HealthDay (6/14, Mann) reports research suggests that “kids who play well with others in preschool are less likely to experience mental health issues as they grow up.” The study published online in Child Psychiatry and Human Development found that “those who played better with their peers when they were 3 were less likely to be hyperactive, and their parents and teachers reported that these kids had fewer conduct and emotional issues.”

Related Links:

— “Why Getting Along in Preschool Is So Important “Denise Mann, HealthDay, June 14, 2022

According to HealthDay (6/13, Norton), Denver’s “‘radical’ approach to handling low-level 911 calls – sending mental health professionals rather than police – may have taken a bite out of crime,” investigators concluded after evaluating that city’s “STAR program, which removed police from the response to select 911 calls…involving a nonviolent person suffering from a mental health or substance abuse crisis.” The study revealed “a 34% reduction in less serious crimes, such as trespassing and disorderly conduct, over the program’s six-month test run.” The findings were published online June 8 in the journal Science Advances.

Related Links:

— “For 911 Calls, Are Mental Health Specialists Often the Better Choice? “Amy Norton, HealthDay, June 13, 2022

According to Kaiser Health News (6/13, Bruce), Illinois now “allows K-12 students in public schools to have five excused absences per school year for mental health reasons, another example of the growing acknowledgment among lawmakers that emotional and physical health are intertwined.” This policy, “which went into effect at the beginning of 2022, passed both chambers of the state legislature unanimously.” Other states have also “implemented policies that allow students to take mental health days, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia.” Nevertheless, “a lack of services for young people remains a concern.”

Related Links:

— “States Fight Student Mental Health Crisis With Days Off “Giles Bruce, Kaiser Health, June 13, 2022

CNN (6/13, LaMotte) reports a survey study has “found many moderate drinkers above age 30 actually end up binging on the weekend,” and those “who binged were about five times more likely to experience multiple alcohol problems, such as ‘getting hurt, emotional or psychological problems from alcohol, having to use more alcohol to get the same effect, and experiencing effects of alcohol at work, school or caring for children,’ said” a study author. These findings were published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

HealthDay (6/13, Norton) reports the survey results revealed that “when it came to alcohol problems, 7% of all moderate drinkers reported multiple issues at the outset; that grew to almost 12% when they were surveyed again nine years later.”

Related Links:

— “Think you’re OK because you only drink on weekends? Think again, study says “Sandee LaMotte, CNN, June 13, 2022

Medscape (6/13, Davenport, Subscription Publication) reports research indicates that “women without a history of psychiatric illness who take combined hormonal contraceptives do not have an increased risk for attempted suicide but may have a reduced risk with extended use.” In the “study of more than 800 women younger than age 50 who attempted suicide and more than 3000 aged-matched peers, results showed those who took hormonal contraceptives had a 27% reduced risk for attempted suicide.” The findings were presented at the virtual European Psychiatric Association 2022 Congress.

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

According to Healio (6/10, Herpen), in a June 8 press release, “HHS has announced nearly $15 million in funding will be granted for rural communities to address psychostimulant misuse and related overdose deaths.” The press release acknowledged that “the overdose crisis is now largely characterized by deaths involving illicitly manufactured synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, and psychostimulants such as methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, as well as prescription stimulants for conditions such as” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Related Links:

— “HHS earmarks $15 million for treatment, prevention of stimulant use in rural areas “Robert Herpen, Healio, June 10, 2022

Healio (6/12, Monostra) reports, “People who spend more time per day using wireless mobile devices are more likely to have a higher BMI, lower-quality sleep and other adverse health outcomes, according to” a medical literature review, the findings of which were presented at ENDO 2022. The review revealed that “each hour per day increase in mobile screen time was associated with an increase in BMI, and excessive device use was linked to insufficient sleep, greater daytime tiredness, sleepiness and depression.”

Related Links:

— “Excessive mobile device use linked to higher BMI, other adverse health outcomes “Michael Monostra, Healio, June 12, 2022

Psychiatric News (6/10) reported, “The majority of boys and men who die by suicide have no known mental health conditions,” researchers concluded after having “analyzed data from the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System…for 70,376 males aged 10 years and older who died by suicide between 2016 and 2018.” The findings were published online June 7 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Most Males Who Die by Suicide Have No Known Mental Health Conditions, Psychiatric News, June 10, 2022

Healio (2/22, Gramigna) reported, “Among patients with first-episode psychosis [FEP], the effectiveness of antipsychotics for relapse prevention decreased significantly after the second occurrence,” researchers concluded after using “the nationwide Hospital Discharge register in Finland” to identify 5,367 “inpatients with first-episode schizophrenia aged 45 years or younger who were followed for five years of illness or until a fifth relapse episode.” The findings were published online Feb. 16 in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Antipsychotics for relapse prevention less effective a second time “Joe Gramigna, Healio, February 22, 2022

MedPage Today (5/25, Monaco) reported, “The COVID-19 pandemic spurred” clinicians “to get creative in their shift to telepsychiatry for patients with schizophrenia, a subanalysis of the OASIS study” revealed. In fact, “across all types of visits – from routine to crisis visits – the percentage conducted via telepsychiatry increased more than threefold during the pandemic among 35 sites across the country,” researchers concluded.

Healio (5/25, Hemphill) reported, “According to the study, 94% of the investigators said telepsychiatry maintained the standard of care for patients with schizophrenia who are being treated with” long-acting injectables (LAIs). The findings were presented at the American Psychiatric Association 2022 Annual Meeting.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)