Healio (3/20, Schaffer ) reports a study found that “risk for moderate to severe depressive symptoms during pregnancy varied widely across 20 different racial and ethnic groups, suggesting women from different cultural backgrounds view and report depression symptoms differently.” Researchers found that “the prevalence of prenatal depression diagnoses ranged from 4.7% among Hmong Chinese women to 26.7% among Puerto Rican women, whereas depressive symptoms ranged from 7.5% among Japanese women to 17.3% among Black women.” Researchers concluded this “is a reminder of the importance of culturally relevant care, especially regarding pregnancy and mental health conditions.” The findings were published in a research letter in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Prenatal depression ‘presents differently across cultures,’ warranting tailored care,” Regina Schaffer, Healio, March 21, 2025

Healio (3/20, Mahoney ) reports a study found that “individuals in Canada who received hospital care for hallucinogen use had greater 5-year mortality risk, especially from suicide, compared with the general population.” Researchers determined that, “compared with the matched general population, the hallucinogen group appeared more likely to live in low-income neighborhoods, have several chronic conditions, and have received outpatient mental health care or acute care for substance use or a mental disorder in the past 3 years.” Furthermore, “a greater proportion of individuals in the hallucinogen group died” within five years “compared with the general population group (6.1% vs. 0.6%), equating to a 9.7-fold greater increase.” Based on the results, the researchers “theorized that hallucinogen use in vulnerable people in nonmedical settings may increase suicide risk or lead to the development of severe mental illnesses.” The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Related Links:

— “Receipt of acute care for hallucinogen use predicts greater mortality risk within 5 years,” Moira Mahoney, Healio, March 20, 2025

Psychiatric News (3/20) reports a study found that “fewer than half [of] the claims about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the most popular TikTok videos on the topic were clinically accurate,” but “young adults, particularly those who diagnosed themselves with ADHD, reported that they were likely to recommend these videos to others as ADHD psychoeducation.” Two clinical psychologists analyzed 100 of the “most popular TikTok videos on a single day that included the hashtag #ADHD.” They found “there was 84.8% agreement between the two psychologists about the videos, and only 48.7% of the claims made in the videos were considered accurate by at least one of them.” The study was published in PLOS One.

Related Links:

— “TikTok ADHD Content Receives Millions of Views but Is Accurate Less Than Half the Time,” Psychiatric News, March 20, 2025

Reuters (3/20, Respaut ) reports the federal government eliminated about 2,400 jobs at the Department of Veterans Affairs “in the first wave of President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal workforce.” The Trump Administration “plans additional cuts to the VA of more than 80,000 personnel, according to an internal memo.” Reuters spoke to nine current and former VA employees “who said the changes were further disrupting some mental health services and fueling anxieties among those who provide and rely on them.” The employees “described cancellations of some in-person and telehealth appointments; confusion over staffing of a crisis hot-line; and professionals conducting telehealth visits in makeshift meeting rooms inside VA buildings.” A spokesperson for the VA “told Reuters mental health professionals…were not included in February’s staffing cuts, and the agency is working to recruit mental health [professionals] and improve wait times.”

Related Links:

— “VA shake-up hits mental health services for US veterans,” Robin Respaut, Reuters, March 20, 2025

MedPage Today (3/19) reports a study found that biweekly, “low-dose treatment with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) failed to improve symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults.” Researchers concluded, “Although there are reports of microdosing effects by users, this first placebo-controlled trial in patients did not find such effects. Thus, expectancy and placebo effects are likely playing an important role in the perceived effects of microdosing psychedelics.” Moreover, they added, “A longer study duration would not have been likely to produce different results. We cannot exclude that different doses or daily dosing would be effective.” The study was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (3/18) says new poll data from the American Psychiatric Association suggest “that more than one-quarter of American adults report a daily habit of online gambling.” According to the poll, among US adults, “28% have a daily habit of gambling online, with men being more likely than women to gamble online for at least a few minutes a day (36% compared with 20%, respectively). More than half of adults (58%) who gamble online daily said that they have intentionally taken a break or limited the amount of time they spend gambling, with men more likely to report doing so than women.” Additionally, the poll indicated that “one-third (35%) of respondents who said they gamble online daily said they began doing so between the ages of 18 and 25, suggesting that late adolescence and early adulthood is a crucial period for shaping attitudes toward online gambling.”

Related Links:

— “More Than a Quarter of American Adults Gamble Online Daily, APA Poll Finds,” Psychiatric News, March 18, 2025

HealthDay (3/17, Thompson ) reports, “Nearly 1 in 3 children live with a chronic condition that could significantly affect their health for the rest of their lives, a new study says.” Researchers found that “chronic illnesses affected more than 30% of children ages 5 to 17 by 2018, up from around 23% in 1999.” That “adds up to about 130,000 more children each year being diagnosed with a chronic illness.” The findings were published in Academic Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “ 1 in 3 Children Now Suffer From Chronic Illness
,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, March 17, 2025

Healio (3/17, Rhoades) reports, “The trajectory of sports gambling over the past several years exhibits strong ties to trends related to alcohol use disorders, results from a cross-sectional survey study showed.” Investigators “reported a highly positive correlation between sports gambling and alcohol use disorders and, as a result, individuals who increase their sports gambling over time ‘would be at substantial risk for also increasing problems related to alcohol,’ they wrote.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “‘Part of the sports culture’: Gamblers ‘especially at risk’ for alcohol-related problems,” Andrew Rhoades, Healio, March 17, 2025

Psychiatric News (3/17) reports that in a statement released on Monday, “APA voiced its disapproval of the possible personnel cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that have been reported in multiple news outlets.” The APA said, “SAMHSA’s programs have contributed to the advances our nation has made in fighting the mental health and addiction crises. Its impact across the nation is widespread and crucial.” The statement concluded, “Before taking any executive actions that will affect our nation’s mental health, the APA calls on the Administration and Congressional leadership to work with us and our partner organizations to thoughtfully pursue the best path forward to ensure people with mental health and substance use disorder do not lose services they desperately need.”

Related Links:

— “APA Expresses Concern Over Reported Cuts to SAMHSA,” Psychiatric News, March 17, 2025

The AP (3/14, Perrone ) reported, “U.S. health officials are tracking a rise in injuries tied to the misuse of nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, including some brands that are sold in small canisters containing flavors like blueberry, strawberry and watermelon.” The FDA “on Friday warned consumers that inhaling the gas for its euphoric effects can cause dangerously low blood pressure, leading to loss of consciousness and injuries.” The FDA “flagged a number products sold in colorful packaging at gas stations, vape shops and online including Cosmic Gas, Galaxy Gas and MassGass.”

Reuters (3/14, Sunny) reported similarly that “the FDA cautioned against the improper use of these products in any canister, tank, or charger size, as misuse could result in severe health issues, including blood clots, loss of consciousness, paralysis, psychiatric disorders, and even death.” The FDA “said that it is monitoring reports of adverse events following the inhalation of nitrous oxide products and will take appropriate actions, although it did not provide specific details.”

Related Links:

— “FDA warns of misuse of laughing gas sold in colorful, flavored canisters,” Matthew Perrone, Associated Press, March 14, 2025