The New York Times (7/3, Span) reported cases of dementia are increasing “along with an aging world population, and yet another much-anticipated Alzheimer’s medication, crenezumab, has proved ineffective in clinical trials.” Researchers and public health experts contend “it is past time to turn our attention to a different approach – focusing on eliminating a dozen or so already known risk factors, like untreated high blood pressure, hearing loss and smoking, rather than on” a new drug. The article added, “The latest modifiable risk factor was identified in a study of vision impairment in the United States that was published…in JAMA Neurology” in April.

Related Links:

— “New Dementia Prevention Method May Be Behavioral, Not Prescribed ” Paula Span, The New York Times, July 3, 2022

Healio (7/1, Downey) reported, “More than 76% of parents of middle and high school students in New Jersey said that depression screenings in school are necessary, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University” of “678 parents of adolescents aged 12 to 18.” Click here to read more about the survey’s findings.

Related Links:

— “More than three-fourths of parents call for depression screenings in schools “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, July 1, 2022

Psychiatric News (7/1) reported, “Young homosexual, bisexual, and gender-diverse people experience more mental distress than their heterosexual and cisgender peers,” researchers concluded after examining “data from 762,541 people who participated in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System between 2014 and 2018.” The study revealed that “the difference in rates of mental distress between people who identified as a sexual and gender minority and those who identified as cisgender and heterosexual was strongest in those between the ages of 18 and 24 years.” The findings were published online June 23 in Psychiatric Services, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Young Adults Who Identify as Sexual, Gender Minority Report More Mental Distress, Psychiatric News, July 1, 2022

Bloomberg Law (7/1, Lopez, Subscription Publication) reported, “The Biden administration’s national suicide hotline rollout will need state governments to play a strong hand to be a success, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday.” The “US National Suicide Prevention Hotline will begin its shift to its new 988 number” on July 16, yet “a report from the Rand Corporation suggests that many state and local agencies aren’t ready for the launch.”

ABC News (7/1, Livingston) reported, “Despite an influx of federal funding from the Biden administration, states across the nation are still struggling to develop the infrastructure required to ensure all calls are answered.”

Related Links:

— “Suicide Hotline ‘Won’t Work Well’ Without State Help, HHS Says “Ian Lopez, Bloomberg Law, July 1, 2022

According to Healio (6/30, Downey), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) “was associated with accelerated decline in cognitive function in middle-aged women,” investigators concluded in a study that “included 12,270 female participants with a mean age of 61.1 years; 95.9% were white.” The findings were published online June 30 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “PTSD linked to accelerated cognitive decline in women “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, June 30, 2022

According to Kaiser Health News (6/30, Dembosky), “many scientific studies have linked marijuana use to an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia.” Now, California physicians and lawmakers “want cannabis producers to warn consumers of this and other health risks on their packaging labels and in advertising, similar to requirements for cigarettes.”

Related Links:

— “California May Require Labels on Pot Products to Warn of Mental Health Risks ” April Dembosky, Kaiser Health News, June 30, 2022

Healio (6/29, Downey) reports, “In Canada, the poorest residents were 3.8 times more likely to die of opioid-related causes than the country’s richest residents,” investigators concluded in a study that “used three national databases and census data to determine the correlation between income levels and opioid-related health issues between 2000 and 2017.” The findings were published in the June issue of the journal Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada.

Related Links:

— “Poorer individuals more likely to die of opioid-related causes than rich in Canada “Ken Downey Jr., Healio, June 30, 2022

Healio (6/29, Weldon) reports, “Pediatric mental health visits to the” emergency department (ED) “increased at community hospitals in Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic,” researchers concluded in a study that “identified 8,127 pediatric mental health visits from a pool of ED visits to 12 Chicago area hospitals…beginning in March 2018 to establish a baseline trajectory.” The findings were published online June 3 ahead of print in the journal Academic Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Mental health visits more common at pediatric EDs during pandemic “Rose Weldon, Healio, June 30, 2022

USA Today (6/29, Collins) reports “stress, sadness, anger, and…unexplained pain” reached “record highs worldwide last year and into the early part of 2022, according to the latest Global Emotions Report.” This “report which surveyed 127,000 adults in 122 countries and regions around the world said this current stretch has replaced 2020 as the most stressful period in recent history.” Nearly “42% of respondents say they’re experiencing a lot more worry, a 2% increase from 2020, and stress (41%) on a daily basis, also up from 2020.”

Related Links:

— “Still feeling stressed and sad amid COVID? New report says you’re certainly not alone. “Terry Collins, USA TODAY, June 29, 2022

Psychiatric News (6/28) reports, “Despite evidence to the contrary, nearly three of four pregnant women in the United States do not characterize regular cannabis use as a great risk,” researchers concluded in a study based “on survey responses of more than 15,000 pregnant women aged 12 to 44.” The findings were published online June 16 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Pregnant Women Don’t Perceive Regular Cannabis Use to Be of Great Risk, Survey Suggests, Psychiatric News, June 28, 2022