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Latest News Around the Web

Rates Of Anxiety, Depression, Suicidal Thoughts On The Increase Among US Teens, Research Suggests

HealthDay (3/25, Preidt) reports, “Rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts are all on the rise among U.S. teens,” investigators found after analyzing “data on more than 230,000 teens collected between January 2005 and December 2018 in annual U.S. federal government health surveys.” The study also revealed “a significant rise in the rates of teen girls seeking mental health care and their use of outpatient mental health services.” The findings were published online March 25 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Adolescent Students With Psychiatric Disorders May Be Less Likely To Complete Final Exams In Compulsory Schooling Relative To Peers Without Such Diagnoses, Study Indicates. MedPage Today(3/25, Hlavinka) reports, “Adolescent students with psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and attachment disorders were less likely to complete final exams in compulsory schooling relative to peers without such diagnoses,” researchers concluded. In the “Danish registry study” that included “629,622 school-age teens,” investigators found that “52% with mental disorders completed final exams at the end of the ninth grade, compared with 88% of students without mental disorders.” The findings were published online March 25 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “American Teens Struggling With Mental Health Issues, ” Robert Preidt, HealthDay , March 25, 2020

APA Official Says We Need To Remember Mental Health While Fighting War Against Coronavirus

Medscape (3/25, Brauser, Subscription Publication) reports that “with a growing number of state and regional directives to shelter in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important clinicians pay close attention to the mental health of all patients, but particularly the elderly.” The article says that while “physical distancing during this public health crisis is essential in preventing the spread of the virus,…it can come at a high cost to seniors’ mental health and well-being, resulting in loneliness, anxiety, depression, and cognitive problems.” Dr. Brent Forester, vice chair of the APA’s Council on Geriatric Psychiatry, said, “Everyone in the healthcare system is now under siege. We’re at war with this virus, and we need to approach it like that while making sure we attend to the mental health needs of our older patients.”

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Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Nearly Half Of Americans Anxious About Possibility Of Getting COVID-19, APA Poll Indicates

Healio (3/25) reports, “Nearly half of Americans are anxious about the possibility of getting COVID-19, and nearly 40% are anxious about dying or becoming seriously ill due to the virus, according to results of a national poll released” March 25 “by the American Psychiatric Association.” What’s more, “a significant majority of Americans (62%) are anxious about the possibility of family and loved ones getting COVID-19.” Poll data were collected “between March 18 and 19 through an online survey with a nationally representative sample of 1,004 adults.” In a press release, APA president Bruce Schwartz, MD, said, “During this time, it is important to do what we can to maintain self-care and manage the stress.”

Psychiatric News (3/25) provides more “takeaways from the poll,” including that “more than a third of respondents (36%) reported that coronavirus is having a serious impact on their mental health, and more than half (59%) feel that coronavirus is having a serious impact on their day-to-day lives.” In the press release, Saul Levin, MD, MPA, APA CEO and Medical director, said, “In the disruption COVID-19 is causing, everyone needs to make sure they are taking the time to take care of their own physical and mental health, [along with that of] their families, friends and work colleagues.”

Related Links:

— “APA poll shows high anxiety among Americans during COVID-19 pandemic, Healio, March 25, 2020

APA President Says Pandemic Posing Specific Challenge For Those With Anxiety Disorders

The AP (3/25, Ritter) reports, “The pandemic is worrisome enough for most people. For those with anxiety disorders, it presents a special challenge, especially if they are not receiving treatment.” This is “the case for about two-thirds of people with anxiety disorders, says Dr. Bruce Schwartz, president of the American Psychiatric Association.” Schwartz said, “Those are the ones I’m worried about.” Some psychologists “say the have noticed an uptick in symptoms with the spread of the virus,” and “for some anxiety conditions, the recommendations from health officials can appear to feed the problem.”
        
Psychiatrists Transition To Virtual Appointments As Coronavirus Pandemic Takes Reported Toll On The Mental Health Of Many. MedPage Today (3/24, Hlavinka) reports “psychiatric appointments across the country have been going virtual as mental health professionals try to limit potential exposures by moving to home offices and keeping outpatient visits to a minimum,” and the APA has “put together resources for treating patients amidst the developing pandemic and policy changes.” Meanwhile, a recent poll suggests that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the mental health of many people, so there could be a significant increase in demand for mental health services. Dr. Joshua Morganstein, chair of the APA’s Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, “stressed the importance of normalizing concerns and understandable fear surrounding the pandemic,” saying, “It’s important to avoid giving people the message that somehow there is something wrong with how they are feeling or it is somehow a medical diagnosis.”

Related Links:

— “They already had an anxiety disorder. Now comes a pandemic, “Malcolm Ritter , AP, March 25, 2020

Gallup Poll Says More Americans Are Practicing Social Distancing This Week Compared To Last Week

The Hill (3/24, Coleman) reports that the number of US adults practicing social distancing increased from 54% last week to 72% this week, according to a Gallup poll. The article says that “the biggest change from last week is the number of people who are not attending small gatherings of friends and family,” which jumped from 46% last week to 68% this week.

Related Links:

— “Percentage of Americans practicing social distancing jumps in past week: Gallup, “Justine Coleman, The Hill, March 24, 2020

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