The Kaiser Health News (5/2, Gillespie) reported that the “American Psychiatric Association is releasing a first-of-its-kind book to decode in plain English the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – a guide for mental health” professionals “that is also used to determine insurance coverage.”
The APA’s new “resource, Understanding Mental Disorders: Your Guide To DSM-5, includes in-depth explanations of risk factors, symptoms and symptom management, treatment options and success stories.” Psychiatrist and APA spokesman Jeff Bornstein, MD, “said empowering patients with a better understanding of what they are facing will enable them to better advocate for themselves.”
US News & World Report (5/2, Leonard) reported that APA’s new patient resource has garnered “endorsements from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America.”
Related Links:
— “Decoding Your Diagnosis: Psychiatrists Unveil Plain-English Guide For Patients,” Lisa Gillespie, Kaiser Health News, May 1, 2015.