Medscape (12/30, Swift Yasgur, Subscription Publication) reported, “Persistent postconcussion symptoms (PPCS) are tied to a significantly increased risk of developing subsequent depressive symptoms,” researchers concluded in the findings of an 18-study systematic review and meta-analysis that included “more than 9000 patients.” The research revealed “a fourfold higher risk of developing depressive symptoms in those with PPCS versus those without PPCS.” The findingswere published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Contributor Deb Gordon writes for Forbes (12/29) that a “new study published” online Dec. 28 “in JAMA Network Open set out to systematically assess available mental health apps based on critical measures such as clinical validation and privacy practices.” Additionally, the study team “examined degrees of innovation and the association between app privacy measures and app popularity,” analyzing “578 mental health-related apps across 105 dimensions, using an app evaluation framework established by the American Psychiatric Association.” The study revealed not only “a lack of evidence and innovation among the apps evaluated,” but also a “lack of correlation between privacy scores and consumer ratings,” indicating that “consumers may not be aware of or focused on privacy features.”

Related Links:

— “Using A Mental Health App? New Study Says Your Data May Be Shared “Deb Gordon, Forbes, December 29, 2022

Healio (12/29, Herpen) reports, “Resilience and organizational support protected against burnout, while social support and resilience led to better mental health outcomes among healthcare workers a year after the COVID-19 pandemic,” researchers concluded in a survey study in which “467 individuals completed the three-month assessment and 410 completed the 12-month survey, with 394 participants completing both the three- and 12-month questionnaires.” The findings were published online Dec. 20 in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Organizational support, resilience prevented burnout at 12 months for health care workers “Robert Herpen, Healio, December 29, 2022

Healio (12/28, Downey) reports, “People experiencing persistent post-concussion symptoms were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms,” investigators concluded in the findings of an 18-study, 9,101-participant systematic review and meta-analysis published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Persistent post-concussion symptoms linked to greater risk for depression “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, December 28, 2022

The Hill (12/28, O’Connell-Domenech) reports, “Restricted abortion access is associated with heightened suicide risk among younger women, according to a…study” that used “state-level data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on adult women from 1974 to 2016.” Investigators “said they found a link between enforcing laws restricting abortion access and an increased risk for women of reproductive age, particularly those 20 to 34 years old,” but “they did not find such a risk for older women, according to the study” published online Dec. 28 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Restricted abortion access linked to increased suicide risk in younger women “Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, The Hill, December 28, 2022

Healio (12/28, Herpen) reports, “Factors for risk for rehospitalization for those with psychiatric disorders included suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, previous hospitalization and longer stay in hospital,” investigators concluded in a “retrospective study” that “included 1,001 adult participants.” The findings were published online Dec. 22 in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Suicidality, prior hospitalization length risk factors for psychiatric re-hospitalization “Robert Herpen, MA, Healio, December 28, 2022

Healio (12/23, Downey) reported, “Traumatic brain injury, PTSD and the apolipoprotein E4 gene showed strong associations with Alzheimer’s disease” (AD) “and related dementias,” researchers concluded in a study that “evaluated the impact of APOE4, PTSD and TBI on AD and related dementias…prevalence in veteran cohorts of European and African ancestries.” The findings were published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Related Links:

— “Head trauma, PTSD linked to Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, December 23, 2022

According to the New York Times (12/27, Barry), research published online Dec. 27 in JAMA Pediatrics revealed “a surprising trend among adolescents who repeatedly visited the hospital” emergency department (ED) for mental health emergencies. After analyzing “more than 308,000 mental health visits at 38 hospitals between 2015 and 2020,” investigators found that “the patients most likely to reappear in” EDs “were not patients who harmed themselves, but rather those whose agitation and aggressive behavior proved too much for their caregivers to manage.” What’s more, “in many cases, repeat visitors had previously received sedatives or other drugs to restrain them when their behavior became disruptive.”

CNN (12/27, Howard) reports, “Between 2015 and 2020, mental health visits in pediatric emergency departments increased by 8% annually, with about 13% of those patients revisiting within six months,” while “all other emergency department visits increased by 1.5% annually,” the study also found. The study authors concluded that “identifying patients at high risk of revisit provides an opportunity for tailored interventions to improve mental health care delivery.”

Related Links:

— “Parents Often Bring Children to Psychiatric E.R.s to Subdue Them, Study Finds “Ellen Barry, The New York Times, December 27, 2022

Healio (12/22, Foster) reports, “Telehealth interventions were as effective as in-person treatment for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 17 grantees and 95 associated sites that were funded by the Evidence-Based Tele-Behavioral Health Network Program and the Substance Abuse Treatment Telehealth Network Grant Program.” The findings of the 1,514-patient study were published online Dec. 10 in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Telehealth effective for treating anxiety, depression “Melissa Foster, Healio, December 22, 2022

PatientEngagementHIT (12/21, Heath) reports “adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are increasingly recognized as influencing pediatric health and well-being into adulthood,” as study data “signals that organizations that screen for ACEs can more successfully connect kids with behavioral health services that might improve health.” Investigators “found that screening for ACEs improved receipt of behavioral health services from 4.33 percent to 32.48 percent.” The findings of the study that included “4,030 kids” who “screened positive for an ACE as part of the pilot” were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Screening Effective in Primary Care “Sara Heath, PatientEngagementHIT, December 21, 2022