According to Medscape (4/6, Yasgur, Subscription Publication), three review “studies provide new insight into the growing problem of gaming disorder…including the condition’s genesis, effective treatments, and” also “the need for a greater focus on recovery.” The studies include a review article published in the April issue of the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry, a seven-study systematic review published online Feb. 6 in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, and a 47-study systematic review published online March 14 in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

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— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Healio (4/6) reports, “Medicare beneficiaries using telehealth services for opioid use disorder” (OUD) “during the COVID-19 pandemic had a 33% lower risk for fatal drug overdose compared with beneficiaries receiving no treatment,” investigators concluded in a study that “identified 105,162 beneficiaries who began OUD-related care from March 2019 to August 2019 – deemed the pre-pandemic cohort – and 70,479 beneficiaries who initiated care from March 2020 to August 2020 – deemed the pandemic cohort.” Next, “each cohort was followed until the February following treatment initiation.” The findings were published online March 29 in a brief report in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Telehealth services for opioid addiction reduced overdose deaths during COVID-19 pandemic “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, April 6, 2023

CNN (4/5, McPhillips) reports, “A record number of people are dying from firearm injuries in the U.S., and new research suggests that shootings are becoming more lethal, too.” Data show that “about 57% of firearm fatalities in 2021 occurred at the scene of the shooting, up 9% since 1999.” In “this analysis, researchers used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and excluded suicides and other self-inflicted firearm injuries.” A change “in the type of firearms that are being bought and used is a key factor making shootings more lethal, experts say.” The findings were published in JAMA Surgery.

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— “Gun violence in the US has become more lethal, research suggests ” Deidre McPhillips, CNN, April 5, 2023

According to the New York Times (4/5, Caron),”tighter restrictions are probably in store for controlled substances” such as medications for anxiety and for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. If the Drug Enforcement Agency approves these proposals “as currently written, patients who are receiving telehealth prescriptions for controlled medications from a” clinician “they have never seen in person will need to have at least one in-person appointment after the public health emergency ends in order to continue receiving their prescriptions.” The Times interviews psychiatrist Shabana Khan, MD, “the chairwoman of the American Psychiatric Association’s committee on telepsychiatry, to help people who take mental health medications understand the anticipated changes and how to adjust for them.” Dr. Khan advises patients to develop a plan now with a physician and schedule an appointment as soon as possible, instead of waiting until May 11 when the public health emergency is set to expire.

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— “How to Prepare for the Proposed Changes to Telehealth Prescriptions ” Christina Caron, The New York Times , April 5, 2023

MedPage Today (4/5, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Sleep problems throughout the transition from childhood to early adolescence were associated with psychopathology symptoms, highlighting the importance of good sleep for adolescents’ mental well-being,” investigators concluded in a study revealing that “among over 10,000 kids, those with more severe sleep problem profiles had a higher risk of concurrent internalizing symptoms.” The findings were published online April 5 in JAMA Psychiatry.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Healio (4/3, Bascom) reports, “Exercise significantly decreased suicide attempts,” investigators concluded in the findings of a 17-study, 1,021-participant systematic review and meta-analysis published online ahead of print in the June issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Meta-analysis: Exercise significantly decreases suicide attempts “Emma Bascom, Healio, April 3, 2023

Healio (4/3, VanDewater) reports, “From 2002 to 2021, the rate of drug overdose death among people aged 65 years or older quadrupled, “investigators concluded in a study that “evaluated the annual overdose mortality rate among U.S. adults aged 65 years and older using data from the CDC WONDER database.” Additionally, “for 2021 data, the researchers…evaluated characteristics of intentional and unintentional overdose death, drug type and decedent demographics.” The study also revealed that “most unintentional overdoses involved illegal drugs and most intentional overdoses involved prescription” medications. The findings were published online March 29 in a research letter JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Geriatric drug overdose deaths in US quadrupled over 20 years “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, April 3, 2023

Psychiatric News (4/3) reports, “The percentage of adults receiving prescriptions for stimulants increased from 2016 to 2021 and jumped from 2020 to 2021, particularly among women,” researchers concluded after examining “2016-2021 claims data from the Merative MarketScan Commercial Database, a national sample of de-identified health care claims from enrollees in employer-sponsored insurance plans.” Included in the study were “all stimulant prescriptions…regardless of whether an enrollee’s records had any” AD/HD “diagnosis codes present.” The findings were published online March 31 in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Related Links:

— “Stimulant Prescriptions Spiked During Pandemic, CDC Report Finds, Psychiatric News, April 3, 2023

The Washington Post (3/31, Cimons) reported, “Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol every day does not – as once thought – protect against death from heart disease, nor does it contribute to a longer life, according to a sweeping new analysis of alcohol research.” The new “review, which examined existing research on the health and drinking habits of nearly 5 million people…also found that drinking relatively low levels of alcohol – 25 grams a day for women (less than 1 ounce) and 45 grams (about 1.5 ounces) or more per day for men – actually increased the risk of death.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

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— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

Healio (3/31, VanDewater) reported, “Adults who experienced trauma in childhood were more likely to have anger issues, with more severe trauma increasing the likelihood of anger problems,” investigators concluded in the findings of a 2,276-participant study presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Childhood trauma linked to anger in adulthood “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, March 31, 2023