injury from the improvised bombs used by militants in Iraq and Afghanistan." Lt. Col. Lynne Lowe, "manager of the Army Traumatic Brain Injury Program," said, "What we hope is that these efforts ensure that every service member that does sustain a possible concussion, or is diagnosed with concussion, gets early detection, the initial treatment they need and then a very rapid return to duty."

Related Links:

- Military aims for better concussion detection," David Dishneau, Yahoo News, March 24, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:14 PM

March 25, 2010

Self-Defeating Behavior Legitimate Target For Treatment, Psychiatrist Contends.

In the New York Times (3/23, D6) Mind column, psychiatrist Richard A. Friedman, MD, writes, "Of all human psychology, self-defeating behavior is among the most puzzling and hard to change."

Friedman theorizes that "a hidden psychological reward" may explain why some people "repeatedly pursue a path that leads to pain and disappointment." Still, "telling people they are the architects of their own misery doesn't go over very well," a position that "the American Psychiatric Association found itself in...when it included a category for self-defeating patients in an earlier version of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders." Friedman asserts that even though "the notion of masochistic character has disappeared from the manual altogether...the behavior is a source of considerable suffering and a legitimate target for treatment."

Related Links:

- Sabotaging Success, but to What End?," Richard Friedman, New York Times, March 22, 2010.

Posted by admin at 11:32 PM

New Law Guarantees Mental-Health Parity In Insurance Coverage.

The Washington Post /Kaiser Health News (3/2, Boodman) reports that "an estimated 140 million Americans...are the beneficiaries of a sweeping new federal law designed to guarantee parity in insurance coverage."

The new "law, which took effect for most plans Jan. 1, applies to groups of more than 50 employees," ensures that "higher deductibles, steeper co-pays, and other restrictions are no longer allowed for mental health and substance abuse treatment." While some businesses say that "prohibiting separate deductibles may have unintended consequences," Irvin Muszynski, an attorney at the American Psychiatric Association, after explaining that "mental health and substance abuse expenditures...account for a fraction of total healthcare expenditures," asked, "So, what is everyone freaking out about?"

Related Links:

- Parity law requires mental health benefits comparable to physical care benefits," Sandra G. Boodman, The Washington Post, Marsh 2, 2010.

Posted by admin at 11:22 PM

VA Psychologist Encourages Vets Suffering From PTSD To Undergo Treatment.

On its website, the National Journal (3/2) notes that it met with Dr. Stacey Pollack, a clinical psychologist with the Department of Veterans Affairs, "for her perspective on the battle against" post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which "has increased in recent years."

Pollack, "who also serves as trauma services director" at the VA hospital in Washington, DC, "says that although she tries to encourage vets suffering PTSD to undergo treatment, 'I don't ever pretend to understand exactly what they go through.'"

Related Links:

- VA Psychologist On PTSD And The Mental Health 'Stigma'," National Journal, March 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 11:12 PM

Court Offers Chance To Veterans Who Commit Non-Violent Crimes.

The CBS Evening News (3/1, story 5, 4:30, Couric) reported that the "return home can be a very tough adjustment" for Americans who "have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," and "it's led some to a life of drug abuse and crime."

In Rochester, NY, however, Judge Patricia Marks has "started a special court designed to give veterans who commit non-violent crimes" a chance at probation if they promise to go straight. CBS noted, however, that "in the entire United States, there are only 17 veterans courts" like the one in Rochester.

Posted by admin at 10:59 PM

Up To 35% Of Iraq, Afghanistan Veterans May Experience Mental-Health Problems.

According to the Naperville (IL) Sun (3/1, Carlman), the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) "and other agencies project that between 15 percent and 35 percent of those involved in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (which the Obama Administration...renamed Operation New Dawn) sooner or later will show symptoms of depression," post-traumatic stress disorder, "or other psychological troubles as a result of their combat experiences."

Posted by admin at 10:51 PM

Long-term marijuana use associated with increased risk for psychosis.

Bloomberg News (2/27, Ostrow) reports that, according to a study published online March 1 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, "young adults who used marijuana as teens were more likely than those who didn't to develop schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms including hallucinations and delusions."

In the study of 3,801 young Australian adults, researchers found that "those who used the drug for six or more years were twice as likely to develop a psychosis, such as schizophrenia, or to have delusional disorders than those who never used marijuana."

Related Links:

- Long-Time Marijuana Use Linked to Psychosis in Young Adults," Nicole Ostrow, Bloomberg News, Febuary 27, 2010.

Posted by admin at 10:43 PM

"Alarming" Increase In US Army Suicides Noted.

McClatchy (2/28, Abdullah) noted, "Last month, the Defense Department reported that there were 160 reported active-duty Army suicides in 2009, up from 140 in 2008."

And, while the "military's suicide rate is comparable to civilian rates, the increase is alarming, because the armed services traditionally had lower suicide rates than the general population." McClatchy focused much of it coverage 33-year-old Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Wimmer, who committed suicide in 2009, leaving behind a family which is "still caught in the dark currents that took his life."

Related Links:

- Military suicides are causing civilian casualties, too," Halimah Abdullah, McClatchy Newspapers, Febuary 28, 2010.

Posted by admin at 10:31 PM

Gastric Bands May Lead To Psychological Problems, Depression.

The UK's Telegraph (3/4, Smith) reports that, according to research presented at a UK diabetes conference, "Obese people who have a band fitted around their stomach to help them lose weight may end up thin, but can suffer from low self-esteem" and psychological problems.

After recording the experience of 25 patients one year after gastric banding, researchers found that the majority of patients "struggled with the shift in mindset required to deal with their desire and ability to eat." In fact, some "said losing the opportunity to eat as a coping strategy left them struggling to cope with distressing life events."

Related Links:

- Gastric bands may lead to depression as patients can no longer overeat," Rebecca Smith, The UK Telegraph, March 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 10:22 PM

Childhood Adversities May Have Additive Associations With Onset Of Psychiatric Disorders.

MedWire (3/4, Levy) reports that, according to a study published in the February issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, "childhood adversities (CAs) have significant subadditive associations with the onset of psychiatric disorders throughout the life course."

After analyzing "CAs and lifetime Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV disorders assessed in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication involving 9,282 adults," Harvard researchers "found that 44.6% of all childhood-onset psychiatric disorders and 25.9% to 32.0% of later-onset disorders were attributed to CAs."

Related Links:

- Childhood adversities have additive effect on psychiatric disorder onset," Joel Levy, MedWire News, March 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:58 PM

March 17, 2010

Survey Indicates Growing Incidence Of Medical Identity Theft.

McClatchy (3/4, Yip) reports, "The number of ID fraud victims jumped 12 percent in 2009, but consumers are becoming more educated and are filing more reports with law enforcement, according to Javelin Strategy & Research."

Experts "said the increase may be due to the economic downturn, when fraud rises historically." Notably, "a budding area is medical ID theft, in which thieves use your personal and health insurance information to obtain medical treatment or drugs. Javelin's survey found that the theft of medical records to commit ID fraud accounted for seven percent of all instances of ID theft in 2009, up from three percent in 2008."

Related Links:

-
Recession is fueling a boom in insurance fraud," Tony Pugh, McClatchy Newspapers, March 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:13 PM

Medicare Pay Cut Reprieve May Do Little To Ease Physicians' Concerns.

The Lincoln Journal-Star (3/3, Andersen) reported that the Senate "approved a one-month delay in a 21 percent Medicare pay cut to physicians," but the "shenanigans of the past few days pushed physician frustration to the point" where the "reprieve may matter little."

In light of "American Medical Association estimates" that indicate the cut "would reduce the average annual pay to Nebraska doctors by $18,000," one "kidney doctor said he must act to shore up his business." What's more, the "longtime decline in what Medicare pays physicians has already begun to affect patients," and "patients could find themselves paying more and having a harder time getting in to see a doctor," accelerating "the program's transformation into an ugly twin of underfunded Medicaid" in Nebraska and elsewhere.

Related Links:

-
Physicians worried over Medicare cuts," Mark Anderson, Lincoln Journal Star, March 3, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:52 PM

Feeling Younger May Help Older People Retain Cognitive Abilities.

US News & World Report /National Science Foundation (3/4) reported that "if you feel old beyond your own chronological years, you are probably going to experience a lot of the downsides that we associate with aging," but "if you are older and maintain a sense of being younger, then that gives you an edge in maintaining a lot of the abilities you prize," according to Markus H. Schafer, co-author of a new study.

After comparing "people's chronological age and their subjective age to determine which one has a greater influence on cognitive abilities during older adulthood," researchers found that "people who felt young for their age were more likely to have greater confidence about their cognitive abilities a decade later," and while "chronological age was important...the subjective age had a stronger effect."

Related Links:

- How You Think About Your Age May Affect How You Age," US News & World Report, March 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:42 PM

Asthmatics More Than Twice As Likely To Have Depression, Anxiety Than Non-Asthmatics.

HealthDay (3/4, Gordon) reported that, according to a study published in the March issue of the journal Chest, "people with asthma are more than twice as likely to have depression or anxiety as people who don't have the" condition.

After reviewing "data from 186,738 adults who had participated in the US National Health Interview Survey between 2001 and 2007," CDC researchers found that "among all of the study participants, the average prevalence of serious psychological distress was three percent, but in people with asthma, the rate of serious psychological distress was 7.5 percent."

Related Links:

- People With Asthma More Likely to Be Depressed
," Serena Gordon, HealthDay, March 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:32 PM

Analysis Finds Antipsychotics Given To Some Massachusetts Nursing-Home Patients With Dementia.

On its front page, the Boston Globe (3/8, A1, Lazar) reports that, according to the Boston Globe's own "analysis of federal data," approximately "2,500 nursing home residents in Massachusetts were given powerful" antipsychotics "last year that were not intended or recommended for their medical condition."

In fact, "data collected by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show that 28 percent of Massachusetts nursing home residents were given antipsychotics in 2009," even though "22 percent" of those residents "did not have a medical condition that calls for such treatment." In some cases, the medications are dispensed inappropriately because nursing homes lack behavior management techniques, experience, and staffing to deal with agitated patients, the Globe explains.

Related Links:

- Drugs at Mass. nursing homes could pose risks," The Boston Globe, March 8, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:15 PM

Similar Medication Names, Bottles Cause Thousands Of Mistakes Annually.

ABC World News (3/5, story 6, 2:55, Sawyer) reported on how some medicine bottles look alike and how the FDA "said it gets thousands of reports of such mix-ups every year."

The FDA's Dr. Gerald Pan said, "Today's near-miss, today's medication error that doesn't cause harm to somebody could cause harm to someone tomorrow." ABC noted the name change for Kapidex (dexlansoprazole) last week, but "that still leaves several hundred sound-alike and lookalike drug combinations to go."

Posted by admin at 08:03 PM

Researchers Investigate Smoking As Independent Risk Factor For Suicidality.

Medscape (3/11, Frincu-Mallos) reported that, according to research presented at a meeting on anxiety disorders, "smoking may be an independent risk factor for suicidality."

In a 10-year study of 3,021 young people who ranged in age from 14 to 24 at baseline, researchers found that "prior occasional, regular smoking and nicotine dependence were associated with an increased risk for the onset of suicidal ideation, with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.5 to 2.7." In addition, "prior regular smoking and nicotine dependence were...associated with the subsequent first onset of suicide attempts."

Related Links:

- Smoking May Be an Independent Risk Factor for Suicidality," Crina Frincu-Mallus, MedScape, March 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:26 PM

Higher Levels Of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Levels Of Depression In Older Adults.

Medscape (3/11, Harrison) reported that, according to research presented at a geriatric psychiatry meeting, "higher levels of physical activity objectively measured by an accelerometer are strongly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms and a lower prevalence of depressive disorders."

In a study of 1,103 older adults ("mean age, 67.6 years"), researchers found that "moderate physical activity as measured by an accelerometer totaling only 12 minutes a day was still significantly associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms (P < .0001) and a lower prevalence of depressive disorders (P = .003)."

Related Links:

- Higher Physical Activity Levels Strongly Linked to Lower Levels of Depression in Older Adults," Pam Harrison, MedScape, March 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 07:18 PM

Lethal Inhalant Use Surpasses Marijuana, Cocaine Experimentation Among 12-Year-Olds.

ABC World News (3/11, story 3, 1:35, Sawyer) reported that newly released data indicate that "a number of children in this country...are sniffing hair spray and spray paint before moving onto drugs like marijuana."

One 17-year-old who started inhaling at 11 says, "It's free. It's easy. You can steal it. You can take it from your parents. It's instant and it's intense."

And, its catching on, according to "The Crime Scene" blog, hosted by the Washington Post (3/11, Glod). The 2006-2008 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health reveal that a "rate of lifetime inhalant use among 12 year olds of 6.9 percent, compared to a rate of 1.4 percent for marijuana; a rate of 0.7 percent for use of hallucinogens; and a 0.1 rate for cocaine use." Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said, "Parents must wake up to the reality that their child might try huffing and the consequences could be devastating."

According to CQ HealthBeat (3/11, Reichard), "Timothy Condon, deputy director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said other research shows a disturbing downward trend among high schoolers who see 'great risk' in using inhalants once or twice a week."

On its website, CBS News (3/11) also quotes Condon as saying: "At the same time, the survey shows that inhalant use isn't declining as much as it has in recent years among eighth and tenth graders." He added, "If today's attitude translates into future use, we have reason to be concerned." Thus, on Sunday, the National Inhalant Prevention Coalition and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration "is kicking off National Inhalants and Poisons Awareness Week," CNN (3/11, Young) reported on its website. Reuters (3/12, Allen) and theChristian Science Monitor (3/11, Guarino) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome Kills With One Puff
," Boris Korby and Courtney Hutchison, ABC World News, March 10, 2010.

- Huffing a danger for preteens, study says," Maria Glod, Washington Post: Crime Scene Blog, March 11, 2010.

- Sniffing Trumps Weed for 12-Year-Olds," CBS News, March 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:49 PM

Oregon Insurers Test Health Plans That Offer Incentives To Use Proven Treatments.

Kaiser Health News (3/11, Appleby) reports that five insurers in Oregon will offer some employees "a new type of insurance that offers free care for some illnesses, such as diabetes or depression, but requires hefty extra fees for treatments deemed overused, including knee replacements, hysterectomies and heart bypass surgery."

The health plans "are among the first to apply financial incentives on both sides of one important factor driving up the nation's healthcare tab: The underuse of proven treatments and overuse of certain surgeries and diagnostic tests that may be less valuable." The insurers will use "incentives to influence patients' behavior...on prescription" medicines, as well. The move is intended "to encourage workers to choose high-value care, defined as treatments backed by strong evidence that they work."

Related Links:

- Carrot-And-Stick Health Plans Aim To Cut Costs," Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News, March 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 06:28 PM

March 11, 2010

The Art of Mentally Ill and Eccentric People

In the February, 2010, issue of Clinical Psychiatry News, psychiatrist Roland Atkinson devotes his column Reel Life to five recent films featuring the lives of self taught outsider artists who are mentally ill or eccentric.

The most successful of the films, Seraphine, won seven Cesar awards for 2009. It depicts the pre-World War 1 discovery of the highly delicate and colorful flower paintings by Seraphine, an obscure socially isolated externally morose French cleaning woman. The discoverer was art critic and collector Wilhelm Uhde who nurtured her successful career as an artist. When he was hard hit by the depression he had to withdraw his support, and Seraphine soon became mentally ill and spent the last years of her life in a mental hospital.

Other films he discussed were In a Dream, My Nikifor, and Junebug.

Atkonson writes, "The main lesson for psychiatrists offered by outsider artists is their demonstration of abilities to create rich, often stunningly unique works, a useful counterpoint to our customary fixation on psychopathology and dysfunction."

Related Links:

- Subscription required for full text: "Visions From Outside the Box ," Roland Atkinson, Clinical Psychiatry News, Vol. 38, Issue 2, Page 10, February 2010.
- Seraphine
- In a Dream
- My Nikifor, a review at Culture.PL
- Junebug

Posted by admin at 03:12 PM

February 28, 2010

APA Psychiatric News Covers Love from Depression

The American Psychiatric Association's Psychiatric News for February 5, 2010, featured the Foundation's Love From Depression outreach campaign. Besides Love from Depression, the article describes other outreach programs the Foundation has done and continues to do, ranging from public service announcements on radio, clinician meetings, and the Outstanding Merit Award.

Related Links:

- "Innovation Marks Foundation's Public-Education Outreach," Rich Daly, Psychiatric News, February 5, 2010
- Love From Depression
- Foundation Radio Ads
- Outstanding Merit Award 2010

Posted by admin at 12:02 PM

February 17, 2010

A Writer's 15 year old daughter becomes manic

In Hurry Down Sunshine, the writer Michael Greenberg takes the reader on a harrowing journey through his 15 year old daughter's encounter with a severe manic mental illness.

Her illness so overwhelms her that her human identity seems to disappear. To her father it is as if her real self has died.

Like so many contemporary families, this is a family marked by divorces and remarriages. The illness brings the family together, and they do their best to support and encourage the ill girl and each other, but it looks like they are helpless in the face of the manic onslaught. Father and other family members have some typical reactions at first: they feel guilty, as if they have caused the illness; and they try to deny the reality of serious illness, even in the face of undeniable psychotic symptoms. Nevertheless, they -- especially father and second wife -- persist in striving for a human relationship with their ill daughter, not giving in to despair, not withdrawing, despite tremendous strain on the marriage. They get good psychiatric treatment, and in the end their persistence has value.

This is an honest and beautifully written book by writer with a sharply observant writer's eye He does not gloss over the pain.

Related Links:

- Hurry Down Sunshine, Michael Greenberg, Random House, Inc.

Posted by admin at 03:00 AM

February 04, 2010

Collection programs for unused prescription medications seen as increasing.

The AP (1/22) reports on how communities across the US are ramping "efforts to clean out America's medicine cabinets," and at least "20 states now have collection programs for unused medications, and several saw record hauls in 2009."

The AP notes that the programs were "initially motivated by concerns about flushed pharmaceuticals reaching drinking water supplies," but the "programs are also surging for another reason: prescription drug overdoses." Still, advocates "say the 90 or so take-back programs across the country are a good start but not well-funded enough to expand to a mass scale."

Posted by admin at 04:49 PM

Support, care for caregivers of aging parents crucial.

Francine Russo writes in the latest issue of Time (2/1), "We hear a lot about the costs of taking care of our graying population. But, the big story roiling beneath the surface is the psychological crisis among middle-aged siblings who are fuming or fighting over issues involving their aging parents."

