MedPage Today (6/5, Gever) reports, “Anxiety, not depression, is the most common mental health issue facing long-term cancer survivors and their spouses,” according to “a large meta-analysis” published online in the Lancet Oncology.

HealthDay (6/5) reports that researchers “analyzed data from 27 publications that reported on a total of 43 comparison studies and found that levels of depression were similar among adults without cancer and adult cancer survivors two or more years after diagnosis, 10.2 percent and 11.6 percent, respectively.” But, the investigators found that “cancer survivors were 27 percent more likely to report anxiety two or more years after their diagnosis and 50 percent more likely to experience anxiety 10 or more years after diagnosis, the findings indicated.” Additionally, the investigators “found that cancer survivors’ partners were even more likely than survivors to experience anxiety over the long term (40 percent versus 28 percent).”

Related Links:

— “After the Cancer the Worry Remains, ” John Gever, MedPage Today, June 04, 2013.

The Time (6/6, Szalavitz) “Healthland” blog reports, “Childhood emotional and sexual abuse mark women’s brains in distinct patterns – with emotional abuse affecting regions involved in self-awareness and sexual abuse affecting areas involved in genital sensation,” according to a 51-patient imaging study published June 1 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association. The brain changes were not insignificant. The study’s lead author “says that if a region typically was 5 millimeters thick on average, in abuse survivors it was just 3 to 4 millimeters.”

Related Links:

— “Sexual and Emotional Abuse Scar the Brain in Specific Ways, ” Maia Szalavitz, The Time, June 05, 2013.

The New York Times (6/6, A17, Tavernise, Subscription Publication) reports that a panel of experts assembled by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council at President Obama’s request after the school shooting in Newton, Connecticut delivered an “ambitious set of priorities” for the government to obtain “better data on guns.” There is currently no national figure regarding the number of guns that are in the country, and researchers often do not have access to data from law enforcement agencies regarding “data on specific games,” although they only track guns used in crimes. The experts said because “Basic information about gun possession, distribution, ownership, acquisition and storage is lacking,” it makes it “virtually impossible to answer fundamental questions” about how to establish programs to reduce gun violence.

Related Links:

— “Panel Says Better Data Is Needed on Gun Issues, “Sabrina Tavernise, The New York Times, June 05, 2013.

HealthDay (6/6, Reinberg) reports that research published in Neurology suggests that “older people who suffer from…atrial fibrillation may also be more likely to experience mental declines sooner.” Researchers looked at “data on more than 5,000 people aged 65 and older who took part in the Cardiovascular Health Study.”

MedPage Today (6/6, Neale) reports that the researchers found that, “at age 75 and older, scores on the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) declined by about 3 points more for every 5 years of aging for individuals who developed atrial fibrillation compared with those who did not develop the arrhythmia.”

Related Links:

— “Irregular Heartbeat May Speed Memory Loss in Seniors, “Steven Reinberg, HealthDay, June 05, 2013.

Psychiatric News (6/4) reports that the American Psychiatric Association “was well represented at [yesterday’s] National Conference on Mental Health hosted by President Obama and Vice-President Biden at the White House.” Conference invitees included APA President Jeffrey Lieberman, MD, Psychiatric News Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Borenstein, MD, and APA President-elect Paul Summergrad, MD. After the conference, Dr. Lieberman said, “We commend the Administration’s efforts through this national dialogue to focus attention and resources on important mental health issues and the need to eliminate stigma and improve access to quality care for all individuals who need mental health services.” Dr. Lieberman added, “An important part of that access is insurance coverage for mental health treatment, and we look forward to working with the Administration to fully implement parity for mental health care nationwide.”

In a news release (pdf) covering the event, the American Psychiatric Association wrote, “In an effort to help better address mental health issues in the primary care setting, APA is partnering with the American Medical Association to disseminate educational materials developed by the APA to help physicians in all specialties better integrate mental health screenings into their practices, reduce misperceptions of mental illness, and direct patients to additional mental health services when needed.”

Related Links:

— “APA Representatives Attend White House Mental Health Conference, Psychiatric News, June 03, 2013.

Politico (6/4, Smith) reports, “States looking to address gun violence are overhauling mental health laws – and sometimes exposing rifts over how to best address the small but serious threat of violence.” However, “changing policies on involuntary commitment, or requiring therapists to report potentially dangerous patients, are stirring fears that well-intentioned policies could increase stigma and deter the very people who most need treatment from getting it.” While the majority of people with mental illnesses are not violent, “some of the horrific mass shootings in recent years have been carried out by people with serious mental diseases, reinforcing stereotypes.” Now, some mental health advocates are concerned about a “backlash.”

Related Links:

— “With mental health legislation stalled in Congress, states act, “Kathryn Smith, Politico, June 02, 2013.

The Washington Post (6/4, Montgomery) reports, “Numbers released in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a dramatic spike in suicides among middle-aged people, with the highest increases among men in their 50s, whose rate went up by nearly 50 percent to 30 per 100,000; and women in their early 60s, whose rate rose by nearly 60 percent (though it is still relatively low compared with men, at 7 in 100,000). The highest rates were among white and Native American and Alaskan men. In recent years, deaths by suicide has surpassed deaths by motor vehicle crashes.” The findings “suggest that more suicide research and prevention should ‘address the needs of middle-aged persons,’ a CDC statement said.”

Related Links:

— “Baby boomers are killing themselves at an alarming rate, raising question: Why?, ” Tara Bahrampour, The Washington Post, June 03, 2013.

Politico (5/31, Slack) reported that President Obama and Vice President Biden “will address a White House conference Monday on mental health as part of an effort to launch a national conversation to increase understanding and awareness.” HHS Secretary Sebelius and Education Secretary Duncan “are scheduled to moderate two of the sessions” during the day. Politico lists some of the stakeholders expected at the conference.

Related Links:

— “Obama to speak on mental health, “Donovan Slack, Politico, May 31, 2013.

HealthDay (6/1, Dallas) reported, “Children who are bullied in elementary school are almost five times more likely to engage in self-harm by the time they are teenagers,” according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. For the study, researchers focused on some 5,000 children in the UK. “After taking into account other factors, such as domestic violence, parenting styles or poor family life, the findings still demonstrated a clear link between being bullied at a young age and self-harm as a teen. Bullying, the researchers said, may increase children’s risk for depression or worsen the negative effects of a difficult family situation.”

Related Links:

— “Bullied Kids More Likely to Self-Harm as Teens, “Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, June 01, 2013.

Medwire (6/3, Lyford) reports, “Poor sleep increases women’s risk for depression by reducing their experience of positive affect in daily life, thereby leading to increased negative reactivity,” according to a study published online May 9 in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers arrived at that conclusion after studying “553 women who were monitored for sleep and affect for five days using the experience sampling method (an ambulatory diary technique).” Next, “471 participants who were free of depression at baseline were then periodically assessed for depressive symptomatology over a mean follow up of 432 days.”

Related Links:

— “Pathway from poor sleep to depression elucidated, “Joanna Lyford, Medwire, June 03, 2013.