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Latest News Around the Web

Experts Say Pandemic Increases Suicide Risk For Many

CNBC (5/12, Higgins-Dunn) reports, “As millions of Americans lose their jobs and economists predict a slow recovery, mental health professionals warn that the prolonged financial and personal stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic increases the risk of suicide, especially in people already grappling with depression and anxiety.” Dr. Vaile Wright, director of clinical research and quality for the APA, said, “We’re in for a long-term mental health crisis.” Dr. Wright added that people should engage in activities to maintain their well-being, such as staying connected to people virtually, “They sound very simple, but they provide the structures that need to protect our mental health. When we’re able to do that and have some sort of even keel, then we can figure out, ‘OK, what do I do about the fact that I don’t have a job?’”

Related Links:

— “Coronavirus crisis creates ‘perfect storm’ for suicide risk as job losses soar and people are isolated at home, “Noah Higgins-Dunn, CNBC, May 12, 2020

CDC Study Indicates 2.2% Of US Adults May Have An Autism Spectrum Disorder

CNN (5/11, Fox) reports that the “first US study of autism in adults estimates that 2.2% of Americans adults have an autism spectrum” disorder, totaling “5.4 million people age 18 and older, or about 1 in 45 people, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.” The CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities said, “This is the first CDC study to provide estimates of the number of U.S. adults with autism and fills a gap in data on adults living with autism spectrum disorder in the United States because there is no existing surveillance system to collect this information.”

Related Links:

— “First US study of autism in adults estimates 2.2% have autism spectrum disorder, “Maggie Fox, CNN, May 11, 2020

VA, Veterans Groups Concerned About Impact Of Pandemic On Veterans’ Mental Health

The AP (5/11, Morgan) reports the VA and veterans groups are preparing for a surge in veterans with mental health needs. The VA and its partners “have kept thousands of veterans in treatment during the coronavirus pandemic through telehealth appointments. But as job losses and increased social isolation take an extended toll, some veterans’ advocates worry the already understaffed VA medical facilities can’t keep up and that telehealth isn’t enough.”

Related Links:

— “Veterans groups, govt brace for surge in mental health needs, “Sarah Blake Morgan, Claudia Lauer And Hope Yen , AP, May 11, 2020

Transition To Seeing Patients Via Telemedicine Due To Pandemic Has Generally Been A Positive Experience, Small Study Suggests

Psychiatric News (5/11) reports that in spite of “some challenges, 20 psychiatrists who completed interviews from March 31 to April 9 said that the transition to seeing patients via telemedicine due to COVID-19 has generally been a positive experience.” The findings (PDF) now “appear in an article in press at Psychiatric Services,” a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Psychiatrists Report Mostly Positive Transition to Telemedicine During Pandemic, Psychiatric News, May 11, 2020

From 2007 To 2016, Rates Of Pediatric ED Visits For Children With Mental Illnesses Increased, Researchers Say

MedPage Today (5/11, Hlavinka) reports, “Rates of pediatric emergency room visits among children with mental health disorders soared from 2007 to 2016, researchers found.” During the time frame, “pediatric emergency department visits increased somewhat, from 273.5 to 305.5 cases per 10,000 (11.7% increase, P=0.06), but visits among children with mental health disorders spiked 60%, from 15.9 to 25.4 cases per 10,000,” researchers reported in a study published in Pediatrics. Researchers “used the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) database to track trends among hospitals, and categorized pediatric emergency department volume for each site.”

Related Links:

MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

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