A new AARP/MetLife-funded National Alliance for Caregiving survey found that about "43.5 million adults in the US are looking after an older relative or friend. Of these, 43% said they did not feel they had a choice in this role. And although 7 in 10 said another unpaid caregiver had provided help in the past year, only 1 in 10 said the burden was split equally." In light of these findings, Russo points out that "research shows that emotional support for caregivers is critical to their well-being and to family harmony."

Related Links:

- When Elder Care Brings Back Sibling Tensions," Francine Russo, Time, Febuary 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:36 PM

Routine screening for depression during, after pregnancy advocated.

In its "Booster Shots" blog, the Los Angeles Times (1/21, Roan) reported that an opinion paper published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology advocated routine screening for depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, as they "are peak times for women to experience" the condition. The authors asserted that depression "carries serious repercussions for both mother and baby," raising "the risk of preterm birth and other adverse outcomes" prior to delivery and "cognitive, neurologic and motor skill delays" after the birth.

Related Links:

- Doctors encourage depression screening during and after pregnancy," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, January 21, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:30 PM

Insurance industry increased spending on lobbying in 2009.

The Hill (1/25, Bogardus) reports, "America's largest insurance companies spent millions more on lobbying last year as lawmakers debated healthcare reform, lobbying disclosure records show."

In all, "the companies increased lobbying spending by an average of 24 percent from 2008 to 2009, according to an analysis by The Hill of disclosure reports released this week. The list includes insurance giants such as Aetna and Wellpoint, along with the industry's major trade association, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)." Notably, Humana "showed the biggest increase in its lobbying spending among the insurers," with "$3.2 million on lobbying in 2009." Wellpoint spent $4.7 million, while UnitedHealth Group spent $4.5 million, and AHIP "about $8.9 million."

Posted by admin at 04:18 PM

Review finds risk factors for depression during pregnancy.

HealthDay (1/22, Preidt) reported that a review, in the January issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, of 159 studies conducted between 1980 and 2008 found that stress, a history of depression, a lack of social support, an unintended pregnancy, maternal anxiety, domestic violence, and having public insurance coverage "are among the major factors that contribute to increased risk of depression in pregnant women."

Depression in a pregnant woman "can cause problems for mothers and babies, including pre-term delivery, preeclampsia, sleep disturbances and disrupted mother-infant bonding."

Related Links:

- Stress, Anxiety Can Up Risk of Depression in Pregnancy," Robert Preidt, HealthDay News, January 22, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:10 PM

Poll reveals many workers fear stigma of seeking treatment for addiction, mental health problems.

Modern Healthcare (1/26, Vesely) reported that in an "online poll of about 1,100 employed adults conducted by Harris Interactive for the American Psychiatric Association," researchers found that "about 40 percent of workers said their employers are supportive or extremely supportive in seeking care for health issues, but many more reported fear of stigma for seeking treatment for addiction and mental health problems."

The poll revealed that "two thirds of workers thought their work status would be negatively affected if they sought treatment for drug addiction," while 73 percent "said they feared loss of work status for seeking treatment for alcoholism."

Related Links:

- Workers fear stigma for seeking mental health treatment: study
," Rebeca Vesely, Modern Healthcare, January 26, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:03 PM

January 25, 2010

2010 Outstanding Merit Award Entries Open Now

The annual Outstanding Merit Award is given for a worthy endeavor in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

* Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
* Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
* Reduces the stigma of mental illness

Nominations for this award of $500 are being invited from the entire Maryland community. A short nomination form must be submitted with a cover letter by March 1, 2010, to the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, 1101 Saint. Paul Street, Suite 305, Baltimore, MD 21202-6405. The form is available as PDF or Word document.

The 2009 Award was presented to the Gaudenzia Park Heights New Vision of Hope Program in Baltimore for its services to a very difficult population of dual diagnosis patients with substance abuse and mental illness, many of whom have criminal justice involvement.

Related Link:

- Download 2010 Outstanding Merit Award nomination form (Microsoft Word document)
- Download 2010 Outstanding Merit Award nomination form (PDF document)
- 2009 Winner: Gaudenzia Park Heights New Vision of Hope Program in Baltimore
- 2008 Winner: Healthy Mothers and Healthy Babies program
- 2007 Winner: Bowie Therapeutic Nursery Center, Inc.
- 2006 Winner: Mr. Edgar K. Wiggins

Posted by admin at 04:12 PM

Holiday Season Radio Ad Available Here

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. aired a new public service announcement on local Maryland radio stations during the recent holiday season. It focuses all the feelings and temptations which might surface during holidays and suggests how one might get some assistance.

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website's homepage by selecting "Holiday Depression" or download the MP3 file from our radio ad page.

Posted by admin at 03:47 PM

January 17, 2010

Researchers document deficiencies in depression treatment.

The New York Times (1/8, Rabin) reported in Vital Signs that, according to a study published Jan. 6 in the Archives of General Psychiatry, "only about half of all Americans with depression receive treatment of any kind," with "only one in five...getting care -- talk therapy, medication or both -- that conforms to American Psychiatric Association guidelines."

In an analysis of results from "nationally representative surveys of 15,762 adults from February 2001 to November 2003," Wayne State University researchers also found that "Mexican-Americans and African-Americans were less likely than other groups to receive treatment of any kind."

Related Links:

- Mental Health: Deficiencies in Treatment of Depression," Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, January 8, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:43 PM

Psychotherapy may benefit adolescent girls at risk for obesity.

HealthDay (1/9, Dotinga) reported, "A psychotherapy program may work better than traditional health classes in preventing teenage girls at risk of obesity from becoming excessively fatter," according to a study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

After "randomly assigned 38 girls to attend psychotherapy sessions or standard health-education classes," researchers found that "those who took part in the psychotherapy sessions" over the course of a year "were more likely to stabilize or reduce their body mass index."

Related Links:

- Psychotherapy May Help Teen Girls Avoid Obesity," HealthDay, January 9, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:37 PM

Healthcare industry said to favor psychotherapies validated by studies.

The Los Angeles Times (1/11, Jaffe) reports, "The healthcare industry favors psychotherapies that have been found effective in randomized controlled studies."

Therefore, CBT is "typically covered while lengthier, more costly treatments, such as psychodynamic therapy, are often truncated or not covered." Some "reports suggest that roughly two-thirds of privately insured Americans are enrolled in plans that limit duration of treatment based on research findings," which critics say is "a ploy to cut down on costs." The Times points out, however, that "the situation might change now that the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act has gone into effect, as of Jan. 1."

Related Links:

- New law offers hope on insurance coverage of therapies," Eric Jaffe, Los Angeles Times, January 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:28 PM

More students may be dealing with anxiety, other mental health issues.

The AP (1/11, Irvine) reports that "five times as many high school and college students are dealing with anxiety and other mental health issues than youth of the same age who were studied in the Great Depression era," according to a study to be published in the Clinical Psychology Review.

Investigators "analyzed the responses of 77,576 high school or college students who, from 1938 through 2007, took the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, or MMPI." The researchers found that, altogether, "an average of five times as many students in 2007 surpassed thresholds in one or more mental health categories, compared with those who did so in 1938."

Related Links:

- More of today's youth have serious mental health issues than previous generations, study finds ," Martha Irvine, Reno Gazette-Journal, January 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:23 PM

Theater project to help returning soldiers discuss psychological effects of war.

The AP (1/11) reports, "Actors from Broadway and television are performing in Washington as part of a theater project to help returning soldiers discuss the psychological effects of war and combat."

On Monday and Tuesday, "Isiah Whitlock from 'The Wire,' Tamara Tunie of 'Law and Order: SVU' and Broadway performers Francoise Battiste and Bill Camp are joining the 'Theater of War' project," a "program from the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs" that "presents readings of ancient Greek plays to help spur discussions on the challenges faced by combat veterans."

Related Links:

- Broadway, TV Actors Performing for Returning Soldiers," WHSV.com, January 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:16 PM

Pentagon, VA open suicide prevention conference.

WFAA-TV Dallas, TX (1/10, 8:34 a.m. CT) broadcast that the "Pentagon and the Veterans Administration" opened a "four day conference" Sunday "on suicide prevention in the military. Suicide in the Army is at a 26-year high. In 2008, there were 268 active duty suicides across the military, most in the Army, and it's double the rate of suicides among non-military Americans."

Posted by admin at 05:13 PM

Adolescents, parents may underestimate teen suicide risk.

WebMD (1/11, Boyles) reported, "Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teens, but teenagers and their parents underestimate the risk or think that it doesn't happen in their own communities," according to a study appearing in the February issue of Pediatrics.

After conducting "focus groups with parents and teens living in urban, suburban, or rural areas in an effort to better understand their attitudes and perceptions regarding adolescent suicide," researchers found that even though "parents and teenagers were able to identify many of the most common risk factors for suicide, including depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and relationship problems," they "also tended to underestimate the risk in their own backyards, believing instead that it was a problem in other communities."

Related Links:

- Study Shows Parents and Teens Believe Suicide Isn't a Problem in Their Communities," Salynn Boyles, WebMD Health News, January 11, 2010.

Posted by admin at 05:05 PM

Rep. McMahon says questionnaires for troops back from war zones "simply do not suffice."

The New York Daily News (1/11, Sisk) "Mouth of the Potomac" blog noted that Rep. Michael McMahon (D-NY), "a co-founder of the Congressional Invisible Wounds Caucus, said the VA and the Pentagon should provide the staff and funding for the psychological screening of all troops returning from combat zones.

'Evidently, the paper questionnaires currently in use simply do not suffice,' McMahon said," adding, "How many more young men and women must die before we provide the necessary mental healthcare?"

Related Links:

-
Grim record: Army suicides in 2009 hit highest level, accounts for 20% of national suicides," Richard Sisk, The New York Daily News, January 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:56 PM

VA says suicide rate among young, male veterans up 26%.

The AP (1/12, Hefling) reports, "The suicide rate among 18- to 29-year-old men who've left the military has gone up significantly, the government said Monday.

The rate for these veterans went up 26 percent from 2005 to 2007, according to preliminary data from the Veterans Affairs Department," whose officials "said they assume that most of the veterans in this age group served in Iraq or Afghanistan." The AP adds, "At a suicide prevention conference on Monday in Washington," VA Secretary Eric Shinseki "said he'd...like to see more stringent protocol put into place at VA facilities about how to handle a potentially suicidal veteran."

Related Links:

- Young male veterans, home from war, are taking their own lives more frequently, the VA finds," Kimberly Hefling, Star Tribune, January 12, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:47 PM

Military urged to implement suicide-prevention measures with spouses in mind.

The AP (1/13, Hefling) reported that while "speaking on stage at a military suicide prevention conference" on Wednesday, Deborah Mullen, "the wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff," Adm. Mike Mullen, "urged the military to get a better handle on the problem and implement prevention measures with spouses in mind."

Regrettably, "some military spouses, Mrs. Mullen said, are reluctant to seek mental health help, because it still carries an unfortunate stigma." She stated, "As incorrect as this is, they really do believe if they seek help, it will have a negative impact on their spouse's military career."

Related Links:

- Wife says military spouses also face suicide risk," Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press, January 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:37 PM

Wives of soldiers deployed to war zones may have higher rates of mental-health issues.

USA Today (1/14, Zoroya) reports that "wives of soldiers sent to war suffered significantly higher rates of mental health issues than those whose husbands stayed home," according to a study published Jan. 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In a study of "more than 250,000 Army wives, of which two-thirds had husbands who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan between 2003 and 2006," researchers from RTI International found that "wives of soldiers deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan between one and 11 months had an 18% higher rate of suffering from depression than those whose husbands did not go to war." In deployments lasting "11 months or longer," soldiers' "wives had a 24% higher rate of suffering from depression."

HealthDay (1/13, Thomas) reported, "Each phase of a deployment can cause stress that could contribute to mental health problems," study author Alyssa Mansfield, PhD, MPH, "said. Before the deployment, there's anxiety as women prepare themselves and their children for a long absence," while "during deployment, women take on added responsibilities as sole caretaker for their home and children, while worrying their husband will be killed or injured." The AP (1/14, Johnson) also mentions the study.

Related Links:

- Army wives with deployed husbands suffer higher mental health issues," Greg Zoroya, USA Today, January 13, 2010.

- Deployment Takes Toll on Army Wives," Jennifer Thomas, HealthDay, January 13, 2010.

Posted by admin at 04:28 PM

Stress of caring for disabled spouse linked to increased stroke risk.

HealthDay (1/14, Edelson) reported, "The stress of caring for a disabled spouse increases the risk of stroke substantially," according to a paper in Stroke. Before drawing those conclusions, researchers at the University of South Florida asked 767 "participants how many days during the past week they had felt depressed, lonely, sad, or had crying spells. The answers were matched to the Framingham Stroke Risk Score."

Those "who said tending to their ailing spouse caused 'a lot of strain' were 23% more likely to have a stroke, compared with their caregiving counterparts who said they felt no strain regarding their responsibilities," WebMD (1/14, Mann) reported. "Stroke risk was most pronounced among men, especially African-American men," even though they "were less likely to report high strain."

Related Links:

- Stress of Caring for Disabled Spouse Raises Stroke Threat
," Ed Edelson, HealthDay, January 14, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:55 PM

Caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder may have psychiatric symptoms.

MedWire (1/15, Davenport) reports that, according to a review published in the Febuary issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders, "caregivers of patients with bipolar disorder have psychiatric symptoms."

After a review of "24 papers" found in "the Medline Pubmed, PsychINFO, and Google Scholar databases," researchers found that "13 reported the presence of general psychiatric distress among caregivers of bipolar disorder patients, while two reported anxiety symptoms, nine reported mood symptoms, and eight reported increased mental health service use." Specifically, "up to 46.0% of caregivers reported depression, with a similar proportion reporting anxiety symptoms or disorders," while "up to 32.4% of caregivers reported mental health service usage."

Related Links:

- Caregivers of bipolar patients suffer psychiatric symptoms," Liam Davenport, MedWire News, January 15, 2010.

Posted by admin at 03:44 PM

January 06, 2010

VA studying mental, physical health of women who served during Vietnam War.

In his Arizona Republic (1/5) column, Art Sloane writes, "The Department of Veterans Affairs is conducting a study of women who served in the military during the Vietnam War to explore the effects of their service upon their mental and physical health.

The study will last four years and contact about 10,000 women." Sloane adds, "Women comprise 7.8 percent of the total veteran population and nearly 5.5 percent of all veterans using the VA health systems."

Related Links:

- .Veterans can graduate at Cactus Shadows high school," Art Sloane, Arizona Republic, January 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:39 PM

Talk therapy superior to behavioral weight-loss program for binge eating.

The Los Angeles Times (1/4, Healy) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published in the Jan. issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, "binge eaters who get a specialized form of talk therapy aimed at reducing their bingeing behavior are more likely than those who participate in a weight-loss program to shed their eating disorder two years after treatment."

After comparing "interpersonal therapy, a form of cognitive behavioral therapy described as 'guided self-help,' and a behavioral weight-loss program against each other for 24 weeks," researchers found that "all three appeared to have roughly equal success in reducing...psychological symptoms of binge eating disorder." But, two years after treatment, "the two forms of talk therapy appeared far superior to the behavioral weight-loss program in maintaining a remission of binge-eating symptoms."

Related Links:

- For obese binge eaters, good news and bad news," Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:33 PM

Many Americans not receiving adequate treatment for depression.

The Wall Street Journal (1/5, Wang) reports that an increasing number of people in the US are simultaneously on multiple psychiatric medicines, and the majority of those diagnosed with depression are not receiving the right treatment under practice guidelines for the American Psychiatric Association, according to two separate studies published Jan. 4 in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

The Los Angeles Times (1/4, Roan) reported that in the first study, "a national survey of 15,752 people," researchers "found that nearly 45% of individuals with depression received psychotherapy with no medication," and "only 34% received antidepressants." In the second study, after examining "examined prescribing data from 13,079 psychiatry office visits between 1996 and 2006," investigators discovered that "a growing number of Americans are being prescribed combinations of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications, even though there are few studies that support the benefits of such combinations."

Some minorities even less likely to receive adequate care. Focusing solely on the first study, HealthDay (1/4, Gardner) reported, "researchers looked at individual subgroups, revealing that Mexican Americans, African Americans, and Caribbean blacks were even less likely to receive adequate care than others." Surprisingly, "psychotherapy was more commonly prescribed than antidepressants, especially among Caribbean blacks and African Americans," and "psychotherapy-oriented treatments were more likely to meet treatment recommendations."

WebMD (1/4, Warner) reported that "the results reveal disparities in healthcare access that are often overlooked," the authors said, pointing out that "Mexican-Americans showed the greatest inequalities in mental healthcare in the study. Lack of health insurance partly explained their lack of adequate depression treatment, but did not explain the low rate of depression treatment among African-Americans."

Related Links:

- Depression treatment lacking for many people," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, January 4, 2009.

- Most Depressed Adults Going Without Treatment
," Amanda Gardner, HealthDay, January 4, 2009.

- Americans With Depression Are Undertreated," Jennifer Warner, WebMD, January 4, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:18 PM

Parents urged to set positive nutritional, activity examples.

The Chicago Tribune (1/4, Guiterrez) reports, in an article citing HHS statistics on obesity rates in the US, that according to dietitians, "By setting good examples early and establishing habits of healthful eating and physical fitness, parents can give children the gift of health to carry them through adulthood."

The Tribune details the negative impact that obesity can have on children, adding that "for young kids, it shouldn't be about diet and exercise: It should be about being healthy and having fun. 'The No. 1 role model is the parent. The kid does what the parent does,' said Stacy Beeson, a registered and licensed dietitian who is St. Luke's Boise (Idaho) Medical Center outpatient dietitian and corporate wellness specialist."

Related Links:

- Parents should take lead in eating right, exercise," Brenda Guiterrez, Chicago Tribune, January 3, 2010.

Posted by admin at 09:13 PM

Depression, stressful work environments may erode productivity.

The Los Angeles Times (12/31, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a study published Dec. 31 in the American Journal of Health Promotion, "the combination of depression and stressful work environments erodes worker productivity."

After comparing "286 depressed workers with 193 who were not depressed," Tufts University researchers "found it was common for depressed employees to have problems at work." In fact, "a growing body of medical literature suggests that depression has more of an impact in the workplace than many other health conditions," causing "some experts" to "suggest it would be cost-effective for employers to offer depression screening and treatment programs."

Related Links:

- Stress on job further hampers depressed workers," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times, December 31, 2009.

