Healio (7/27, Gramigna) reports, “Depression appeared to adversely affect cognitive performance but not cognitive change among a cohort of individuals aged 90 years or older,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data from the LifeAfter90 cohort, a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of participants aged 90 years or older that launched in 2018 to attempt to characterize cognitive and brain aging among this age group.” The findings of the 655-participant study were presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference.

Related Links:

— “Depression may affect cognitive performance among those in their 90s “Joe Gramigna, Healio, July 27, 2021

MedPage Today (7/27, Grant) reports, “Mental health disorders were associated with an increased risk of COVID-19-related mortality, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 studies from seven countries.” Researchers “noted that although they were able to determine the associations between severe mental health disorders and risk of COVID-19 mortality, it wasn’t possible to identify significant differences between specific mental health disorders.” The review was published in JAMA Psychiatry.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Modern Healthcare (7/26, Hellmann, Subscription Publication) reports, “The $2.3 trillion government spending bill passed in December permanently allowed Medicare to cover mental health services delivered virtually but…beneficiaries must see the practitioner in person within six months before virtual treatment begins.” This requirement, which is anticipated “to take effect next year, has puzzled and frustrated” clinicians and “advocates, who argue it has no clinical benefit, will deter patients from seeking care and make it difficult to expand access to mental healthcare in rural communities.” Now, bipartisan legislation “would remove the requirement stating that beneficiaries must see their mental health practitioner in person before beginning virtual care and subsequent periods afterward, which is to be determined by HHS.” The American Psychiatric Association and the American Medical Association, among others, support such legislation.

Related Links:

— “Providers, advocates say Medicare telehealth policy poses barrier to mental healthcare “Jessie Hellmann, Modern Healthcare, July 26, 2021

USA Today (7/26, Brook) reports, “Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed deep concern about suicide among troops during a visit to U.S. forces stationed in Alaska where there has been an alarming spike in those deaths” since Dec. 30. Since then, “at least six soldiers have died by probable suicide…and suicide is suspected in several others, USA TODAY has reported.” According to the article, “Austin raised the issue of suicide in nearly every visit he had with military, civilian and tribal leaders during his visit to Alaska, according to a Defense official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the meetings.” Austin is quoted as saying, “Mental health is health period.” He added, “And we have to approach it with the same energy that we apply to other – any other health issue, with compassion and professionalism and resources. And so if you’re hurting, there are resources available.”

Related Links:

— “‘Mental health is health. Period.’ Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin decries stigma in message to troops “Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, July 26, 2021

Psychiatric News (7/26) reports, “Future care planning can be difficult for aging parents and caregivers of people with serious mental illness (SMI),” so “an article…describes the important role that mental health professionals can play in helping families to prepare for the future.” The article offers “recommendations for mental health professionals on when to begin planning for future care, who should participate in this planning, and what should be included in a future care plan for the plan to be successful.” The article was published online July 20 in Psychiatric Services, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Future Care Planning Can Help Patients With SMI, Aging Caregivers With Major Life Transitions, Psychiatric News, July 26, 2021

Healio (7/23, Gramigna) reported, “Rates and severity of postpartum depression [PPD] and anxiety symptoms among women who sought treatment for postpartum depression worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic,” researchers concluded after examining the “data of 603 participants, of whom 305 enrolled pre-pandemic and 298 during the pandemic.” The findings were published online July 6 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Mothers with postpartum depression ‘highly vulnerable’ during pandemic ”
Joe Gramigna, Healio, July 23, 2021

Healio (7/23, Gramigna) reported, “The continued use of electroconvulsive therapy [ECT] appeared warranted for reducing suicide risk among patients with severe depression,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data from Swedish national registers of 28,557 patients (ECT group mean age, 55.9 years; non-ECT group, 45.2 years; 55.5% women) who received inpatient care between Jan. 1, 2012, and Oct. 31, 2018, for moderate depression, severe depression or severe depression with psychosis.” The findings of the “registry-based cohort study” were published online July 21 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Electroconvulsive therapy significantly reduces suicide risk in severe depression “Joe Gramigna, Healio, July 23, 2021

HealthDay (7/22, Murez) reports, “Youth who identify as LGBTQ+ suffer more bullying at their schools when they live in areas with politically conservative voting records.” Investigators examined “school district voting records in the 2016 presidential election, as well as bullying experiences in schools and mental health outcomes of LGBTQ+ students in Washington state using the 2018 Washington State Healthy Youth Survey.” The study revealed that “LGBTQ+ students are at a higher risk for psychological distress and suicidal thoughts as a result of bullying, particularly in school districts that voted for former President Donald Trump in the 2016 election.” The findings were published online in the journal Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy.

Related Links:

— “When It Comes to Bullying of LGBTQ Teens, Local Politics Matters  “Cara Murez, HealthDay, July 22, 2021

Psychiatric News (7/22) reports, “An estimated 1.562 million children worldwide lost a caregiver from March 2020 to April 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” investigators concluded in a study that revealed that “862,365 children in…21 countries had been orphaned or lost a custodial grandparent due to COVID-19, including 788,704 who lost a mother, father, or both parents.” The findings were published online July 20 in The Lancet.

Related Links:

— “More Than 1.5 Million Children Globally Lost Caregivers Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, Psychiatric News, July 22, 2021

CNN (7/22, Hunt) reports, “The proportion of schizophrenia cases linked with problematic use of marijuana has increased over the past 25 years, according to a new study.” According to the research, CNN writes that “in 1995, 2% of schizophrenia diagnoses in the country were associated with cannabis use disorder,” but “in 2000, it increased to around 4%,” and has “increased to 8%” since 2010. The findings were published online July 21 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Schizophrenia linked to marijuana use disorder is on the rise, study finds “Katie Hunt, CNN, July 22, 2021