The Washington Post (2/12, Searing ) reports 55% of mental health appointments “are being conducted remotely, mainly via videoconferencing rather than in-person visits, according to a brief research report.” The research found “that the volume of telemedicine visits overall increased dramatically once the coronavirus pandemic began, becoming far more common than in-person visits.” The findings were published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

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— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

mHealth Intelligence (2/12, Vaidya ) reports, “Patterns in the use of audio-only or video-based telehealth to receive mental healthcare are mixed, differing based on age, sex, education, income, and location, according to new research by the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Irving Medical Center.” Notably, “adjusted percentages of video visits were higher for younger adults than for middle-aged or older adults, women than men, and college graduates than adults without a high school diploma.” The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Telemental Healthcare Use Varies Across Sociodemographic Lines,”Anuja Vaidya, mHealth Intelligence, February 12, 2024

Healio (2/9, Welsh ) said, “One-third of transgender and gender-diverse individuals on testosterone will experience at least one breakthrough bleeding episode, even after their first year of use, researchers reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.” According to the study, “overall, 34% of transgender and gender-diverse adults reported breakthrough bleeding while on testosterone.”

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— “One-third of gender-affirming testosterone users report breakthrough bleeding,”Erin T. Welsh , Healio, February 9, 2024

Psychiatric News (2/9) reported, “Taking antidepressants for late-life depression may improve certain aspects of cognitive function, particularly memory and learning, a review and meta-analysis…suggests.” Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing “data from 22 studies (totaling 3,019 participants) of antidepressant therapy for older adults…with depression that included cognitive testing.” The findings were published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

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— “Antidepressants May Help Cognitive Function in Adults With Late-Life Depression, Psychiatric News , February 9, 2024

Reuters (2/8, Sunny) reports that a high-dose version of Hikma Pharmaceuticals’ opioid reversal spray, naloxone, did not improve survival rates compared to lower-dose offerings when administered by New York law enforcement in emergencies, a recent U.S. study finds. The study also indicated that the higher-dose spray led to a greater risk of opioid withdrawal symptoms. The spray was approved in 2021 to counteract potent opioids like fentanyl. The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The AP (2/8, Stobbe ) reports, “The 8-milligram naloxone spray – twice as potent as the highest dose previously available – was approved two years ago after pressure from experts and patient advocates who noted lower-dose antidotes often were being given multiple times to people suffering overdoses.”

Related Links:

— “High-dose opioid reversal spray no better than lower dose in field, US study finds,”Mariam Sunny, Reuters, February 8, 2024