Posted by admin at 09:06 PM

Late bedtimes associated with increased risk of depression, suicidal thoughts in adolescents.

Bloomberg News (12/1, Bennett) reported, "Late nights may make teenagers more prone to depression and suicidal thoughts by depriving them of sleep," according to a study appearing in the journal Sleep. Researchers found that "teens whose parents let them go to bed past midnight were 24 percent more likely to be depressed and 20 percent more likely to have contemplated suicide."

The study also showed that "compared with adolescents who reported eight hours of shut-eye each night, those who managed five hours or less were 71 percent more likely to be depressed and 48 percent more likely to consider suicide," the Los Angeles Times (12/31, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" blog reported.

BBC News (1/2) reported, "The researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York looked at data from 15,500 teenagers," in which one in 15 was found to have depression. Participants "who reported they 'usually get enough sleep' were 65 percent less likely to be depressed."

On average, participants received "seven hours and 53 minutes of sleep," compared to "the nine or more hours of nightly sleep recommended for adolescents," the UK's Telegraph (1/1, Alleyne) reported. Adolescents "with a bedtime of 10 pm or earlier slept on average eight hours and ten minutes -- 33 minutes longer than those who went to bed at 11 pm."

According to the UK's Daily Mail (1/2, Bates), the researchers speculated that "a lack of sleep may affect how the brain responds to aversive stimuli and hinder the ability to cope with daily stress." They also noted that sleep deprivation might "affect judgment, concentration, and impulse control." Medscape (1/2, Harrison), AFP (1/2), and WebMD (1/1, Hendrick) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- Teen Suicidal Thoughts May Be Caused by Late Nights, Study Says," Simeon Bennett, Bloomberg News, January 1, 2010.

- For teens, late bedtimes can be depressing, study finds," Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times, December 31, 2009.

- Late-night teens 'face greater depression risk'," BBC News, January 2, 2010.

- The earlier to bed, the healthier the head," Richard Alleyne, UK Telegraph, January 1, 2010.

Posted by admin at 08:35 PM

Certain clinical risk factors may predict antepartum depression.

Medscape (12/30, Barclay) reported that, according to areview published in the Jan. issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, "clinical risk factors that may be easily identified during routine obstetric examination may help predict depression during pregnancy."

After reviewing 57 studies, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor researchers found that "factors associated with a greater likelihood of antepartum depressive symptoms...were maternal anxiety, life stress, history of depression, lack of social support, unintended pregnancy, Medicaid insurance, domestic violence, lower income, lower education, smoking, single status, and poor relationship quality," while "in multivariate analyses, factors" showing "a significant association with depressive symptoms were life stress, lack of social support, and domestic violence."

Related Links:

- Clinical Risk Factors May Predict Depression During Pregnancy," Laurie Barclay, Medscape Today, December 30, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:28 PM

Cocaine diluted with veterinary drug linked to cases of agranulocytosis.

The San Francisco Chronicle (12/29, Allday) reported that to "augment" its effect, the majority of cocaine making its way into the US is being cut with a veterinary drug meant to deworm animals."

In fact, "at San Francisco General Hospital...90 percent of 200 patients who recently tested positive for cocaine also tested positive for levamisole." Although the majority of those patients did not fall ill, public health officials explained that levamisole poisoning can lead to "a condition called agranulocytosis." It also appears to be linked to "serious skin conditions that make" the "skin look black." Thus, "doctors and lab specialists at SF General are leading state and national efforts to diagnose and treat patients."

Related Links:

- Most cocaine diluted with unsafe livestock drug," Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, December 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:20 PM

Addiction experts troubled by pain-clinic doctors who treat drug addicts.

The Miami Herald (12/30, Hiaasen) reports that some South Florida physicians "treat drug addicts while at the same time giving pain patients addictive" medications that "have been blamed for a spike in overdose deaths statewide."

According to "addiction experts...this mixing of two delicate medical fields has potentially dangerous consequences: Instead of receiving the therapy they need, addicts seeking to get off drugs may simply end up alongside users and drug peddlers who frequently skip from clinic to clinic seeking narcotics to be sold illegally."

Related Links:

- South Florida pain-clinic doctors also treat drug addicts," Scott Hiaasen, The Miami Herald, December 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:14 PM

Gingko biloba not effective in preventing cognitive decline, improving memory.

The CBS Evening News (12/29, story 9, 0:20, Smith) reported, "Americans spend a quarter billion dollars a year on" gingko biloba supplements, "hoping to improve their memory and slow cognitive decline."

NBC Nightly News (12/29, story 5, 2:00, Williams) reported that "now, a major study shows" that gingko biloba, "one of the most popular supplements, flat out does not work."

USA Today (12/30, Weise) reports that, according to a study published in the Dec. 23-30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, "the popular botanical...does not improve memory, nor does it prevent cognitive decline in older people." After analyzing data "from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory study" on "more than 3,000 people between ages 72 and 96 for seven years," researchers from the University of Virginia Medical School "found that a twice-daily dose of 120 milligrams of ginkgo biloba extract was not effective in reducing the incidence of Alzheimer's dementia or dementia overall."

According to the Los Angeles Times (12/29, Kaplan) "Booster Shots" blog, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, "a branch of the National Institutes of Health, has been researching ginkgo for 10 years to see whether the type of clinical trials required for FDA-regulated pharmaceuticals would reveal any benefit. The new findings are in line with several other studies, including a Cochrane review published this year that found 'no convincing evidence' that the herb preserves mental function in any way."

The investigators "found no evidence that ginkgo delayed or prevented normal declines in memory, language, attention, visuospatial abilities, or executive functions, such as anticipating outcomes and adapting to changing situations and thinking abstractly," HealthDay (12/29, Reinberg) reported. Moreover, "these results remained the same regardless of sex, age, race or education," the investigators found. However, the supplement was found to be safe, "and no serious side effects were noted," study author Steven T. DeKosky, MD, said.

WebMD (12/29, DeNoon) reported that "in a written statement," Douglas MacKay, ND, of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, "a group representing the supplement industry," said that "the DeKosky study 'should not be viewed as the final work' on ginkgo." He stated that "as a former practicing licensed naturopathic doctor," he "would continue to recommend ginkgo biloba to older adults as a safe, effective option for supporting cognitive health."

Related Links:

- Study: Ginkgo biloba has no effect on Alzheimer's, dementia," Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, December 29, 2009.

- Ginkgo biloba as a memory booster? Forget about it.," Karen Kaplan, Los Angeles Times Booster Shots Blog, December 29, 2009.

- Ginkgo Won't Slow Decline of Aging Brain
," Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, December 29, 2009.

- Ginkgo Biloba Doesn't Slow Mental Decline," Daniel J. DeNoon, WebMD, December 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:54 PM

Discriminatory Copay Begins Phase Out

Beginning January 1, 2010, Medicare will begin reimbursing providers for outpatient psychiatric services at 55 percent, while the patient copay will drop to 45 percent from the current 50 percent copay.

The new rates are mandated by the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 and the first step in the gradual elimination of the discriminatory copayment rate for outpatient mental health treatment. The reimbursement rate to providers will increase to 60 percent in 2012, 65 percent in 2013 and 80 percent in 2014, the same as for all other medical services.

Posted by admin at 07:51 PM

Longevity associated with emotional stability, activity, conscientiousness.

The Baltimore Sun (12/29) reports that research from the National Institute on Aging reveals longevity is "associated with being conscientious, emotionally stable, and active."

After following "more than 2,300 people for more than 50 years," NIA researchers found that "emotional stability, organization, discipline, conscientiousness and resourcefulness" were "definitively linked to a longer life," while "other traits," such as "anger, emotional instability, anxiousness, and depression," led "to a shorter life." The study was published in the July/Aug. issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, the Sun notes.

Related Links:

- Emotionally Stable People Live Longer," Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden, The Baltimore Sun, December 28, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:44 PM

Some celebrities seen as championing "dangerous medical advice."

USA Today (12/23, Szabo) reports that some "celebrities feel comfortable sharing" or raising awareness for "their medical problems," such as Brooke Shields and "postpartum depression," and Michael J. Fox with "his struggle with Parkinson's disease."

However, "many doctors say they're troubled by stars who cross the line from sharing their stories to championing questionable or even dangerous medical advice," such as Tom Cruise who "railed against antidepressants" and dismissed "psychiatry as a 'pseudoscience'" on the Today show, or "Jenny McCarthy," who "has written several books linking autism with childhood vaccinations," and Suzanne Somers, who recently released a book described by experts "as a catalogue of unproven or long-debunked alternative cancer 'cures.'"

In another story, USA Today (12/22) reported that "most of actress Suzanne Somers' advice in her new book, Knockout, is wrongheaded or even risky," experts say. For example, "doctors and patient advocates say they're concerned that the actress champions alternative therapies over those with proven value," such as "chemosensitivity tests" for predicting "a patient's response to cancer" medicines and "pancreatic enzyme therapy" for cancer patients. In fact, "patients given the enzymes...lived only four months, while those given standard chemotherapy survived 14 months, according to a study of 55 patients published online in August in the Journal of Clinical Oncology."

Related Links:

- Are celebrities crossing the line on medical advice?," Liz Szabo, USA Today, December 23, 2009

- A 'Knockout' punch from medical experts," USA Today, December 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:13 PM

Consumers inundated with health advice from celebrities, Internet.

USA Today (12/23, Szabo) reports that these days, "consumers are inundated with health advice from...movie stars, TV docs, and even the Internet."

But, "before following any medical advice from the Internet, a celebrity, or any other source," experts recommend that "people think critically and talk to their doctors." In addition, "Jeffrey White, of the National Cancer Institute, says consumers also should watch out for...red flags," such as treatments promoted based on "anecdotes and personal stories," and not backed up by clinical trial data, or "touted as a 'cure,' 'miracle,' or 'breakthrough'" without any "mention of side effects."

Related Links:

- Don't believe medical advice from Internet," Liz Szabo, USA Today, December 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:01 PM

CDC survey finds sunshine states are happiest places to live.

The AP (12/17, Schmid) reported, "People in sunny, outdoorsy states -- Louisiana, Hawaii, Florida -- say they're the happiest Americans, and researchers think they know why."

The places where people "are most likely to report happiness also tend to rate high on studies comparing things like climate, crime rates, air quality, and schools." The happiness ratings, which "were based on a survey of 1.3 million people across the country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," were derived from data collected over four years "that included a question asking people how satisfied they are with their lives."

WCBS-TV New York (12/17, Tyler) reported that, according to the survey, the top five "happiest states...are Louisiana, Colorado, Hawaii, Florida, and Tennessee." In contrast, "both New Jersey and Connecticut are in the top five of unhappy states, joining Michigan and Indiana," the survey found.

Related Links:

- Happiest States In America: Sunshine States In The Lead," Randolph E. Schmid, The Huffington Post, December 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:47 PM

Researchers link hockey player's brain damage to repeated head trauma.

The New York Times (12/18, B11, Schwarz, Klein) reports Boston University researchers have found that Reggie Fleming, a "deceased professional hockey player," had "brain damage associated with repeated head trauma, connecting hockey for the first time to health risks linked to boxers and, most recently, football players."

Dr. Ann McKee, a neuropathologist at Boston University and the Bedford Veterans Administration Medical Center, said, "Repetitive head injuries can have very serious long-term consequences, regardless of how you get them."

Related Links:

- Brain Damage Found in Hockey Player," Alan Schwarz and Jeff Z Klein, New York Times, December 18, 2009

Posted by admin at 06:38 PM

"Dwell time" linked to improved mental health.

Politico (12/17, Dimascio) reported, "With President Barack Obama's decision to send more troops to Afghanistan putting an even greater strain" on the US military, a "new Army study has found that soldiers deployed to Iraq have needed at least three years back at their home bases to regain their mental health.

Soldiers currently spend about a year home between deployments -- what the military calls dwell time." Politico added, "The Army has been criticized for its response to the increased number of cases" of PTSD "suffered by soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a growing suicide rate."

Related Links:

- Study links 'dwell time,' mental health," Jen DiMascio, Politico, December 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:28 PM

Studies highlight emotional toll deployments take on US soldiers.

The Christian Science Monitor (12/18, Jonsson) reports, "Emotional pain, depression, and angst among US soldiers seeing multiple deployments in war zones are much more common than the Pentagon has reported, a new Department of Veterans Affairs survey says.

Soldiers facing multiple deployments, moreover, are at least three times more likely to anonymously report problems of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than are those with a single deployment, according to the study," published in the American Journal of Public Health. The Monitor notes that a separate "study of 28,000 troops released by the Pentagon on Wednesday acknowledged that 20 percent had abused prescription" medications, "mostly painkillers, and that the number of troops experiencing PTSD has gone from nine percent in 2005 to 13 percent in 2008."

Related Links:

- Pentagon plays catch-up as toll of repeat combat duty rises," Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, December 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:12 PM

Wallet-sized cards could help patients make prescription medication decisions.

The Miami Herald (12/16, Shah) reported, "There's a new" wallet-sized card that features "five questions" patients can ask their pharmacist to help them make prescription medication decisions.

The Consumer Federation of the Southeast "said the cards," which will be distributed among various groups in Florida, "were prompted in part by the case of an epileptic man who switched to a generic epilepsy medication to save money on his copayment. His wife said he died because of a subtle difference between the name brand and generic" medicines.

Related Links:

- Cards to help consumers make prescription drug decisions," Nirvi Shah, The Miami Herald, December 16, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:57 PM

Physicians, mental-health professionals may have concerns about EHR privacy.

HealthDay (12/16, Preidt) reported that, according to two studies appearing in the Jan. issue of the Journal of the American Informatics Association, "US physicians support the use of electronic medical records, but widespread concerns exist about privacy problems."

Healthcare IT News (12/16, Monegain) reported that in the first study, 16 percent of "more than 1,000 family practice and specialist physicians" revealed that "they were 'very concerned' about potential breaches of privacy, while 55 percent said they were 'somewhat concerned.'"

Another study found that 63 percent of 56 "mental health professionals" surveyed, including psychiatrists, are "less willing to record highly confidential information in an electronic record than they would on a paper record," and over 80 percent "said if they were to become a patient, they would not want their mental health records to be routinely accessed by providers."

Related Links:

- Pros and Cons of Electronic Medical Records Weighed
," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, December 16, 2009.

- Privacy breach worries still dog electronic health records," Bernie Monegain, Healthcare IT News, December 16, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:41 PM

Americans living longer than ever.

Bloomberg News (12/17, Gibson) reports, "Americans are living a record 77 years and 11 months on average...according to two studies that led researchers to suggest raising the retirement age."

The first study, from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, found that in the "US in 2007, the latest year for which figures are available," the "0.76 percent death rate is the lowest ever," driven by "a decline in deaths from heart disease and other ailments." Meanwhile, a second study published Dec. 14 in the health journal Milbank Quarterly, found that "every year that gets tacked on to the average life expectancy costs an extra trillion dollars in expenditures by Social Security and Medicare."

Related Links:

- Longer Life Expectancy to Strain Retirement System.," Ellen Gibson, Bloomberg News, December 16, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:28 PM

December 31, 2009

Baltimore Museum of Art Event to Examine Loneliness

Harvard psychiatrists Jacqueline Olds and Richard C. Schwartz, authors of The Lonely American: Drifting Apart in the Twenty-first Century, will discuss how America is losing its sense of community due to its culture that promotes social isolation.

This event is free and open to the public at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 10. The moderator is Tom Hall, WYPR-FM Culture Contributor. Audience participation is encouraged. The program is presented in conjunction with the museum’s Edgar Allan Poe exhibition, which addresses Poe’s themes of love and loss, fear and terror, and madness and obsession.

Related Links:

- Baltimore Museum of Art
- Edgar Allen Poe Exhibition
-

Posted by admin at 01:00 PM

December 20, 2009

Children on Medicaid more likely to receive antipsychotics.

On its front page, the New York Times (12/12, A1, Wilson) reported that, according to a study to be published in the journal Health Affairs, "children covered by Medicaid are given powerful antipsychotic medicines at a rate four times higher than children whose parents have private insurance."

After examining "records for children in seven big states...representative of the nation's Medicaid population, for the years 2001 and 2004," a Rutgers-Columbia team also found that "Medicaid children were more likely than those with private insurance to be given the" medications "for off-label uses like AD/HD and conduct disorders," while "privately insured children...were more likely than their Medicaid counterparts to receive the" medicines "for FDA-approved uses," such as "bipolar disorder."

Related Links:

- .Poor Children Likelier to Get Antipsychotics," Duff Wilson, The New York Times, December 11, 2009.

Posted by admin at 09:45 PM

Anti-epileptic medications not associated with increased suicidality in bipolar disorder.

Medscape (12/11, Brauser) reported that, according to a study published in the Dec. issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, anti-epileptic medications "are not associated with increased risk for suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder."

University of Illinois-Chicago researchers "evaluated a cohort of 47,918 patients with bipolar disorder (1,226 with at least one suicide attempt), including 25,432 non-medicated patients who were receiving no" anti-epileptics, "lithium, or central nervous system medication," then used ICD-9 "codes to identify suicide attempts, including deliberate self-harm." The team found "no overall difference in suicide attempt rates for the patients treated with" anti-epileptics, "compared with those not treated with" such medicines "or lithium."

Related Links:

- No Link Between Antiepileptics and Suicidality in Patients With Bipolar Disorder," Deborah Brauser, MedScape, December 11, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:06 PM

Suicide seen as "insidious threat" for US military.

CQ Weekly (12/14, Donnelly) reports, "Added to the stress of eight years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, of chasing guerrillas through the streets and dodging makeshift bombs," US armed forces "are now grappling with an even more insidious threat: suicide in the ranks.

So far this year, at least 349 men and women on active duty and reservists have taken their own lives -- more than have been killed by enemy action in Afghanistan (259) and Iraq (76) combined, according to the records of the individual services as of last week." . The Department of Veterans Affairs, meanwhile, has "said an average of about 50 people who had been discharged after fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan committed suicide each year between 2002 and 2006."

Time (12/14, Thompson) notes that the Army "is rolling out all sorts of artillery to deal with suicide in its ranks," including a "five-year, $50 million study" on "possible suicide indicators." It adds, "Military suicides have even raised a question for the White House." President Barack Obama's "staff is reviewing a long-standing but unwritten policy that bars him from sending condolence letters to the families of military personnel who have killed themselves."

Related Links:

-
A Mounting Suicide Rate Prompts an Army Response
," Mark Thompson, Times, December 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:46 PM

Prescription data mining said to be a growing concern.

