Psychiatric News (7/5) reports, “Psychedelics such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and psilocybin have shown promise for the treatment of such psychiatric disorders as posttraumatic stress disorder and depression,” but “any FDA approval of psychedelics will almost certainly lead to substantial off-label use as well, cautioned medical ethicists in a Viewpoint piece” published online June 29 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Guardrails Needed to Control Promotion, Off-label Use of Psychedelics, Psychiatric News, July 5, 2022

According to MedPage Today (7/5, Firth), “a thematic analysis of 200 physician deaths” revealed that “among physician suicides included in the National Violent Death Reporting System database from 2003 to 2018, six themes were found to precede such deaths, including inability to work due to physical health, substance use, mental health issues, relationship conflicts, legal problems, and increased financial stress, all leading to work-related stress.” Researchers then “suggested that suicide risk is associated with premature retirement due to health issues that affect employment.”

HealthDay (7/5, Munez) reports the study authors concluded that “in the short term,” physicians “need better access to primary care services, as well as help with scheduling challenges and concerns about confidentiality.” For “the long term, broader changes are needed to address workplace stress and poor physician self-care, the study said.” The findings were published online June 29 in the journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

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