NBC News (11/13, Sullivan) reports “Ozempic [semaglutide] and Wegovy [semaglutide] may help people cut back on drinking, new research” suggests. In a study of about “228,000 people in Sweden who had alcohol use disorder, researchers found that people who were taking a GLP-1 drug like semaglutide were less likely to be hospitalized for alcohol-related issues.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Ozempic and Wegovy may help curb alcohol addiction, study suggests,” Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, November 13, 2024

ABC News (11/13, Alfonseca ) reports, “The Rainbow Youth Project, a national LGBTQ advocacy group, typically fields almost 800 calls a month on its crisis outreach hotline.” In only “10 days, as the 2024 presidential election came to a head, the organization told ABC News it received roughly 5,460.” According to organizers, “they were prepared for calls to spike given that the LGBTQ community – and specifically the transgender population – has been a subject of debate in this election cycle.”

However, “they weren’t prepared for the overwhelming call volume.” Nationwide, LGBTQ hotlines “are seeing massive surges amid the fallout of the election, as LGBTQ Americans and their loved ones search for answers, reassurance and guidance about future LGBTQ rights in America.”

Related Links:

— “‘Wake-up call’: LGBTQ crisis hotlines see surge of calls amid presidential election,” Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, November 13, 2024

People Face Higher Risk Of Schizophrenia If They Use Psychedelics, Study Suggests
HealthDay (11/13, Thompson ) reports, “People are at higher risk of schizophrenia if they indulge in psychedelic drugs, a new study warns.” The researchers found that “patients who land in the ER following hallucinogen use have a 21-fold higher risk of developing schizophrenia compared to the general population.” Study results indicate that “even after controlling for a person’s existing substance use and mental” illnesses, “there remained a 3.5-fold increased risk of schizophrenia after ER treatment for psychedelics use.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Psychedelics Like Psilocybin, MDMA Tied to Higher Odds for Schizophrenia,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, November 13, 2024

Healio (11/12, Kellner ) reports, “Nearly half of adolescents who vape nicotine – and almost three-quarters of near-daily users – do so for relaxation, according to study findings.” The researchers said, “Screening for nicotine vaping alongside stress and anxiety may be an important tool for early intervention efforts because using to relax is associated with increased risk of future dependence.” The findings were published in Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Teens vape nicotine to help them relax, survey finds,” Sara Kellner, Healio, November 12, 2024

Healio (11/12, Southall ) reports, “Significant barriers to divorce during pregnancy and reproductive health care led to serious health risks among pregnant or recently pregnant women in the U.S. between 2018 and 2021, according to results of a cross-sectional study.” Researchers found “significantly high rates of intimate partner homicide…when state law prohibited divorce finalization during pregnancy.” Investigators “specifically observed high rates of intimate partner homicide among white females aged 10 years to 24 years.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Barriers to divorce during pregnancy, reproductive care pose risks for women,” Jennifer R. Southall, Healio, November 12, 2024

The Hill (11/12, Timotija ) reports that “excessive drinking continued increasing in 2022, after rising during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Researchers “found that heavy alcohol use from 2018 to 2020 jumped by 20 percent, and then increased another 4 percent from 2020 to 2022.” The spike “was seen in all regions of the U.S., races and genders, besides Asian Americans and Native Americans.” According to the study, “in 2023, over 69.3 percent of Americans said they had had some alcohol, a slight increase from 69.03 in 2022. … In 2018, it was 66.3 percent.” Meanwhile, “heavy drinking went up from 5.1 percent in 2018 to 6.3 percent in 2022.”

HealthDay (11/12, Foster ) reports that “the latest findings were culled from data in the National Center for Health Statistics’ National Health Interview Survey.”

Related Links:

— “Excessive drinking inches higher after pandemic increase: Research,” Filip Timotija, The Hill, November 12, 2024

MedPage Today (11/11, Putka ) reports, “Childhood asthma was associated with difficulties with memory and other cognitive functions, according to an observational cohort study.” In an “analysis, children with earlier onset of asthma had lower rates of memory improvements as measured by the Picture Sequence Memory Test compared with those without asthma.” Researchers found that “when children with later-onset asthma were compared with the kids without asthma, no such difference was observed.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links: — MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (11/11, Thompson ) reports, “Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can influence a child’s weight in ways that will shape their long-term health, a new study says.” Children “with AD/HD tend to have lower birth weight, which increases their risk of developmental delays and health problems, researchers in the U.K. found.” However, “these kids also are more likely to develop obesity after age 5, a weight swing that can place even more risk upon their health in adulthood, researchers said.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “How ADHD May Influence a Child’s Weight,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, November 11, 2024

Healio (11/8, Welsh) said, “Body dysmorphic disorder may negatively impact quality of life and body image during pregnancy, especially during first and third trimesters, highlighting the need for interventions and support for pregnant women, researchers reported.” About “31.01% of women reported concern with weight gain associated with pregnancy and postpartum.” The findings were published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

Related Links:

— “Body dysmorphia during pregnancy worsens self-image, quality of life,” Richard Smith, Healio, November 8, 2024

Healio (11/8, Schaffer ) reported, “Women who traveled out of state for abortion care were more likely to incur catastrophic health expenditures, which were associated with increased symptoms of anxiety and depression, survey data show.” In a “study conducted before the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, researchers found that 42% of women who sought abortion care incurred such catastrophic expenditures, suggesting a need for expanded insurance coverage for abortion care.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

HealthDay (11/8, Mundell ) reported the study “finds that, even before the fall of Roe v. Wade, 65% of women who traveled to another state to undergo abortion incurred ‘catastrophic’ bills causing them to cut back on other necessities of life.”

Related Links:

— “Abortion-related catastrophic health expenditures tied to adverse mental health symptoms,” Richard Smith, Healio, November 8, 2024