The Los Angeles Times (12/14, Zajac) reports on the practice of data mining by drugmakers, explaining that the companies can obtain prescribing "data from pharmacies and health insurers, [allowing them to] learn the prescribing habits of thousands of doctors.

That information has become not just a powerful sales and marketing tool for the pharmaceutical industry but also a source of growing concern among some elected officials, healthcare advocates and legal authorities." The Times explains the controversy surrounding the practice, noting that three states have passed "legislation limiting or outlawing the practice," while 20 others have considered similar provisions. Notably, "the FDA has been silent on prescription data mining," but legislation banning the practice has "been floated by federal lawmakers."

Related Links:

- A prescription for snooping," Andrew Zajac, Los Angeles Times, December 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:33 PM

FDA approves longer-lasting version of olanzapine.

The AP (12/15) reports, "Eli Lilly & Co. said Monday regulators have approved a longer-lasting version of its top-selling" medication, the "antipsychotic Zyprexa [olanzapine]."

The FDA "approved Zyprexa Relprevv, an injection that can last up to four weeks, for the treatment of schizophrenia in adults." Lilly spokeswoman Janell Smith said for the new version, patients "will visit their doctors every two or four weeks -- depending on their dosage -- to receive the injection."
The Indianapolis Business Journal (12/14) noted that despite some initial concerns from the FDA, Lilly worked with the agency "to develop a mandatory patient care program, which restricts distribution of" the medication "to medical professionals or patients enrolled in the program." HealthDay (12/14) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- FDA OKs longer-lasting version of Lilly's Zyprexa
," Associated Press, December 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:22 PM

Massachusetts to cut funding for mental illness program.

The Massachusetts Republican (12/15, Ring) reports Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick (D) is cutting a $2.4 million clinical program intended to assist the severely mentally ill.

Instead, the funding "will be used to finance the jobs of 84 case managers in the state Department of Mental Health." The Program for Assertive Community Treatment includes over 120 patients with "severe mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder," and "uses a team approach to provide intense levels of psychiatry and nursing."

Posted by admin at 06:14 PM

Fifty-five percent of US children with mental-health problems getting help.

HealthDay (12/14, Reinberg) reported that, according to a study published online Dec. 14 in Pediatrics, 55 percent "of the children in the United States who have mental problems, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, get professional help."

Researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health also found that "13 percent of the 3,042 children and adolescents in the study had at least one mental disorder, and about two percent had more than one, usually a combination of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) and conduct disorder." Moreover, "anxiety and depression are the most neglected problems."

Related Links:

- Half of U.S. Kids With Mental Issues Are Getting Help
," Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, December 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:03 PM

December 11, 2009

Holiday suicide myth may increase anxiety, psychiatrist says.

USA Today (11/30, Painter) reports that it is a myth that "suicides climb during the winter holidays." In fact, "suicide numbers peak in the spring and may even dip in December, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

This "myth may" even "harm people," explained psychiatrist Ronald Pies, MD, of the Tufts University School of Medicine, who said, "It might unnecessarily put people on their guard or increase their anxiety." He added that "some people 'on the brink' of self-harm might feel encouraged to follow through when they read or hear that holiday suicides are common," thereby turning "the myth" into "a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Related Links:

- Why the holiday suicide myth persists," Kim Painter, USA Today, November 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:09 AM

Psychosurgery results seen as unpredictable.

In a front-page story, the New York Times (11/27, A1, Carey) reported that "in the last decade or so, more than 500 people have undergone brain surgery for problems like depression, anxiety, Tourette's syndrome," and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

However, "for all the progress that has been made, some psychiatrists and medical ethicists say, doctors still do not know much about the circuits they are tampering with, and the results are unpredictable: some people improve, others feel little or nothing, and an unlucky few actually get worse." Psychiatrist Darin D. Dougherty, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital, stated that "given the history of failed techniques, like frontal lobotomy," should current psychosurgery experiments go wrong, "it'll shut down this approach for another hundred years."

Related Links:

- Surgery for Mental Ills Offers Both Hope and Risk," Benedict Carey, The New York Times, November 26, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:03 AM

Psychotherapy may increase happiness more than money, researchers say.

HealthDay (11/28, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published online Nov. 18 in the journal Health Economics, Policy and Law, "psychological therapy may be much more effective at making people happy than getting a raise or winning a lottery prize."

University of Warwick "researchers analyzed data on thousands of people who provided information about their mental well-being and found that the increase in happiness from a $1,329 course of therapy was so significant that it would take a pay raise of more than $41,542 to achieve an equal boost in well-being." This "suggests that therapy could be as much as 32 times more cost-effective at improving well-being than simply getting more money," the authors said.

Posted by admin at 01:56 AM

Study indicates skunk may pose higher risk of psychosis than regular cannabis.

BBC News (12/1) reports that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, "people who smoke potent skunk are more at risk of psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia than those who simply use cannabis."

After screening "280 patients admitted to their hospital with psychotic symptoms for the first time," 80 percent of whom "were heavy skunk users," researchers from the UK's Institute of Psychiatry discovered that "regular users double their risk of psychosis, but heavy skunk users increase theirs seven-fold." The authors theorized that "skunk's composition...contains more" THC, which "has been shown to produce psychotic symptoms like hallucinations and delusions in experiments."

Related Links:

- Skunk 'bigger psychosis risk' than other cannabis types," Michelle Roberts, BBC News, December 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:50 AM

Court notes VA Secretary's testimony, special proceedings for troubled veterans.

The Washington Post (12/1, Barnes) notes that in a footnote, the court "cited the testimony of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki that nearly a quarter of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking treatment at a VA medical facility had received PTSD diagnoses. In another, it noted that California and Minnesota had set up special sentencing proceedings for those who alleged their crimes were influenced by PTSD."

Related Links:

- Death-row inmate's military service is relevant, justices say," Robert Barnes, The Washington Post, December 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:45 AM

Supreme Court cites PTSD in throwing out veteran's death sentence.

The Los Angeles Times (12/1, Savage) notes that on Monday, the US Supreme Court "threw out a death sentence for a decorated Korean War veteran, ruling for the first time that combat stress must be considered by a jury before it hands down the harshest punishment."

The decision "appears to be the first in which the court has said post-traumatic stress disorder was the type of circumstance that called for leniency. It comes as thousands" of US "soldiers are being treated for PTSD suffered as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Related Links:

- Supreme Court throws out Korean war veteran's death sentence," David G. Savage, Los Angeles Times, December 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:38 AM

Consumers may need more information about laws mandating mental health parity.

The Los Angeles Times (12/1, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog reported that, according to a review published Dec. 1 in the journal Psychiatric Services, "consumers need more information regarding new laws that mandate insurance coverage for mental-health treatment."

After using "data from interviews and focus groups to draw conclusions about the success and failures of the California" mental-health parity "law from 2000 to 2005," investigators found that while "most health plans responded to the parity law by lifting limits on the annual number of days allowed for inpatient treatments and the number of visits allowed for outpatient treatment," there was still some concern "over the use of 'medical necessity' clauses to authorize treatments and control costs."

Related Links:

- Mental-health parity laws require oversight," Shari Roan, Los Angeles Times Booster Shots, December 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:31 AM

NFL imposes new rule on managing concussions.

On its front page, the New York Times (12/3, A1, Schwarz) reported that on Dec. 2, the National Football League (NFL) "announced that it would impose its most stringent rules to date on managing concussions, requiring players who exhibit any significant sign of concussion to be removed from a game or practice and be barred from returning the same day."

Previously, "despite widespread criticism," the NFL had "maintained...that it was safe to allow players to return to the field as soon as their symptoms were gone -- even in the same game in which the injury occurred." The "new rule, which will take effect in this week's games," requires immediate removal of players with "amnesia, poor balance, and an abnormal neurological examination," regardless of whether "or not those symptoms quickly subside."

Related Links:

- N.F.L. Changes Play Rules for Concussions," New York Times, December 2, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:25 AM

West Virginia launching program for veterans suffering from PTSD, TBI.

On its website, WBOY-TV Clarksburg, WV (12/2, Lieu) reported, "A new program is being launched in West Virginia to help veterans who suffer from traumatic brain injuries" (TBI) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The program is "being coordinated by the West Virginia Division of Veterans Affairs and is the first of its kind in the nation to operate on a statewide level." It is "expected to start in January." WOWK-TV Charleston, WV (12/2, 7:06 p.m. ET) aired a similar report.

Posted by admin at 01:22 AM

Medical discrimination laws go into effect.

McClatchy (12/7, Hunt) reports the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 will go into effect on Monday, and will prohibit "insurance companies from using family medical histories or genetic testing to deny medical insurance or set rates."

In addition, a separate provision, prohibiting employers from using genetic information in hiring practices, "went into effect Saturday." Linda Robinson, a genetic counselor supervisor with the University of Texas said the new law could "really ease concerns about discrimination that is keeping people from getting these genetic tests."

Related Links:

- New law bans use of genetic testing to deny health insurance," Dianna Hunt, Cleveland.com, December 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:12 AM

Children of deployed military more likely to experience increased anxiety.

The Wall Street Journal (12/7, A4, Power) reports that, according to a study to be published Dec. 7 by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children with parents in the military who are deployed abroad may have more behavioral or emotional problems than the children of civilians.

After interviewing approximately 1,500 military families in which one parent was either currently deployed or had been deployed, RAND Corporation researchers found that children of deployed parents were about twice as likely to experience increased anxiety.

Posted by admin at 01:05 AM

Confidentiality of psychotherapist-patient relationships in the military seen as porous.

The New York Times (12/7, A12, Dao, Frosch) reports that "many soldiers, lawyers, and mental health workers say that the rules governing confidentiality of psychotherapist-patient relations in the military are porous."

"The rules breed suspicion among troops toward therapists, those people say, reducing the effectiveness of treatment and complicating the Pentagon's efforts to encourage personnel to seek care." Experts point out that "military rules...do not safeguard the confidentiality of mental health communications and records as strongly as federal rules of evidence for civilians," as exemplified by the fact that "military rules states that confidentiality can be breached without a patient's consent when 'federal law, state law, or service regulation imposes a duty to report information,'" or "to ensure the safety of military personnel and 'the accomplishment of a military mission.'"

Related Links:

- Military Rules Said to Hinder Therapy," James Dao and Dan Frosch, New York Times, December 6, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:58 AM

Alternative therapies seen as getting undeserved credit.

The Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports that stories of "children who could suddenly speak" are, "for many parents...more persuasive than what experts say."

Nevertheless, "in evaluating a therapy, the challenge is determining how much, if any, of the progress can be credited to the treatment," because, "over time, children with autism do develop, said" pediatric neurologist and autism expert Max Wiznitzer, MD." In fact, "between 10% and 20% of children with autism who were diagnosed early may make so much progress that they are indistinguishable from peers," and whether or not they are "undergoing alternative therapies," said Susan Levy, MD, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, progress which parents may attribute to alternative therapies.

Related Links:

- Autism therapies can get undeserved credit
," Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan, Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:52 AM

Chelation seen as emblematic of alternative therapies for autism.

The Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports, "No treatment is more emblematic of the world of alternative therapies for autism than chelation."

But, according to "pediatric toxicology experts...all chelation" medications "carry risks -- even when used to treat severely lead-poisoned children." Barbara Strupp, PhD, of Cornell University, said that when "rats with no lead exposure were treated with succimer, a common chelator given to children with autism, the animals showed lasting impairments of cognitive function and emotional regulation." In fact, after Strupp "learned that the National Institutes of Health planned to conduct a clinical trial of chelation in children with autism, she alerted the researchers to her findings," and the "study was later canceled."

Related Links:

- Chelation based on faulty premise," Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan, Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:39 AM

Many autism therapies seen as unproven, risky.

In a series exploring autism and its treatments, the Los Angeles Times (12/7, Tsouderos, Callahan) reports that "after reviewing thousands of pages of court documents and scientific studies and interviewing top researchers in the field, an investigation by the Chicago Tribune found that many of these treatments amount to uncontrolled experiments on vulnerable children."

According to results of the investigation, "the therapies often go beyond harmless New Age folly," with many being "unproven and risky, based on flawed, preliminary or misconstrued scientific research." Moreover, "lab tests used to justify therapies are often misleading and misinterpreted," and "the few clinical trials conducted to evaluate the treatments objectively" have yielded "disappointing results."

Related Links:

- Autism: Kids put at risk," Trine Tsouderos and Patricia Callahan, Los Angeles Times, December 7, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:30 AM

December 10, 2009

Democratic lawmakers investigate "price hikes" for brand-name prescription medicines.

The Wall Street Journal (12/9, Burns) reports that a recent AARP study which shows that brand-name prescription medicine prices have risen significantly in the past year has prompted Democratic lawmakers to launch a probe to determine if pharmaceutical companies are engaging in price gouging.

CQ HealthBeat (12/9, Reichard) reports, "Price hikes by" pharmaceutical makers "in anticipation of healthcare overhaul legislation are 'exhibit A' why the Senate healthcare overhaul bill is too weak in protecting seniors and other taxpayers against rising prescription drug costs, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-CA) said at a House subcommittee hearing Tuesday." Waxman's statement was based on "an assessment by AARP," which "specifically found that average manufacturer prices for widely used brand-name drugs rose 9.3 percent between October 2008 and September 2009. 'In contrast, prices for common generic drugs declined by 8.7 percent over the same time period,' Bonnie Cramer, AARP's board chairwoman, said in written testimony." But, Richard I. Smith, of PhRMA, "disputed the figures," saying that "eight of the drugs used in the top 25 brands tracked by the AARP report are now sold as generics." Reuters (12/9, Heavey) also covers the story.

Posted by admin at 05:03 PM

Researchers examine depression in caregivers for BD patients with increasing suicidal ideation.

MedWire (12/9, Grasmo) reports that, according to a study published in the journal Bipolar Disorders, "people who care for bipolar disorder (BD) patients with increasing suicidal ideation (SI) over time and depressive, rather than manic, symptoms are prone to suffering from depression and worsening health."

After evaluating "500 patients" with BD "and their primary caregivers (including 188 parental and 182 spousal) for up to one year," researchers at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine found that "higher SI scores at baseline and at six and 12 months were associated with lower caregiver health scores at all time points." Notably, "higher patient depression scores at all follow-up points were" also "associated with higher caregiver depression scores."

Related Links:

- Caregivers of BD patients show ill health and depression," Ingrid Grasmo, MedWire News, December 9, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:51 PM

December 03, 2009

Research explores health benefits of gratitude.

The AP (11/25) reports, "Academics have long theorized that expressions of thanks promote health and happiness and give optimism and energy to the downtrodden."

Now, "research indicates being thankful might help people actually feel better." A recent study published in the Current Directions in Psychological Science found that gratitude "builds social support, which...is tied to both physical and psychological wellbeing." Meanwhile, "Robert Emmons, a psychology professor at the University of California-Davis, said those who offer gratitude are less envious and resentful," and may "sleep longer, exercise more, and report a drop in blood pressure."

Related Links:

- Research: Giving thanks brings health, happiness," Matt Sedensky, The Alliance Revie, November 24, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:06 PM

Maternal depression may be independent risk factor for children's asthma severity.

Medscape (11/24, Kelly) reported that, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, children's "asthma symptoms did not predict maternal depressive symptoms."

After analyzing "data from interviews with 262 mothers of African American children with asthma," Johns Hopkins researchers discovered that "children whose mothers had more depressive symptoms had more frequent asthma symptoms during the six months of the study, and that children whose mothers reported fewer depressive symptoms had less frequent asthma symptoms." But, because "the child's asthma severity did not predict later maternal depressive symptoms," the authors suggested that "maternal depression is an independent risk factor for children's asthma severity."

Related Links:

- article_title_here," Janis C. Kelly, Medscape Today, November 24, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:00 PM

Patients with schizophrenia, psychotic disorders may have higher risk of heart disease.

HealthDay (11/24) reported, "Patients with psychotic disorders are at higher risk of death from heart disease than people who do not have a mental disorder, according to a study in the November/December issue of General Hospital Psychiatry."

Researchers from the Veterans Administration in Ann Arbor, MI, "analyzed data from 147,193 respondents in the 1999 Large Health Survey of Veterans who were diagnosed with a mental disorder...or with no mental disorder." After the team controlled "for clinical and sociodemographic factors," they found that "the risk of death was higher for patients with schizophrenia...or other psychotic disorders."

Posted by admin at 02:51 PM

November 25, 2009

Rising medication prices seen as betrayal of cost savings promises.

In an editorial, the San Jose Mercury News (11/17) calls the pharmaceutical industry "cunning," as "only weeks ago, President Barack Obama was hailing a White House deal with" pharmaceutical "makers to 'save' the nation $8 billion a year in prescription drug costs.

Now it turns out that Big Pharma has been quietly hiking wholesale prices of prescription" medicines. The President "should renew his push to give the federal government the ability to negotiate bulk purchases of prescription drugs," according to the News. Pharmaceutical companies "deserve a fair profit for their lifesaving products. But they shouldn't get away with hoodwinking the President and the American public."

Related Links:

- Editorial: Obama must put drug makers in their place," San Jose Mercury News, November 16, 2009

Posted by admin at 08:46 PM

Report shows higher prices for brand-name medications.

CQ HealthBeat (11/17) reports, "A study released Monday by the senior advocacy group AARP found that brand-name drug prices have climbed by 9.3 percent since October 2008, despite the economic downturn."

According to the AARP Rx Watchdog Report (pdf), "average manufacturer price increases for brand name and specialty prescription drugs often used by Medicare beneficiaries shot ahead of price increases for other consumer goods in the past year." Meanwhile, "average prices for generic drugs decreased."
AFP (11/17) also notes that price increase "was considerably greater than the average increase over the past seven years -- 5.8 to 8.3 percent a year -- even though the US economy has been in a dive during much of the past year." The data also showed that medication "prices as a whole, including low cost generics, rose 5.4 percent in the past 12 months."

Posted by admin at 08:38 PM

Army reaching out to employers concerned about veterans with "invisible wounds."

The AP (11/18, Roberts) reports US Army officials "say many new veterans suffering" from post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries have difficulty finding and keeping a civilian job.

Advocates "say many employers don't know how to accommodate veterans with these 'invisible wounds' and worry that they cannot do the job and might even 'go postal' someday."
Now, the "Army's Wounded Warrior Program, which helps veterans adjust to civilian life, has been reaching out to employers to educate them and encourage them to hire former soldiers with invisible wounds." The program "conducts briefings to brace potential employers for soldiers who might not be able to work regular hours or might startle too easily, suffer outbursts, or require time off for counseling."

