HealthDay (7/15, Mozes) reports that research presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2014 suggests that high blood pressure “might help to stave off mental decline among the extreme elderly.”

MedPage Today (7/15, Gever) reports, “With mean follow-up 2.8 years (range up to 10 years), the age- and education-adjusted relative risk of incident dementia in 625 prospectively followed individuals was 0.45 (P<0.01) for those with onset of hypertension in their 90s, compared with similarly aged participants remaining hypertension-free.” Related Links:

— “High Blood Pressure May Protect the Very Old From Dementia,” Alan Mozes, HealthDay, July 14, 2014.

FOX News Latino (7/11, del Castillo) reported that according to the American Psychiatric Association, “lack of access to mental health services is one of the most serious health problems in the Hispanic community.” Previous research “released by the APA in 2001 reported that as few as one in 11 Hispanics with mental health issues seek professional care.” Annelle Primm, MD, deputy medical director and director of the APA’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity, tied the lack of access partly to “a lack of insurance.”

Related Links:

— “Mental Illness An Epidemic Among U.S. Latinos: Only 1 In 11 Seek Treatment,” Nicole del Castillo, Fox News Latino, July 11, 2014.

The NPR (7/12, Aschwanden) “Shots” blog reported, “In 2012, 11.5 million people in the US seriously considered suicide, 4.8 million made a suicide plan, and 2.5 million made a suicide attempt.” While most “people who survive a suicidal crisis don’t go on to kill themselves…they are isolated by a culture of silence, according to DeQuincy Lezine, 37, a clinical psychologist, and suicide attempt survivor” who “helped craft a plan issued Monday by the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention that calls for evidence-based support and treatment for people who have had (or are having) suicidal thoughts.” Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that suicide ranks among the top 10 causes of death in the US.

Related Links:

— “Suicide Attempt Survivors Seek A Voice In Helping Others At Risk,” Christie Aschwanden, National Public Radio, July 11, 2014.

The AP (7/14, Geller) reports that the Cook County, IL “jail and many of its 3,300 counterparts across the country have become treatment centers of last resort for people with serious mental illnesses, most arrested for non-violent crimes.” Now that “the number of those with serious mental illnesses surpasses 20 percent in some jails,” prison officials struggle with “the task of screening for mental illness, managing medications, providing care and ensuring inmate safety.”

Related Links:

— “US JAILS STRUGGLE WITH ROLE AS MAKESHIFT ASYLUMS,” Adam Geller, Associated Press, July 14, 2014.

NPR (7/11, Hamilton) reports in its “Shots” blog results of a survey suggest that “watching, reading or listening to the news,” especially if it’s disturbing, may contribute to stress. The survey of more than 2,500 people in the US “found that about 1 in 4 said they had experienced a ‘great deal’ of stress in the previous month.”

The participants noted “that one of the biggest contributors to their day-to-day stress was” exposure to the certain kinds of news. The study was conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health.

Related Links:

— “Bingeing On Bad News Can Fuel Daily Stress,” Jon Hamilton, National Public Radio, July 10, 2014.

HealthDay (7/11, Dallas) reports a study published online recently in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence found that “adults with dyslexia are more likely to report that they were physically abused as children or teenagers than people who don’t have the learning disorder.” The researches said it isn’t clear if dyslexia makes children more likely to be abused or if physical abuse contributes to dyslexia.

Related Links:

— “Researchers See Link Between Dyslexia, Abuse,” Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, July 10, 2014.

AFP (7/11) reports that research published in Stroke suggests that “feeling cynical and hostile toward others may double the risk of having a stroke in middle-aged and older adults.” The study also indicated that “depression and high stress increased stroke risk.” The study included “more than 6,700 adults aged 45 to 84” who “answered questionnaires about their state of mind and behavior.” Participants were followed for eight to 11 years.

Related Links:

— “Hostile people more likely to suffer a stroke,” Yahoo News, July 10, 2014.

The Wall Street Journal (7/16, Esterl, Mehrotra, Bauerlein, Subscription Publication) reports that the US has fewer smokers than ever before. But, even though the rate of smoking is now less than 20 percent, some 40 million people still smoke in this country. The article goes on to explore current trends in the tobacco industry, such as concentrated growth in the menthol and e-cigarette sectors and the targeting of marketing campaigns toward the LGBT community.

Related Links:

— “America’s Smokers: Still 40 Million Strong,” Mike Esterl, Karishma Mehrotra and Valerie Bauerlein, Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2014.

Medscape (7/16, Brooks) reports that according to yearly rankings published online July 15 in US News & World Report, the “Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston is the best hospital for psychiatry” in the US. The full list of top-ranked hospitals for psychiatry can be seen at http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/psychiatry .

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

NBC News (7/16, Fox) reports that despite the many warnings that “Obamacare was going to create a crush of pent-up medical demand,” a new study shows that visits to physicians actually “appear to be down slightly over 2013.” A research team at Athenahealth found that “Most specialty types did not see higher new patient visit rates for the first five months of 2014 than they did in the same period in 2013. Indeed, with the exception of pediatrics, all specialties are seeing lower new patient visit rates in 2014 compared to 2013.”

Related Links:

— “The Obamacare Surge? No Sign of Pent-Up Doctor Demand Yet,” Maggie Fox, NBC News, July 15, 2014.