Related Links:

- Army helps vets with `invisible wounds' find jobs," Michelle Roberts, The Taunton Gazette, November 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:27 PM

Physician protests "grueling" work-limits for medical students.

In an op-ed appearing in the Boston Globe (11/19), Dr. Charles A. Czeisler opines that it was "disappointing" to learn that "despite repeated assurances of compliance, the surgical training program at the Massachusetts General Hospital was put on probation for continuing to violate the 2003 work-hour limits."

Czeisler calls the current "grueling" work-hour limits "woefully inadequate," and says that despite a series of studies highlighting the dangers of overworking medical students, "most Massachusetts teaching hospitals continue the tradition of scheduling physicians to work eight 30-hour shifts per month, despite hazards to patient safety and mounting evidence that sleep plays an essential role in learning."

Related Links:

- Operating over the limit," Charles Czeisler, Boston Globe, November 19, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:13 PM

Democratic lawmakers call for investigations of pharmaceutical industry pricing.

In a story on the front page of its Business Day section, the New York Times (11/19, B1, Wilson) reports, "Democrats in Congress asked for two separate investigations of" pharmaceutical "industry pricing Wednesday."

In a letter to the GAO, "four House leaders" sought "government reviews of pricing practices" in response to "news reports of unusually high wholesale price increases in brand-name prescription" medications. Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) asked the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general "for 'an immediate and thorough investigation into" pharmaceutical "industry pricing and recent increases, and the extent to which these increases may affect the Medicare and Medicaid programs.'"
The requests come amid "suspicion that the increases are an attempt to maximize profits ahead of potential price controls included in a healthcare overhaul," CQ Today (11/19, Wayne) reports. AARP recently released data indicating that pharmaceutical "companies raised prices for brand-name products 9.3 percent since October 2008." In their letter to the GAO, Henry Waxman (D-CA), chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Charles Rangel (D-NY), chair of the Ways and Means Committee, wrote that "any price gouging is unacceptable, but anticipatory price gouging is especially offensive." Reuters (11/18, Heavey) andCongressDaily (11/19) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- Rising Prices of Drugs Lead to Call for Inquiry," Duff Wilson, The New York Times, November 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:57 PM

Military attempting to understand PTSD triggers.

The AP (11/20, Chang) reports that a "military experiment," funded in part by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is trying "to predict who's most at risk" for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is "thought to affect as many as one in five" Iraq and Afghanistan vets.

The experiment involves select units "undergoing a battery of physical and mental tests before deployment," including "genetic testing, brain imaging, and stress exams. They are followed in war zones and upon return." According to the AP, understanding "underlying triggers might help reduce the burden of those who return psychologically wounded -- if they can get early help."

Related Links:

- Military experiment seeks to predict PTSD," Alicia Chang, Record Online, November 20, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:46 PM

FDA warns website operators over illegal sales of medications.

The AP (11/20) reports, "The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it issued 22 warning letters to website operators over alleged illegal sales of unapproved or misbranded" medicines.

The move was part of "a weeklong international effort aimed at curbing illegal actions regarding medical products, including sales." The agency "and its partners in the program targeted" a total of "136 websites that appeared to be illegally selling medical products."
The Washington Post (11/19, Krebs) "Security Fix" blog reported that "the agency said none of the sites represent pharmacies located in the United States or Canada, as most claim." The letters said "the online stores hawked everything from powerful controlled substances...to lifestyle drugs." Meanwhile, "some sites even offered prescription" medications that "have not yet been approved of distribution or sale in the United States."

Related Links:

- FDA issues warning letters to 22 Web sites, alleges illegal sales of medical products
," Associated Press, Star Tribune, November 19, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:30 PM

Moderate drinking during pregnancy may increase risk of child becoming depressed later in life.

The UK's Telegraph (11/23) reports that "moderate drinking while pregnant could double the risk of a baby suffering depression later in life, according to a" study published in the journal Addiction.

Investigators "found that drinking up to a bottle of wine a week in the first trimester appeared to double the chance of a child becoming anxious or depressed." Meanwhile, "drinking in late pregnancy was more likely to make the child aggressive, and alcohol also appeared to increase the risk of the child developing general aches and pains.

Related Links:

- Moderate drinking while pregnant doubles risk of child becoming depressed," The UK Telegraph, November 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:34 PM

Data indicate rate of suicides increased in last two years.

The Wall Street Journal (11/23, A6, Murray, McKay) reports that a survey of 19 states, which together account for about two-fifths of the US population, indicates that suicides rose during 2008, as do preliminary estimates from 2007 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meanwhile, results from a recent survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggest that more than eight million adults seriously contemplated suicide last year and that 1.1 million of them actually tried to kill themselves. While the exact reasons for this rise in suicides in 2007 and 2008 are not clear, suicide experts point out that when unemployment is high and economic times are tough, suicide rates historically have gone up.

Related Links:

- .Early Data Suggest Suicides Are Rising," Sara Murray and Betsy McKay, The Wall Street Journal, November 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:17 PM

Police, crisis intervention teams struggling to deal with the mentally ill.

The AP (11/22, Rathke) reported that across the US, "police and emergency responders...have long struggled to deal with people who have mental illness, and some say the situation is only getting worse" as "a poor economy and cuts to institutional programs threaten to overwhelm personnel trained to deal with crime and vehicle accidents, not mental crises."

Nationally, "as many as 1,300 departments have set up crisis intervention teams" that "get specialized mental health training and work with the community on the responses." The article detailed efforts by the Burlington, VT, Des Moines, IA, and Memphis, TN, police departments to deal with "people with serious mental illness who are in crisis."

Related Links:

- Mental health cases tax police, emergency workers ," Lisa Rathke, The Associated Press, November 21, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:07 PM

Psychiatrist claims he was fired after protesting about poor care for Marines with PTSD.

The AP (11/21) reported, "Marines treated at Camp Lejeune for post-traumatic stress had to undergo therapy for" almost two years "in temporary trailers where they could hear bomb blasts, machine-gun fire, and war cries through the thin walls, according to servicemen and their former psychiatrist."

Kernan Manion, MD. Manion, "a civilian psychiatrist," claims that "he was fired for writing memos to his military superiors complaining of shoddy care of Marines returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with PTSD." The AP pointed out that "Manion was fired in September after working for eight months for a" military contractor providing "mental healthcare on the North Carolina base. He said that when he asked the contractor why he was being fired, he was told it was ordered by the Navy."

Related Links:

- Fired therapist: Stressed Marines get shoddy care," Kevin Maurer, Beaumont Enterprise, November 20, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:53 PM

Military attempting to prevent suicide by changing ethos.

The Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger (11/22) reported that "the military's strategy" for preventing suicides "is to reshape the warrior ethos, instilling in service members the idea that mental health is as vital as physical fitness or the ability to aim a rifle."

An "important aim is" removing the stigma from admitting that one is suffering or suicidal. Still, "major challenges remain," including "a drastic shortage of mental-health professionals in the military's ranks" that "sometimes leads to long waits for appointments, a potentially deadly situation when a soldier is suicidal." In response, "the Department of Defense is experimenting with Internet-based counseling."

Related Links:

- Escalating military suicide crisis prompts U.S. task force," The Newark Star Ledger, November 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:40 PM

Mental-health professionals discuss PTSD, anxiety.

USA Today (11/23, Jayson) reports, "Mental health experts who work with troops back from deployment talked this weekend about the latest efforts to treat disorders such as post-traumatic stress, efforts that are particularly relevant in light of the traumatic shootings at Fort Hood."

At the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies annual meeting, approximately "4,400 psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and students...also heard a lot about emotions that affect Americans, including presentations on fear, worry, and anxiety from a host of experts."

Related Links:

- Mental health experts mobilize against troops' trauma," Sharon Jayson, USA Today, November 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:25 PM

Military suicides increasing.

The Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger (11/22, Mueller) reported that there is "an accelerating trend" of military suicides "that has sent tremors throughout the US military, alarming the most senior officers and highlighting the strain on America's fighting men and women after eight years of uninterrupted war."

In response, "the military has launched what is perhaps the most far-reaching effort in history to understand the psychological effects of war" through a five-year study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health. "The uniformed services also have rolled out dozens of new initiatives" that are "a fundamental departure from the suck-it-up approach that has dominated military training for generations."

In a separate article, the Newark (NJ) Star-Ledger (11/22, Mueller) reported that studies suggest that "at the least, many hundreds of thousands" of veterans from Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from PTSD. "John A. Renner Jr., a military psychiatrist during Vietnam and now associate chief of psychiatry at the VA's Boston Healthcare System, contends repeated tours are a major factor in the higher rate of mental trauma" compared to previous wars. Judith Broder, founder and director of the Soldiers Project, a nonprofit group that provides free counseling to service members and veterans, said that "even those serving a single tour have come back with PTSD symptoms."

Related Links:

- Military suicides increase as U.S. soldiers struggle with torment of war," Newark Star Ledger, November 22, 2009.

- Military suicides: Cases of post-traumatic stress mount at alarming rate," Newark Star Ledger, November 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:06 PM

Column explores reasons behind "aggressive" marketing campaign for aripiprazole.

The "Consumer Reports Insights" column, published by the Washington Post (11/24), reports that Bristol-Myers Squibb is conducting "an aggressive advertising campaign for its blockbuster antipsychotic...Abilify [aripiprazole]," a medication "originally approved for treating schizophrenia and...bipolar disorder," and now approved "as an add-on treatment for people with major depression."

Abilify, however, is "a member of a class of" medications "known as atypical...antipsychotics," medicines with "different -- and, in some cases, considerably more serious -- side effects than the most common class of drugs used to treat depression." Consumer Reports attributes promotion of "Abilify for depression because only a limited number of people have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder," whereas "depression...is a veritable cash cow among mental-health conditions."

Related Links:

- Nothing depressing in sales figures," Washington Post, November 24, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:56 PM

Depression may take as many years off life as smoking.

HealthDay (11/23, Dotinga) reported that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, "being depressed might take as many years off your life as smoking does."

After "analyzing death records and a survey of more than 60,000 people," researchers at King's College London found that "during the four years after the survey, the death rate was higher among those who'd appeared to be depressed, based on the survey findings, than among the others," with the "increase...about as high as that among smokers." Notably, the investigators also found that "a combination of depression and anxiety appears to be better for longevity than just depression."

Related Links:

- Depression May Up Death Risk to That of Smoking," Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, November 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:51 PM

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may suffer from insomnia, sleep disorders.

HealthDay (11/23, Preidt) reported, "Insomnia and sleep disorders affect more than three-quarters of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy," according to research appearing online Nov. 23 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In a study of "sleep problems in 823 cancer patients," researchers found that the rate of such disorders was "nearly three times higher than that of the general population." Notably, "the problem is more common in younger patients and in those with lung and breast cancers." The researchers noted, however, that because "insomnia is a very treatable problem that can be addressed quickly...it doesn't compound other symptoms."

Related Links:

- Sleep Disorders Plague Cancer Patients," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, November 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:42 PM

November 17, 2009

Film Series for 2010 Announced

The Baltimore Washington Center for Psychoanalysis has announced the films and admission for the 2010 "Psychoanalysts Look at Film" event. Films to be shown on Fridays during March and April are chosen "because they are psychologically perceptive and stir the emotions and curiosity of the viewers."

You can download the brochure, including an order form and information for tickets, as a PDF file here (2.6 MB).

Films this year are:

Brothers
Trailer/Info
(2004) Rated R - Denmark
Director: Susanne Bier
English subtitles
Discussant: George Gallahorn, M.D.
Friday, March 26, 2010
This powerful film shows the consequences of unconsciously assigned "good" and "bad" roles of brothers within a family. The "good" brother volunteers for the Danish military in Afghanistan as a moral duty and is presumed killed. He is actually captured and traumatized as a prisoner. We see the evident impact of the post-traumatic stress and the defenses associated with it for the traumatized individual and the affected family members. This film won the audience award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.

Happy Go Lucky
Trailer/Info
(2008) Rated R - U.K.
Director: Mike Leigh
Discussant: Joseph Bierman, M.D.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Happy-Go-Lucky features an attractive, single, primary school teacher who regularly smiles and jokes. Even the grimace from the sudden pain caused by a physical therapist's manipulation of her aching back is perfused with a smile. Driving lessons with an emotionally precarious, single, male instructor reveal how driven and, at times, self-defeating her seemingly carefree jocularity can be. She insists on wearing her favorite boots with high heels for each lesson, even though he says it is too hard to drive with them. The happy-go-lucky attitude can also keep her unaware of her need to get hurt by others. But her realistic side emerges when the instructor, jealously angry, drives dangerously and needs to be controlled by her. As a teacher, she realistically controls an angry bully, appropriately referring him to a handsome social worker, with whom she then quickly starts a smiling affair.

Revolutionary Road
Trailer/Info
2008) Rated R - USA
Director: Sam Mendes
Discussant: Silvia Bell, Ph.D.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Outwardly living a comfortable middle class existence, a bright, attractive couple aspires to great- ness, but gradually appears to succumb to the mediocrity that surrounds them. Critics have commented on the "stultifying experience" of white-collar life, the "opulent desolation of the American suburbs," the "quiet desperation" of thwarted dreams in post-war America. Suburbia is, however, like a pastel colored stage that highlights in stark contrast the psychological and interpersonal factors that lock the characters in a downward spiral. The protagonists turn disappointments into crushing attacks against one another and, eventually, against themselves.

Ladies in Lavender
Trailer/Info
(2004) Rated PG - U.K.
Director: Charles Dance
Discussant: Jill Berkowitz, M.D.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Two elderly sisters, both spinsters, have tenderly and carefully tucked their delicate feelings and precious memories away in lavender. To their great surprise, these need to be unwrapped and reconsidered when a beautiful and mysterious boy is delivered out of the waters onto their Cornwall beach. The sisters are played with great subtlety by Judi Dench and Maggie Smith, who gradually transform a surface placidity into a moving psychological drama.

Posted by admin at 03:34 PM

November 14, 2009

Army experiencing psychiatrist shortage.

Following a New York Times story, the CBS Evening News (11/9, story 3, 2:00, Couric) reported that Army psychiatry Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan "was about to be deployed to Afghanistan to help counsel soldiers," and "nine of the Ft. Hood victims were also therapists -- part of a unit that the military fears is already stretched entirely too thin."

CBS correspondent Don Teague explained, "Eight years of war has taken its toll across the military. Some 300,000 service members, nearly one out of five returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder," while to date, "the Army has just over 400 psychiatrists to treat nearly 550,000 active duty soldiers."

Posted by admin at 07:03 PM

Family members describe how hoarding affects them.

The Wall Street Journal (11/10) reports that some children and siblings of compulsive hoarders are coming forward to describe how hoarding, an OCD-related disorder which may affect about one in 50 Americans, has impacted their lives, often causing them emotional distress.

Some children of hoarders liken the effects of living in a home with a hoarder as a kind of child abuse. Others must deal with parents and siblings who not only will not change their behavior, but refuse to see the problems hoarding causes in their lives. In fact, many children and siblings of hoarders resent psychologists' advice not to force clean-ups and to deal patiently with hoarders.

Related Links:

- When Hoarders Make Life Miserable for Others," Melinda Beck, The Wallstreet Journal, November 9,2009.

Posted by admin at 06:55 PM

Report says US lags behind other wealthy nations in healthcare access, efficiency.

Modern Healthcare (11/5, Robeznieks) reported, "The US health system lags behind other wealthy nations in key measures related to access, efficiency and outcomes, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report " published online in Health Affairs. The report states, however, that "these gaps can be decreased by changing to financial incentives that reward value over volume, supporting primary-care practices serving as a medical home and accelerating the use of health information technology."

BusinessWeek (11/6, Arnst) reports that investigators took responses from "10,000 doctors in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Britain and the US between February and July of this year" regarding their patients' accessibility to medical care and medications. The article focuses on the finding that "58 percent of US doctors said their patients often have difficulty paying for medications and other medical care, compared with five to 37 percent in the other countries surveyed." American physicians are also "less likely than those in the other countries surveyed to offer care outside of regular office hours, and are far, far behind several other nations in the use of electronic health records that could reduce errors."
Healthcare IT News (11/5, Monegain) reported that "many of the areas in which the United States lags would be addressed by health reform legislation currently under consideration in Congress." The report concludes that "national policies have been instrumental in achieving round-the-clock access, information systems and advance primary care teams in leading countries." AFP (11/5) also covered the story.

Related Links:

- U.S. lags in EHR use: Commonwealth Fund," Andis Robeznieks, Modern Healthcare, November 5, 2009.

- Doctor Survey: US Health System Lags on Access, Quality," Cathy Arnst, BusinessWeek, November 5, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:33 PM

HMOs said to be planning significant 2010 premium increases despite strong 3Q earnings.

Forbes (11/4, Whelan) notes that although "most of the major managed-care companies" have announced strong 3Q results, the message "during this earnings season is that HMOs are focused on rebuilding margins, even if it makes insurance even less affordable."

Goldman Sachs analyst Matthew Borsch "calls it 'the highest pricing trend in years.' The premium increases he's seeing are in the neighborhood of 13 to 15 percent for next year." Analysts say HMOs are concentrating on making up for operating profit margins, which "reached zero last year for the industry as whole."
Moreover, the companies not only want recompense for the "higher costs" they incurred this year from COBRA, they must "cover rising ordinary medical costs that show no signs of slowing down." Barclays analyst Joshua Raskin predicts overall health spending in 2010 will "climb 9 percent."

Related Links:

- Why Health Insurance Charges Are Going Up," David Whelan, Forbes, November 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:21 PM

Report finds big insurers spent less on medical care than previous estimates.

Dow Jones Newswire (11/4, Yoest) reports that a US Senate Commerce Committee investigation found that the six largest US health insurers spent less on medical care than what industry officials estimated.

Of the total amount received in premiums by the companies in the individual insurance market, 74 cents of every dollar were spent on medical care, according to a review of publicly available of data on industry earnings. Meanwhile, America's Health Insurance Plans estimated that the industry spent an average of 87 cents of every premium dollar on medical care.

Posted by admin at 06:09 PM

Smokers who switch to "low tar" or "light" cigarettes may be less inclined to quit, survey indicates.

HealthDay (11/3, Dotinga) reported that University of Pittsburgh researchers say that smokers who switch to "low-tar" or "light" cigarettes are "less likely to quit."

After examining "the results of a 2003 survey of 30,800 people in the United States who had smoked within the past year," investigators discovered that those "who had switched were 46 percent less likely to have quit smoking."
There is evidence which "suggests that switching may resolve smokers' cognitive dissonance about smoking -- something along the lines of, 'Well, since I'm smoking a [supposedly] healthier cigarette, I really don't have to worry about lung cancer, heart disease, impotence, wrinkles, early death, [fill in the blank], because my health is not at risk,'" Dr. Hilary Tindle wrote in Tobacco Control.

Related Links:

- Switch to 'Light' Cigarettes Makes Quitting Tougher
," Randy Dotinga, HealthDay, November 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:01 PM

Adult survivors of childhood cancer may face long-lasting emotional scars

The Time (11/3, Guthrie) "Wellness" blog reported that, according to two new studies, adult survivors of childhood cancer have "long-lasting emotional scars."

Research published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, shows that "an estimated 46 percent of adult survivors of childhood cancer never married." Researchers compared "the frequency of marriage and divorce rates" in "nearly 9,000" survivors as well as their siblings, finding that "42 percent of survivors were married and 7.3 percent were separated or divorced."
Meanwhile, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that "nearly eight percent of childhood cancer survivors say they've had suicidal thoughts." Notably, those who had survived "brain and central nervous system cancers were most likely to have had suicidal inklings."

Related Links:

- Emotional scars linger for childhood cancer survivors
," Catherine Guthrie, Time Magazine Wellness Blog, November 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:47 PM

November 04, 2009

Television and aggression linked in young children.

HealthDay (11/2, Gordon) reported that, according to a study published in the Nov. issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, "television viewing is linked to aggression in young children."

In fact, in a study of "3,128 children born between 1998 and 2000," researchers from the University of Albany School of Public Health found that "for every hour that a child watched TV directly, aggression went up 0.16 on a scale of zero to 30," while "for a TV being on in the house, it was 0.09."

WebMD (11/2, Wilbert) reported that "most mothers in the study -- about 65% -- reported that their children were watching more than two hours per day." In addition to "direct TV viewing time, children were indirectly exposed to the TV for five hours on average on a typical day." The study authors theorized that "children who see violence on television become desensitized to it; parents who don't have limits on television may be less likely to have other rules, such as regular bedtimes; and when children are watching television, they are not participating in other activities that may benefit their social development, such as playing."

Related Links:

- TV May Increase Aggression in Toddlers
," Serena Gordon, HealthDay, November 2, 2009.

- TV Linked to More Child Aggression," Caroline Wilbert, WebMD Health News, November 2, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:56 PM

First-time moms may become most anxious when babies are about five months old, research suggests.

The UK's Daily Mail (11/3) reports that "anxiety experienced by first-time mothers peaks around five months and one week after they give birth, according to new research.

The study for the Department of Health found this period was when new mothers had the most questions about their developing baby." In addition, the study "found that mothers risked feeling more isolated because the initial flurry of visits from family and friends had subsided" at the same time "their partner was less able to get home to help out."

The UK's Telegraph (11/2) reported that 32% of new mothers said that "after five months they had no time for themselves, and a fifth (20%) admitted they felt baby care was 'repetitive and mundane.'" The Telegraph noted that "the study was undertaken to help with the development of NHS Baby LifeCheck, a free online questionnaire to help new mums and dads." Researchers associate aggression in young children with TV viewing.

Related Links:

- New mothers most anxious after five months," UK Telegraph, November 02, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:43 PM

Caregiver psychoeducation may improve outcomes in early stage BD, research suggests.

MedWire (11/3, Grasmo) reports that, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in the Journal of Affective Disorders, "providing psychoeducation to the caregivers of bipolar disorder (BD) patients improves long-term outcome in terms of time to recurrence in patients with early stage...illness."

Spanish researchers "performed a post-hoc analysis from a 15-month randomized controlled trial on the efficacy of caregiver psychoeducation for" BD "in preventing recurrences," dividing a total of "113 medicated euthymic BD outpatients who lived with their caregivers...according to whether they had early (stage I) or advanced (stages II, III, or IV) illness." The team found that "stage I patients benefited from caregiver psychoeducation compared with patients whose caregivers did not receive any specific intervention," while "patients with advanced-stage BD did not show any benefit."

Related Links:

- Caregiver psychoeducation improves BD outcome in early stages," Ingrid Grasmo, MedWire News, November 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:27 PM

Palo Alto, CA, seen as taking action to prevent further teen suicides.

Following a CBS Evening News story, the AP (11/2, Leff) reports that the city of Palo Alto, CA, is reeling from four suicides "in less than six months."

Now Palo Alto officials "say they're deploying a wide array of approaches to stop" further suicides, including taking the view that "suicide can be contagious and should be treated as a public health crisis," and asking the media not to publicize locations where suicides occurred. Meanwhile, Stanford University experts "are advising administrators, teachers, and parents on how to recognize depression," while "schools are looking into making psychological screening of students routine."

Related Links:

- Anguish over California teen suicides spurs action," Lisa Leff, AP News, November 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:43 PM

Number of female veterans diagnosed with mental disorders increasing.

On its front page, the New York Times (11/1, A1, Cave) reported that "never before has" the US "seen so many women paralyzed by the psychological scars of combat. As of June 2008, 19,084 female veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan had received diagnoses of mental disorders from the Department of Veterans Affairs...and this number does not include troops still enlisted, or those who have never used the VA system."

According to "experts and veterans...the circumstances of military life and the way women are received when they return home have created differences in how they cope," with women being "more likely to suffer alone." Still, psychiatrists say, however, that "women do better in therapy, because they are more comfortable talking through their emotions" once they "seek help."

Related Links:

- .Women at Arms: A Combat Role, and Anguish, Too," Damien Cave, New York Times, November 1, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:28 PM

Casual substance use may reduce efficacy of antidepressants in adolescents with MDD, researchers say.

Medscape (10/30, Cassels) reported that, according to research presented at a pediatric psychiatry meeting, "casual substance" use may "significantly reduce the efficacy of antidepressant therapy in adolescents with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD)."

University of Pittsburgh researchers studied "334 adolescents with MDD who were assessed for substance use with the Drug Use and Severity Index in relation to treatment and depressive symptoms." After finding that "28.1% of the participants reported repeated substance use experimentation with alcohol or cannabis at baseline," the investigators associated "substance-related impairment...with baseline depression severity, older age, physical/sexual abuse, family conflict, hopelessness, and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder/conduct disorder."

Related Links:

- Casual Cannabis, Alcohol Use Reduces Treatment Efficacy in Adolescents With Major Depression," Caroline Cassels, MedScape, October 30, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:12 PM

Some consumers said to be fooled by fraudulent health insurance.

McClatchy (10/30, Lerner) reports on a number of companies which "are taking advantage of the recession and the growing number of uninsured people...to sell 'health coverage' that evaporates when customers try to use it, or provides far less than promised."

McClatchy recounts instances of consumers being duped by misleading insurance companies, adding that "just last month, Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson sued two out-of-state companies over allegations they misled customers with phony claims about their health plans. Ten more investigations are under way, she said."

Related Links:

- Health coverage 'plan' was no insurance at all," Maura Lerner, Star Tribune, October 25, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:58 PM

Collaborative care may increase improvement in older cancer patients with depression.

Medscape (10/29, Chustecka) reported, "Older cancer patients with depression showed significantly more improvement when they were treatment with a collaborative program than when they were treated with usual care for their depression," according to findings "reported in a supplement to the Journal of General Internal Medicine."

The study involved 1,801 patients, of which "half were randomized to usual care" of "routinely available depression treatment, including antidepressants and referrals to specialty mental-health services as deemed necessary." Meanwhile, the other half received collaborative care, which "involved a depression care manager who worked collaboratively with the patient and the primary-care physician." The study showed that "patients in the collaborative-care group were twice as likely to have responded to the depression treatment as those in the usual-care group" and "also reported significantly more days free from depression."

Related Links:

- Depression in Older Cancer Patients Responds Better to Collaborative Program," Zosia Chustecka, MedScape, October 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:39 PM

October 30, 2009

Survey suggests girls may feel damaged by effects of mothers' dieting, views on food.

The UK's Telegraph (10/29) reports that, according to the results of a survey of "512 teenage girls" conducted by the magazine Sugar, a girl's "mother has the biggest influence" on "her own self-image" and that girls "feel damaged by the effects of their mum's dieting and views on food."

The survey revealed that "six percent" of the respondents (average age 14) "had an eating disorder, rising to one in 10 among those whose mothers diet." In addition, "38 percent said their mother had the biggest influence on how they perceived themselves," with "one in five girls" saying "they are criticized by family members for being 'too big,'" and 51 percent saying they had been "hurt by their parents talking about their size." The UK's Daily Mail (10/29, Salkfeld) also covers the story.

Related Links:

- Many girls 'damaged' by their mum's dieting," Jane Kirby, The Independent, October 29, 2009.

- Dieting mothers have anorexic daughters, study suggests," UK Telegraph, October 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:15 AM

NICE guidelines recommend screening for depression in patients with chronic health problems.

The UK's Telegraph (10/28, Devlin) reports that, according to new guidance from the UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellent (NICE), primary-care physicians "should not merely accept that feeling low is a side effect of having a long-term condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer," but should be vigilant "in looking for" depression in patients "with chronic health problems."

NICE pointed out that "patients with chronic conditions are two to three times as likely as healthy people to be depressed," and depression "can affect their physical health and even reduce their life expectancy."

Related Links:

- Millions with chronic illnesses 'should be checked for signs of depression' ," Kate Devlin, UK Telegraph, October 28, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:02 AM

October 29, 2009

Research suggests more than 65 percent of US mothers with depression may not receive adequate treatment.

HealthDay (10/27, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published online in the Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research, "more than 65 percent of US mothers with depression don't receive adequate treatment."

In an "analysis of national data on 2,130 mothers with depression," researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health found "found that working mothers were less likely to receive adequate treatment," indicating that "workplaces could prove a useful location for depression intervention."

The investigators also discovered that while "black, Hispanic and other minority mothers are least likely to receive adequate treatment," moms "with health insurance are three times more likely to receive adequate treatment than those without insurance."

Related Links:

- Depression Often Goes Untreated in Working Moms
," HealthDay, October 27, 2009.

Posted by admin at 11:49 PM

NFL's long-term study on dementia seen as flawed.

The New York Times (10/27, B10, Schwarz) reports that the National Football League (NFL) "and its doctors have consistently dismissed independent studies showing unusual cognitive decline in former players," insisting that "a long-term study by the league's committee on concussions, expected to be published in several years, will be the authoritative analysis."

However, "according to many experts in epidemiology, dementia and health policy who assessed the study's design," the study "is fraught with statistical, systemic, and conflict-of-interest problems that make it inappropriate to examine the issue." Experts "contacted by The New York Times" said "their primary concern was that an improperly conducted study, should it claim no discernible cognitive decline among players, could mislead the public about the seriousness of football brain injuries."

Related Links:

- N.F.L.’s Dementia Study Has Flaws, Experts Say ," Alan Schwarz, New York Times, October 26, 2009.

Posted by admin at 11:33 PM

October 25, 2009

Researchers say primary-care physicians crucial to preventing depression in elderly.

Medscape (10/22, Kelly) reported that, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, "primary-care physicians are emerging as the front line in efforts to reduce the growing numbers of depressed elderly."

After following "617 patients aged 65 years or older from practices in general internal medicine, geriatrics, and family medicine," researchers from the University of Rochester found that "elderly patients at greatest risk for depression onset have early factors that are among those routinely assessed in primary-care visits," such as "minor or subsyndromal depression, history of major or minor depression, and impaired functional status." The authors suggested that "psychiatrists -- and mental healthcare providers more generally -- need to be establishing partnerships with the primary-care community."

Related Links:

- Primary Care Physicians Key in Preventing Major Depression in the Elderly," Janis C. Kelly, Medscape Today, October 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 05:15 PM

New device alerts caregivers when Alzheimer's patients stray too far.

ABC World News (10/21, story 9, 2:30, Gibson) reported that on Oct. 22, "the Alzheimer's Association will begin marketing a device promising Alzheimer's patients more independence, and their caregivers greater peace of mind."

Correspondent John McKenzie explained that "the Alzheimer's Association developed a computer program called Comfort Zone. With this pocket-sized receiver, families can track patients and for the first time, be alerted whenever a patient strays too far." This "service, available for $42 a month, can be used by family members thousands of miles away to set zones and track a patient's movements," either by computer or through "alerts...sent as a text messages to cell phones."

Posted by admin at 04:55 PM

October 20, 2009

Researchers explore link between obesity and childhood neglect, abuse.

The Los Angeles Times (10/15, Stein) "Booster Shots" blog reported, "Childhood neglect and abuse can leave mental and physical scars, but that's not all" -- a paper published in Obesity indicates "there may also be a correlation between abuse and" excess weight. Investigators reached that conclusion after reviewing "court records of 410 children up to age 11 from 1967 to 1971 in a Midwest county who had court-substantiated cases of physical and sexual abuse and neglect."

The team speculates that the "physical abuse could have had affected the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, in turn increasing peripheral cortisol, which has been associated with abdominal obesity." But they also pointed out that "overeating could be a way of coping with the trauma of abuse."

Related Links:

- Childhood abuse, obesity linked," Jeannine Stein, Los Angelas Times Health, October 19, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:52 AM

Research suggests depression, obesity, alcohol abuse may be interrelated in young women.

Medscape (10/15, Cassels) reported, "Depression, obesity, and alcohol abuse appear to be interrelated conditions among young women but not their male counterparts," according to a study published in the September/October edition of General Hospital Psychiatry.

The study included "776 young adults -- 393 men and 383 women -- who were followed-up into adulthood." Researchers interviewed participants "at ages 24, 27, and 30 years," assessing "for major depressive episodes, alcohol abuse or dependence disorder, and obesity during the past year." The study showed that "nearly half of" participants "met criteria for at least one of the health conditions, and eight percent to 12 percent of the sample reported comorbidity during the same period." Data indicated that "women with an alcohol disorder at age 24...had more than a three-fold increased risk for obesity at age 27."

Related Links:

- Young Women Vulnerable to 'Toxic Triangle' of Depression, Obesity, Alcohol Abuse," Caroline Cassels, Medscape Today, October 15, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:45 AM

Researchers associate tobacco use during pregnancy with increased risk for psychotic symptoms in offspring

MedWire (10/13, Davenport) reports that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, "children born to mothers who smoke during pregnancy have an increased risk for non-clinical psychotic experiences."

Researchers from the UK's Cardiff University studied data on "6,356 adolescents aged 12 years," and found that "maternal tobacco use during pregnancy was strongly associated with any suspected or definite psychotic-like symptoms in the offspring, at an adjusted odds ratio of 1.20." Notably, "maternal smoking in the third, as opposed to the first, trimester was associated with an increased risk for symptoms, at an odds ratio of 2.1."

Related Links:

- Tobacco use in pregnancy increases offspring psychotic symptom risk," Liam Davenport, MedWire News, October 13, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:32 AM

October 13, 2009

Growing conversation about suicide seen as taking place among US youth.

The AP (10/9, Irvine) reported that "there's a growing conversation about suicide that's happening on college campuses, in high school auditoriums, and online -- even among youth some might think are too young to consider suicide.

The hope is that a public discussion between young people and the teachers and counselors who work with them could inspire peers in distress to get help." For example, "some states, among them California, New Jersey, and Tennessee, require a strategy for suicide prevention in schools." On college campuses, some students are making suicide prevention "a year-round endeavor," sponsoring suicide-awareness campaigns and using social networking sites as part of their outreach.

Related Links:

- Youth push for louder conversation about suicide ," Martha Irvine, The Daily Star, October 9, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:30 AM

Survey suggests unemployed Americans more likely to report symptoms of severe mental illness.

HealthDay (10/8, Preidt) reported that, according to results of a survey "conducted last month for Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the Depression Is Real Coalition," Americans who are unemployed "are four times more likely than those with jobs to report symptoms of severe mental illness, such as major depression."

In addition, "the poll of 1,002 adults aged 18 and older" revealed that people "with jobs who were forced to accept work changes, such as reduced hours or pay cuts, were twice as likely to have symptoms." Moreover, "13 percent of unemployed people said they've had thoughts of harming themselves -- a rate four times higher than for those with full-time jobs."

Related Links:

- Recession Adds to Ranks of Americans With Depression," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, October 8, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:25 AM

Network details cancer survivor's experience with clinical depression.

ABC World News (10/8, story 9, 2:20, Gibson) reported that Oct. 8 was "National Depression Screening Day.

It's an annual attempt to reach out to people who are suffering in silence," many of whom "are cancer patients and cancer survivors. One in four cancer patients suffers from clinical depression, often months after getting a clean bill of health."

Correspondent John McKenzie interviewed Jerry Remy, a cancer survivor who has "been the voice of the Boston Red Sox the past 22 years." Remy underwent lung cancer surgery last November and made a full recovery. Despite that, his "mood plunged" during spring training. Remy got help, however, and started taking antidepressants. Now he is starting to feel better emotionally as well as physically.

Posted by admin at 12:04 AM

October 08, 2009

Foundation's Dr. Komrad Appears on Baltimore TV Show

Dr. Mark Komrad recently appeared on the Baltimore television show Mental Health Matters. He discussed a number of questions: Who are psychiatrists? How do they differ from other mental health professionals? How do they approach problems in mental life? How are they depicted in movies and how accurate are those depictions? He also told about the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry and the work it does.

The show has been divided into three 10 minute segments and posted at YouTube. If the embedded videos below cause any problems, you can find all three at the Foundation's YouTube page here.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Posted by admin at 03:36 PM

October 06, 2009

Television portrayals of mental illness seen as changing.

The Los Angeles Times (10/5, Brink) reports, "Mental illness, long taboo or distorted by the media, is making its way into the fictional lives of television characters."

In the past, some "mentally ill people were commonly portrayed as homicidal maniacs." Now, however, "they are also lawyers, doctors, mobsters, and detectives -- not always lovable folks, but increasingly understandable human beings."

The Times explains, "The shift in television characterizations might be a result of pressure from" mental-health advocacy groups, or possibly reflects the "fact that more than one-fourth of Americans, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder every year." But, while "truthful portrayals of mental illness and its treatment may be getting better...television still has a long way to go" in realistically depicting the "pain and suffering" of mental illness.

Posted by admin at 01:48 AM

Extent of mental healthcare reform seen as uncertain.

The Baltimore Sun (10/4, Cohn) reported that, according to the Coalition for Whole Health, Mental Health America, "30 million Americans...have no medical or mental health coverage," and "more lack mental healthcare or are underinsured."

Even though congressional "lawmakers have included some provisions for the mentally ill" in healthcare reform bills, "high costs and competing needs mean the amount of care and the number of people who would get it remain uncertain."

The "Council for Affordable Health Insurance, which represents small insurance companies," says that "premiums could rise one...to three percent for everyone if basic mental health benefits were mandated, and more for fuller coverage." But, "mental health disorders and addiction cost US businesses $171 billion a year in lost productivity," the Campaign for Mental Health Reform estimates, not counting "costs to the criminal justice system" and other societal costs.

Related Links:

- A cry for mental health change," Meredith Cohn, The Baltimore Sun, October 4, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:42 AM

Expert advises patients to consider pros, cons of Alzheimer's tests.

HealthDay (10/2, Doheny) reported that before people decide "whether to take an Alzheimer's test, experts say it's important to consider the pros and cons" of such testing.

The Alzheimer's Association points out that "none of the tests are diagnostic," serving "only as a screening, sometimes with results suggesting that the person taking the test needs further evaluation." In fact, "no test should be a substitute for a thorough exam by a skilled" physician, the association said.

But, people who have "an abnormal screening test result should discuss the results with their physician," said Raj Shah, MD, of the Rush University Medical Center. Should "the screening test results show substantial memory problems -- and the finding is backed up through a physician's evaluation -- the advantage is earlier treatment," and patients can also "begin planning for the future."

Related Links:

- Uncertainty Surrounds Testing for Alzheimer's
," Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay, October 2, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:33 AM

England releases first study of adults with autism.

Time (10/3, Wallis) reported, "England's National Health Service (NHS) released the first study of autism in the general adult population," and its "findings confirm the intuitive assumption: that ASD is just as common in adults as it is in children."

This seems "to contradict the commonplace idea that autism rates have exploded in the two decades" and has been "hailed as part of a growing body of evidence that the" childhood vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella, "which was introduced in the 1988, is not to blame."

Related Links:

- For the First Time, a Census of Autistic Adults
," Claudia Wallis, Time, October 3, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:28 AM

Studies suggest one percent of US children may have autism disorders.

The AP (10/5, Johnson) reports, "Two new government studies indicate about 1 in 100 American children have autism disorders -- higher than a previous US estimate of one in 150."

One study "stems from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health," in which "parents reported about 1 in 91 children, ages three to 17, had autism." Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced "that their preliminary findings also show about one in 100 children have the disorders."

While "greater awareness, broader definitions and spotting autism in younger children may explain some of the increase," Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, said, "The concern here is that buried in these numbers is a true increase."

Related Links:

- Government finds higher autism figure: 1 in 100 ," Carla K. Johnson, Placeropolis.com, October 5, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:21 AM

Prostate cancer survivor says he was "ambushed" by depression.

In the New York Times (9/29) "Well" blog, Dana Jennings discussed how he has been "ambushed" by depression, despite the fact that he is "recovering well from an aggressive case of prostate cancer."

Jennings noted that "as many as 25 percent of cancer patients develop depression, according to the American Cancer Society," compared to "about seven percent of the general population." Currently, Jennings is "seeing a psychiatrist who specializes in cancer patients," and has begun "a course of medication." Even though his physician has assured him that "depression isn't unusual among those who are on the far side of [cancer] treatment," Jennings said he is still "grieving for the person" he was before cancer.

Related Links:

- After Cancer, Ambushed by Depression," Dana Jennings, New York Times Well Blog, September 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:14 AM

Study indicates former NFL players may have increased risk for dementia.

On its front page, the New York Times (9/30, A1, Schwartz) reports that "Alzheimer's disease or similar memory-related diseases appear to have been diagnosed in the league's former players vastly more often than in the national population -- including a rate of 19 times the normal rate for men ages 30 through 49," according to an NFL-commissioned study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research.

For the study, the investigators "conducted a phone survey in late 2008 in which 1,063 retired players" or their caretakers "were asked questions on a variety of health topics," including "if they had ever been diagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's disease, or other memory-related disease." Notably, "6.1 percent of players age 50 and above reported that they had received a dementia-related diagnosis, five times higher than the cited national average" of "1.2 percent."

Related Links:

- Dementia Risk Seen in Players in N.F.L. Study ," Alan Schwarz, The New York Times, September 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:08 AM

Statement documents relationship between diabetes, CVD, and severe mental illness

HeartWire (9/30, Nainggolan) reported that in a joint statement published in the Sept. issue of European Psychiatry, the European Society of Cardiology, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, and the European Psychiatric Association are "calling attention to the excess cardiovascular mortality associated with severe mental illness."

Specifically, the "statement documents the relationship between diabetes, CVD, and mental illness and provides clear guidance about the screening that people should receive." Statement co-author Dr. Richard Holt of the UK's University of Southampton pointed out, "People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die prematurely, on average 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population." Among these patients, "physical illness accounts for 75 percent of mortality." Side effects from antipsychotic medications and hampered ability to "access physical-health services" just add to the problem, the statement said.

Related Links:

- Time to act: Cardiologists, diabetes docs, and psychiatrists urged to work together to tackle CVD in the mentally ill.," Lisa Nainggolan, HeartWire, September 30, 2009.

Posted by admin at 12:52 AM

September 30, 2009

Dermatologist points out connection between stress, acne.

On the air and on its website, KABC-TV Los Angeles (9/28, Dador) reported that, according to dermatologist Diane Madfes, MD, a "spokesperson with the American Academy of Dermatology, preliminary data shows there is a connection between stress and acne."

Dr. Madfes pointed out that "when it's time to head back to school, she sees about a 20 percent increase in the number of teens and young adults in her office." While "older acne medications, such as Retin-A [tretinoin topical] and BenzaClin [clindamycin-benzoyl peroxide gel], are still very effective," they "contain high percentages of the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide." However, "newer, gentler medications on the market," including "Pacnex [benzoyl peroxide topical], Atralin [tretinoin topical], Epiduo [adapalene and benzoyl peroxide], and Acanya [benzoyl peroxide, clindamycin]," are "equally effective" without causing dryness or itching.

Related Links:

- School stress can cause teen acne," Denise Dador, KABC-TV Los Angeles, September 28, 2009.

Posted by admin at 10:21 PM

Psychiatrist offers six steps for dealing with stress.

In the Washington Post (9/29), Georgetown Medical School professor of psychiatry and family medicine James S. Gordon, MD, writes, "I have been practicing psychiatry for 40 years, but I've never seen this much stress and worry about economic well-being and the future," which has produced "endemic" low-level depression, resurgence of previously controlled symptoms of chronic illnesses and increased use of medications, drink, sleeping pills and antidepressants, as well as anti-anxiety medications.

He offers six simple stress-coping techniques: calming meditation, physical exercise, building social connections, finding a sympathetic listener, using the imagination to visualize the advice of a trusted figure, and actively speaking up for oneself. Dr. Gordon adds that all six strategies "remind us, in times when the economy has made us feel powerless, that there are things we can do to help ourselves. And none of them costs money."

Related Links:

- Some Simple Steps for the Stressed-Out," James S. Gordon, The Washington Post, September 29, 2009.

Posted by admin at 10:02 PM

September 27, 2009

Researchers associate suicides in rural areas with higher number of bars.

HealthDay (9/18, Dotinga) reported that, according to a study published online and to appear in the December print issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, "there's a link between suicide and rural communities that have higher numbers of bars."

Researchers from the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley, CA, "examined suicide statistics from California for 1995 to 2000, comparing them with the density of bars in rural areas." They found that "suicides occurred more often in less populous areas, such as rural communities, and in areas with older, lower-income white residents." Dennis M. Gorman, of the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, who "was not involved in the study," theorized that "rural places with lots of bars might be depressing places to live in due to isolation, lack of social ties, etc."

Related Links:

- Suicides Higher in Rural Areas With Bars," HealthDay, September 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:32 PM

Early drinking may jump-start genetic predisposition to alcohol dependency, researchers say.

HealthDay (9/18, McKeever) reported that, according to a study published online Sept. 18 and to appear in the December print issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, adolescents "who start drinking before age 15 could jump-start any genetic conditions they might have that predispose them to developing alcohol dependency."

Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine analyzed data on "6,257 adult twins" and found that "the younger people were when they had their first drink, especially if that occurred before age 15, the more symptoms of alcohol dependency they developed." In addition, "early drinkers also tended to have an increased genetic vulnerability for alcohol."

Related Links:

- With Alcohol, Starting Young May Lead to Dependency
," HealthDay, September 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:55 PM

Reform bill would require insurers to simplify benefits information.

The Los Angeles Times /Kaiser Health News (9/21, Meyer) reports, "Critics say some insurers intentionally make their policies and procedures confusing."

But the "Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee's health reform bill would require insurers to meet new standards for honesty and transparency," and an amendment added by Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) would "encourage states" to fine insurers that fail "to communicate with consumers in plain English." America's Health Insurance Plans spokesperson Robert Zirkelbach says AHIP wants to "look at the details" of any proposals for "standardized information. 'We could do a better job of providing information to consumers, but burdensome regulations could stifle innovation and make healthcare coverage unaffordable,'" he explained. Meanwhile, many health plans are "making better communications a priority."

Related Links:

- For many, health policy jargon is clear as mud," Harris Meyer, Los Angelos Times, September 21, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:43 PM

Sexual abuse may be precursor for suicidal behavior, research suggests.

Medscape (9/23, Cassels) reported that, according to a study published online Sept. 1 and in print in the Oct. issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, "sexual abuse is a significant precursor for suicidal behavior, particularly among women."

Researchers from the UK's University College London analyzed "data from the 2000 British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity," in which "investigators interviewed 8,580 randomly selected volunteers aged 16 to 74 years." Next, the team "used the Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised to determine affective disturbance at the time of the interview." The authors found that "sexual abuse was strongly related to suicidal intent in all time frames, as it was to suicide attempts."

Related Links:

- Sexual Abuse Strongly Linked to Suicidal Behavior," Caroline Cassels, Medscape, September 23, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:28 PM

Report says VA appears to be doing more to prevent suicides.

The AP (9/23, Hefling) reports, "The Veterans Affairs Department appears to have stepped up its suicide prevention efforts."

The VA's inspector general (IG) "took a look at 24 facilities and found they generally met new requirements like appointing suicide prevention coordinators to track high-risk veterans, according to a report released Tuesday." The report also found that "coordinators and medical providers could do a better job of collaborating with each other. In a letter in response to the IG, a VA official said this fall, the agency would begin using a new system of tracking communication between the suicide prevention coordinators and medical providers." The AP adds, "New policies were implemented" at the VA "after growing concern about the number of suicides among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans."

Related Links:

- VA IG says suicide prevention programs implemented ," Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press, September 22, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:18 PM

September 21, 2009

Schools attempting to ease psychological transition to student life for veterans.

On its front page, the Washington Post (9/18, A1, Brown) reports, "As more veterans...return to school, drawn by a new GI Bill that offers more-generous benefits than its predecessor, colleges and universities in the Washington region and across the nation are launching efforts to ease the daunting social, psychological, and logistical transition from combat to classroom."

The Post explains that the "number of student veterans receiving benefits is expected to climb as much as 25 percent this year to 460,000, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs." Meanwhile, "schools that can attract them will share in the $78 billion" the federal "government will spend in the next decade on educational benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which took effect Aug. 1."

Soldiers with PTSD may show growing attention deficits in year following return home, researchers say. Following a HealthDay story, Medscape (9/17, Cassels) reported that, according to a study published in the Sept. issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry, "post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appears to be linked to reduced attention in soldiers one year after returning from Iraq."

In a study of "268 men and women who were regular active-duty US Army soldiers who served between 2003 and 2006," researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine found that "PTSD symptoms were not associated with poorer attention at a median of 122 days after returning from Iraq," but "this was not the case," however, "for veterans with PTSD symptoms who were assessed at one year."

Related Links:

- Easing From Combat to Classroom
," Emma Brown, The Washington Post, September 18, 2009.

- Persistent PTSD Symptoms Linked to Reduced Cognitive Function in Returning Veterans," Caroline Cassels, MedScape Today, September 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:31 PM

Researchers explore relationship between adolescent mental distress, acne.

Time (9/17, Cloud) reported that, according to a study published in the journal BMC Public Health, acne not only "goes hand-in-hand with depression and anxiety, but....teens' mental distress may" also "be worsening the condition of their skin."

Studying over 3,000 18- and 19-year-old students, Norwegian researchers found that "the level of mental distress kids reported was strongly associated with how much acne they said they had, independent of other factors." Notably, "roughly 19 percent of all kids who reported symptoms of anxiety and depression said they had acne, compared with only 12 percent of those who reported no mental distress." Boys "with depression and anxiety were 68 percent more likely to report acne than their happier peers," while girls "with mental distress were twice as likely as those without to report acne."

Related Links:

- Teen Acne and Depression: Can Mood Worsen Skin?," John Cloud, Time, September 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:23 PM

September 20, 2009

FDA warnings on antidepressants may have failed to curb teen suicides.

In an analysis of FDA warnings on the use of antidepressants by teens, Arthur Allen wrote in Slate (9/15), "The FDA warnings, which came about because of worry that antidepressants might cause young people to commit suicide, have not caused suicide rates to drop, and may have even caused doctors to withhold treatment for those who need it."

Perhaps we "can't fault the FDA for this. Anxiety about the use of" selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors "has grown with their use" due to "our profound philosophical concerns about the prescribing of mind-altering medications, especially in children." Perhaps the black-box warnings were "as good a method as any to test a hypothesis on public health." Once the impact of the warning "becomes clearer, it may also help us clarify our thoughts about the role of pills in shaping our thoughts and actions."

Related Links:

- Listening to the Black Box," Arthur Allen, Slate, Septemberf 15, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:48 PM

Combat troops may be at risk for hypertension, researchers say.

HealthDay (9/14, Edelson) reported that, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association, "US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan who go into combat are more likely to develop high blood pressure over the long term than those who serve in supporting roles."

For the study, researchers from the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego "drew on the records of 36,061 service members, including 8,829 deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2001 and 2003. After a three-year follow-up, the researchers found that those who reported multiple combat exposures were 33 percent more likely to report they had high blood pressure than those spared combat." Therefore, "hypertension...joins the list of problems resulting from constant exposure to the life-threatening experience of combat," including "post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, and attention deficits."

Related Links:

- Combat Exposure Tied to Chronic High Blood Pressure
," Ed Edelson, HealthDay, September 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:42 PM

Physicians fed up with insurance costs.

CNNMoney.com (9/14, Kavilanz) reported that some physicians, "fed up with the costs of their practice," are ready to shift careers.

For example, Dr. Douglas Evans, a 50-year-old pediatrician "said he's considering a mid-career change if insurer-provider relations aren't reformed." He points out that he has to wait for insurance authorization "to get an X-ray" for "young football player" with an obvious neck injury. Evans said he is "frustrated that this process will delay treatment by several days. ... 'My second concern is that there's a predatory lawyer out there,' meaning that if his patient's condition worsens while he waits to get authorization, it could expose him to a malpractice suit. And Evans said insufficient reimbursement from insurers is posing a heavy financial burden on his practice." The article goes on to highlight similar examples from other physicians.

Related Links:

- Rx for money woes: Doctors quit medicine
," Parija B. Kavilanz, CNN Money, September 15, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:31 PM

Physician questions short lengths of average clinic visits.

In an op-ed in the Washington Post (9/15), physician and author Daphne Miller, MD, describes the experience of shifting her practice to a fee-for-service model so that she could spend more time with patients.

The new system, she writes, had a large "impact on the quality of care I deliver to my patients." Notably it "allows patients with complicated health issues to express their desires and for their doctors to develop an individualized treatment plan." Meanwhile, University of California medicine professor Thomas Bodenheimer, an "expert on primary-healthcare policy," advocates the Swedish system, "where physicians see only about 20 percent of patients -- the really complicated cases and very sick people -- and leave the others to a team of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nutritionists, pharmacists, physical therapists, etc. In short, the primary-care doctors become specialists." Dr. Miller adds, "The Swedish model deserves a closer look."

Related Links:

- Maybe It's Time to Slow Down the Pace of Medical Treatment," Daphne Miller, The Washington Post, September 15, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:19 PM

US culture seen as ignoring female drinking problems.

USA Today (9/15, Weise) reports that an estimated "one-third" of the approximately "17.6 million adults in the USA" who "are either alcoholics or have alcohol problems" may be women.

"Women alcoholics face a double whammy: addiction and a culture that is more likely to ignore drinking in women than in men." Recent stories in the media about "New York mother Diane Schuler," whose alcohol-impaired driving factored in a fatal SUV accident and the "admission from Los Angeles 'mommy blogger' and writer Stefanie Wilder-Taylor that she was an alcoholic" have called attention to "the uncomfortable relationship society has between women and drinking, especially when they are mothers." A sidebar to the article explains where women with a suspected problem with alcohol abuse can go for help.

Related Links:

- The secret lives of female alcoholics," Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, September 15, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:08 PM

Study indicates many children with apparently minor head trauma may not need CT scans.

The Sacramento Bee (9/15, A. Tong) reports that, according to investigators from the University of California-Davis, "a significant portion of children with seemingly minor head trauma do not need a CT scan."

Specifically, "researchers analyzed the cases of more than 42,000 children younger than 18 with apparently minor head trauma in 25 hospitals across the country," finding that "of these children, 20 percent over age two and almost 25 percent under age two were at very low risk of serious brain damage, rendering the CT scan needless." The study authors pointed out that in such cases, the benefit of "catching a serious brain injury" may be "outweighed by the dangers of exposing children to radiation."
ABC News /Reuters (9/14) noted that the present study appeared in The Lancet. It also cited a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last month indicating that CT scans are one of the two greatest contributors to radiation exposure.

Related Links:

- Study: Children with minor head injuries may not need CT scans," Anna Tong, The Sacramento Bee, September 14, 2009.

- New rules may help doctors avoid excess CT scans," Reuters, September 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:56 PM

September 15, 2009

Study suggests depression may be linked to increased death rate among patients with cancer.

BBC News (9/14) reports that, according to a study in the journal Cancer, "Depression can damage a cancer patient's chances of survival."

Researchers conducted "a review of 26 separate studies including 9,417 patients," finding that "death rates were up to 25 percent higher in patients showing symptoms of depression." In fact, "in patients actually diagnosed with major or minor depression death rates were up to 39 percent higher." Notably, "the increased risks remained even after other clinical characteristics that might affect survival were taken into consideration."

Related Links:

- Depression 'cuts cancer survival' ," BBC News, September 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:49 PM

Regular physical activity may lessen symptoms of depression, psychiatrist explains.

The Chicago Tribune (9/13, Stein) reported that "regular, moderate physical activity may lessen depression symptoms as much as some medications."

According to Andrew Leuchter, MD, professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the University of California-Los Angeles, "exercise does appear to have significant effects in terms of elevating mood." Dr. Leuchter explained that "physical activity...often is used to augment treatments, such as medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. 'If people are on medication or in treatment and haven't had a complete recovery from depression, exercise is useful in getting them all the way there,'" he said.

Related Links:

- Exercise a strong weapon in fight against depression," Jeannine Stein, Chicago Tribune, September 13, 2009.

Posted by admin at 04:36 PM

Judge rules New York discriminated against thousands of mentally ill people in adult homes.

The New York Times (9/9, A24, Barron) reports, "New York State discriminated against thousands of mentally ill people in New York City by leaving them in privately run adult homes, which effectively replaced state-run psychiatric hospitals...but turned out to be little more than institutions themselves, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday."

In doing so, the state violated the Americans With Disabilities Act, the judge said. The state housed "more than 4,300 mentally ill people in New York City in more than two dozen adult homes" that offered patients "little hope of mingling with anyone in the wider community." But, the judge "stopped short" of telling "state officials they could no longer steer mentally ill people into adult homes."
The judge noted that "thousands of people who, with assistance, could be leading productive lives have instead been kept in adult homes," the New York Times (9/9, A24, Dwyer) notes in a separate article. The case, "brought by a nonprofit organization, Disability Advocates," stemmed from efforts by the state to reform the adult home system by moving "6,000 of the 12,000 individuals with mental illness living in adult homes...to more integrated settings." The judge noted that "over the years, the steam went out of the reform efforts," and "by 2008...the state 'facilitated' the placement of more people in adult homes."
The judge ruled that "Disability Advocates had proven...that virtually all its constituents were qualified to live in 'supported housing,' including apartments scattered throughout the community while receiving needed services," the AP (9/9, Esch) reports. According to witnesses during the trial, "the large homes were in some respects more restrictive than the mental institutions they replaced."

New York's Newsday (9/8, Riley) reported that "the state argued that more independent housing settings were not appropriate for many patients, and that paying for smaller settings and support services would be far more costly." But, the court "rejected those claims, finding that many patients would thrive on their own and that the cost to New York State would be similar." The state was "ordered...to present a remedial plan by Oct. 23," the Elmira Star-Gazette (9/8, Matthews) noted.

Related Links:

- State Discriminated Against Mentally Ill, Judge Rules
," James Barron, New York Times, September 8, 2009.

- A Cycle of Promises Not Kept," Jim Dwyer, New York Times, September 8, 2009.

- Federal judge: NY violated rights of mentally ill ," Mary Esch, Valley Morning Star, September 8, 2009.

- Ruling could alter mental health care in state," John Riley, New York Newsday, September 8, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:54 PM

September 01, 2009

Love From Depression Campaign Begins

Check out our campaign to help college students struggling with depression and anxiety: LOVE FROM DEPRESSION!

See all our promo spots together in one video here:

-- or visit our YouTube page to watch them individually. Want more information? Go directly to LoveFromDepression.com and read more about dealing with depression and anxiety in college life.

Also, visit us at Facebook!

Posted by admin at 09:29 PM

August 21, 2009

Medical groups issue treatment recommendations for pregnant women taking antidepressants.

The Wall Street Journal (8/21, Wang) reports that in a paper published Aug. 21 in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Psychiatric Association issued treatment recommendations stating that pregnant women who suffer from depression should contemplate undergoing psychotherapy before taking antidepressants.

The groups also recommend that expectant mothers who have moderate or severe depression, repeated bouts of depression, or who have thoughts of suicide should stay on antidepressants throughout pregnancy. If a mom-to-be wants to taper off or stop taking an antidepressant, she should speak with her physician before doing so. The Journal points out that some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may cause an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension or cardiac abnormalities in newborns whose mothers took them during pregnancy.

Related Links:

- For Moms, Therapy Beats Drugs," Shirley S. Wang, Wall Street Journal, August 21, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:30 PM

Patient privacy coalition objects to recommendations on EHR meaningful use.

American Medical News (8/21, Silva) reports, "A patient privacy coalition is not happy with recommendations released in July that outline how doctors and hospitals could use electronic health records (EHRs) in a way that qualifies for federal stimulus money."

The "meaningful use" recommendations, "developed by a working group within the Health IT Policy Committee," are not "official"; rather, they are guidelines to "serve as advice for HHS in drafting federal regulations." If the proposed objectives "are approved, physicians' EHR systems would need to meet certain standards by 2011, 2013, and 2015 to be eligible for federal EHR money" through the stimulus package.

The Coalition for Patient Privacy, however, says it is "concerned with what it calls the policy committee's lack of attention to controlling sensitive health information. The coalition wants the requirements for some key privacy protections moved up from 2015 to 2011."

Related Links:

- EHR guidelines raise privacy concerns," Chris Silva, American Medical News, August 20, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:25 PM

Department of Labor says workplace suicides increased 28 percent in 2008.

The AP (8/21, Hananel) reports that, according to information released Aug. 20 by the US Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), "workplace suicides surged 28 percent last year...as experts said anxious workers watched colleagues depart in a rash of layoffs and dealt with survivor's guilt."

The BLS announced that even though "the 5,071 workplace fatalities recorded in 2008 was the lowest number since the agency began tracking the data in 1992," the "251 suicides" are "the highest number since official reporting began."

The BLS did not explain the reasons behind the rise in workplace suicides, but "plans to research" the matter more thoroughly. Meanwhile, "Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University, said the numbers show the struggling economy taking a toll on worker morale."

Related Links:

- Workplace suicides surge by 28 percent," Sam Hananel, Ventura County Star, August 20, 2009.

Posted by admin at 02:19 PM

Reps. Waxman, Stupak seek compensation records, profit data from 52

Bloomberg News (8/20, Woellert, Faler) reports that letters dated Aug. 17 to 52 insurers indicated that the House Energy and Commerce
Committee "is investigating 'executive compensation and other business practices in the health insurance industry.'"

Among the requests, Committee chair Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy and Commerce Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chair Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) have asked "the companies to name all employees who were paid more than $500,000 in a single year"; to provide documentation on compensation for executives"; and to provide "data on profits from the individual insurance market and insurance provided through employers" as well as
the Medicare Advantage program.

The Politico (8/20, Brown, Allen) explains that "by Sept. 4,
the firms are supposed to supply detailed compensation data for board
members and top executives, as well as a 'table listing all conferences, retreats, or other events held outside company facilities from Jan. 1, 2007, to the present that were paid for, reimbursed, or subsidized in whole or in part by your company.'"

For employees or officers "making $500,000 or more, the committee wants information on salary, bonus, options and pension." And by "Sept. 14, the firms are supposed to provide copies of reports from compensation consultants, plus board drafts of compensation plans and information about market.

Related Links:

- House Democrats Examine Health Insurers’ Pay, Profit," Lorraine Woellert and Brian Faler, Bloomberg Press, August 19, 2009.

- Democratic investigators target health insurers," Carrie Budoff Brown and Mike Allen, Politico, August 19, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:55 PM

SAMHSA report says rates of illegal drug use doubled among Americans aged 50 to 59.

The AP (8/19) reported that some "40 years after Woodstock, some baby boomers haven't let go of one part of the 1960s: getting high on illicit drugs."

According to a report released Aug. 19 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), "the percentage of Americans age 50-59 who reported use of illicit drugs within a year nearly doubled between 2002 and 2007, from 5.1 percent to 9.4 percent."

SAMHSA "said that percentage rose because baby boomers -- born between 1946 and 1964 -- continued to use drugs as they got older." According to SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick, "the continued drug use 'is likely to put further strains on the nation's healthcare system.'"

Reuters (8/19) pointed out that the data SAMHSA used in its report was taken from 16,656 people who participated in the National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.

Related Links:

- Some baby boomers still getting high, report says
," Cincinnati.Com, August 19, 2009.

- Baby boomers still getting high," Reuters, August 19, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:34 PM | TrackBack

August 19, 2009

Survey suggests many people may not realize excessive drinking may ruin sleep.

The UK's Telegraph (8/19, Devlin) reports that, according to a survey conducted by polling company YouGov, "many people do not realize that excessive drinking can ruin their sleep, affecting memory and brain function."

In fact, "58 percent...of almost 2,000 people surveyed" had no idea that "drinking above the recommended daily limits could cause sleep problems," even though "45 percent admitted to feeling tired the day after" drinking too much. Research indicates that "alcohol disrupts 'REM' (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, important for the creation of memories." Neuroscientist Dr. Barry Gibb "warned that dehydration caused by drinking can" also "place the brain under stress.

BBC News (8/18) reported that it is generally understood that "alcohol stops the brain from releasing vasopressin, a chemical which tells the kidneys to reabsorb water that would otherwise end up in the bladder. Without this signal, the drinker needs more frequent trips to the toilet."

Related Links:

- Drinking too much 'affects memory and brain function," Kate Devlin, UK Telegraph, August 19, 2009.

- Drinkers 'ignorant of sleep woes'," BBC News, August 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 08:39 PM

More than a third of homeowners in foreclosure may show signs of serious depression, researchers say.

AFP (8/19) reports that, according to a study published online this week in the American Journal of Public Health, "more than a third of US homeowners in foreclosure show signs of serious depression."

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that "nearly half of a group of 250 people in Philadelphia whose homes were in foreclosure reported depressive symptoms, and 37 percent 'met screening criteria for major depression.'" In addition, "the study found that homeowners undergoing foreclosure were less likely to have health insurance than the average American -- 22 percent of those being foreclosed upon were uninsured, compared with eight percent of the population as a whole." Notably, "nine percent of those being foreclosed upon" said that "medical expenses were the reason they were losing their home."

The Time (8/17, Blue) Wellness blog reported that "people losing their homes were also more likely than residents of the same race and income to suffer from hypertension and from heart disease," the study found. Lead researcher Craig Pollack, MD, MHS, explained, "It seems that families undergoing foreclosure are facing a tremendous amount of stress. They're cutting back on their medical spending," including prescriptions and visits to the doctor. While "there's no way to say for sure from his study," Dr. Pollack "feels that the stress of foreclosure could well have an impact on mental health."

Related Links:

- One third of homeowners in foreclosure suffer from major depression, study finds," Laura Blue, Time Wellness Blog, August 18, 2009.

- Major depression common in foreclosed homeowners," AFP, Yahoo News, August 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 07:40 PM

Army to require emotional resiliency training for all soldiers

On its front page, the New York Times (8/18, A1, Carey) reports that "the Army plans to require that all 1.1 million of its soldiers take intensive training in emotional resiliency" in order to "improve performance in combat and head off the mental health problems, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide, that plague about one-fifth of troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq."

Starting in October, the program will begin at two bases, and will be "phased in gradually throughout the service, starting in basic training." All "active-duty soldiers, reservists, and members of the National Guard will receive the training, which will also be available to their family members and to civilian employees."

Army chief of staff Gen. George W. Casey, Jr., explained that "the $117 million program was an effort to transform a military culture that has generally considered talk of emotions to be...a sign of weakness."

Related Links:

- "Mental Stress Training Is Planned for U.S. Soldiers," Benedict Carey, New York Times, August 18, 2009.

Posted by admin at 01:18 AM

August 18, 2009

Researchers uncover significant level of binge drinking in middle-aged, elderly people.

USA Today (8/17, Thompson) reports that a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry "shows a significant, worrisome level of binge drinking among those age 50 to 64." To reach that conclusion, researchers from Duke University surveyed "11,000 men and women...in 2005 and 2006."

The investigators also found that "19 percent of the men and 13 percent of the women had two or more drinks a day, considered heavy or 'at-risk' drinking under American Geriatric Society guidelines for older people." Lead author Dan Blazer, of Duke University, said "that level of drinking places the older group at more of a health risk than younger counterparts." Notably, "the survey also found binge drinking in those over 65: 14 percent of men and three percent of women."

Related Links:

- Older people, too, knock back 5 drinks at a time," Erin Thompson, USA Today, August 17, 2009.

Posted by admin at 09:15 PM

Researchers say a third of children of deployed soldiers may be vulnerable to psychosocial problems.

HealthDay (8/14, Preidt) reported that, according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, approximately "one-third of children of deployed US Army soldiers are at high risk for psychosocial problems."

For the study, researchers from the Madigan Army Medical Center "included the spouses (mainly wives) of 101 deployed Army personnel" who were asked to complete "a series of questionnaires" and provide "information about their children, aged five to 12." The investigators found that "32 percent of the children were at high risk for psychosocial problems," a rate that is "2.5 times higher than among children in the general population."

Youngsters "of parents with high stress levels were about seven times more likely to be at high risk for psychosocial problems." Notably, "psychosocial problems were less likely among children whose parents received support from military organizations and among children of college-educated parents."

Related Links:

- Kids of Deployed Soldiers Vulnerable to Stress
," Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 14, 2009.

Posted by admin at 09:03 PM

August 16, 2009

Study indicates television viewing may be linked to increased blood pressure in children.

The New York Times (8/6, Rabin) reported, "Children who spend a lot of time watching television have higher blood pressure than those who watch less, even if the children are thin and getting enough exercise," according to a study published in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

For the study, researchers followed "a group of 111 children, ages three to eight, for about four years." Participants wore "accelerometers -- devices that record physical motion -- for a week in order to" provide objective measurements of "the amount of time that they were sedentary."

The study showed that "children who watched the most television (from 1.5 to 5.5 hours a day) had significantly higher diastolic and systolic blood pressure readings than those who watched the least television (less than half an hour a day)." Notably, "the increased blood pressure wasn't associated with the sedentary behavior overall, but specifically linked to increased TV viewing." The researchers speculated that "extensive TV viewing may have harmful physiological effects because children often snack while watching TV."

Related Links:

- Television Viewing Linked to Blood Pressure Increases in Children," Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times, August 6, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:48 PM

Researchers explore why depressed patients with heart disease often cannot motivate themselves to exercise.

In the Los Angeles Times (8/6) Booster Shots blog, Shari Roan wrote that physicians "often advise people with heart disease to exercise.

But cardiac patients are known to be at higher risk for depression, and some people with depression can't motivate themselves to get up and move." That particular conundrum "may be a major reason why so many cardiac patients do not follow the routine advice to become more physically active after being treated for a heart attack or other cardiac event," according to a review published in the journal General Hospital Psychiatry.

For the review, "researchers analyzed 11 studies" including "20,000 patients." Eight studies "found that the development of depression after a heart attack was a significant factor for adopting a sedentary lifestyle or poor adherence to an exercise program. One study found that among heart attack survivors who said they had depression or anxiety, 59 percent had a significant decrease in exercise after three months, compared with 31 percent of patients who were not depressed."

Related Links:

- The Catch-22 of exercise and depression," Shari Roan, LA Times Booster Shots Blog, August 6, 2009.

Posted by admin at 06:14 PM

August 15, 2009

States seen as relying on juvenile corrections system to handle young offenders with psychiatric disorders

On its front page, the New York Times (8/10, A1, Moore) reports, "As cash-starved states slash mental-health programs in communities and schools, they are increasingly relying on the juvenile corrections system to handle a generation of young offenders with psychiatric disorders."

Currently, approximately "two-thirds of the nation's juvenile inmates...have at least one mental illness, according to surveys of youth prisons, and are more in need of therapy than punishment."

A "recent survey of state mental health offices" indicated that "at least 32 states cut their community mental health programs by an average of five percent this year and plan to double those budget reductions by 2010." In fact, "juvenile prisons have been the caretaker of last resort for troubled children since the 1980s," the Times writes, "but mental health experts say the system is in crisis, facing a soaring number of inmates reliant on multiple -- and powerful – psychotropic" medications "and a shortage of therapists."

Related Links:

- Mentally Ill Offenders Strain Juvenile System ," Solomon Moore, New York Times, August 9, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:55 AM

NIMH, Army study seeks clues to reasons behind increasing number of soldier suicides.

The Washington Post (8/10, Vogel) reports that a "five-year, $50 million" study, "a collaboration between the National Institute of Mental Health and the Army," seeks "clues as to why suicide rates among Army personnel have grown dramatically in recent years."

The study will ask for "data from every soldier recruited into the Army over the next three years, as well as from about 90,000 soldiers already in the service." On a volunteer basis, "soldiers will be asked...for personal information that can be used to make psychological assessments."

The information gathered "will serve as an 'ongoing natural laboratory,' officials said, as researchers follow these soldiers for years, looking for common strands as to which individuals are more likely to commit suicide." Meanwhile, according to Robert K. Heinssen, PhD, the NIMH study director, "researchers are working with the Army to identify and collect relevant information from existing databases," planning to analyze "data on soldiers who have committed suicide since 2004."

Related Links:

- Study to Seek Clues to Soldier Suicides," Steve Vogel, Washington Post, August 10, 2009.

Posted by admin at 03:38 AM

August 13, 2009

Report indicates US spending on mental healthcare increased by nearly two-thirds

Modern Healthcare (8/6, Zigmond) reports, "The cost to treat Americans under care for depression and other mental illnesses rose by nearly two-thirds to $58 billion from $35 billion in a 10-year period, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality."

For the analysis, "researchers based their estimates on data taken from the full-year data file and medical conditions file known as MEPS-HC, which is a longitudinal survey that collects information on healthcare utilization by the US non-institutionalized population." The report shows that "the number of Americans treated for mental disorders, such as depression and bipolar disease, nearly doubled to 36 million from19 million from 1996 to 2006."

HealthDay (8/5, Mundell) noted that the report shows that "US spending on mental illness is soaring at a faster pace than spending on any other healthcare category." In fact, "spending on mental illness showed a faster rate of growth over the 10-year period analyzed than costs for heart disease, cancer, trauma-linked disorders, and asthma."

Data indicated that "spending on heart disease rose from $72 billion in 1996 to $78 billion in 2006; cancer care rose from $47 billion to $58 billion; asthma costs climbed from $36 billion to $51 billion, and expenditures for trauma-related care rose from $46 billion to $68 billion."

Related Links:

- Free subscription required: "Rising mental-healthcare costs top list: AHRQ," Jessica Zigmund, Modern Healthcare,/i>, August 5. 2009.
- U.S. Spending on Mental Health Care Soaring," E.J. Mundell, HealthDay, August 6, 2009.