According to Healio (12/10, Michael), even though “physician burnout is associated with increased medical errors, it is not associated with an increased risk for suicidal ideation after adjusting for depression,” investigators concluded in a study that included responses from “1,354 respondents…of whom 67.4% were non-primary care physicians, 69% were attending physicians and 60.9% were aged younger than 45 years.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Suicidal ideation in physicians linked to depression, not burnout “Erin Michael, Healio, December 10, 2020

Healio (12/10, Burba) reports, “Children and adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD] have experienced worsened symptoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” investigators concluded in a study that “distributed a questionnaire to a clinical group of 65 newly diagnosed patients at a specialized OCD clinic, as well as to a survey group of 37 previously diagnosed patients who completed primary treatment.” All participants ranged in age from seven to 21. The findings were published online Oct. 20 in BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated OCD symptoms in children and adolescents “Kate Burba, Healio, December 10, 2020

HealthDay (12/9) reports, “COVID-19 may be behind a concerning rise in the number of women suffering anxiety and depression before and soon after childbirth, a new study says.” Researchers “surveyed more than 1,100 pregnant and postpartum women between May 21 and Aug. 17,” and “found that 36%, or more than 1 in 3, had significant levels of depression,” while “prior to the pandemic, rates of perinatal depression were about 15% to 20%.” The research was published online in Psychiatry Research.

Related Links:

— “COVID Fuels Depression Among Pregnant Women, New Moms “Cara Murez, HealthDay, December 9, 2020

Medscape (12/8, Yasgur, Subscription Publication) reports that research indicates “individuals experiencing a current episode of major depressive disorder (MDD) are significantly more likely to have insulin resistance (IR).” Researchers “found patients with MDD were 51% more likely to have IR compared with their counterparts without the depressive disorder.” Additionally, “in individuals experiencing current depression, IR was…associated with depression severity and depression chronicity.” The findings were published online December 2 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (12/8) reports, “Women with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are at an increased risk of death compared with women without trauma exposure or depression,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data collected from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II,” which “involves 116,429 women who enrolled in 1989 at ages 25 to 42 years and are followed-up biennially.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “PTSD, Depression May Increase Risk of Death in Women, Psychiatric News, December 8, 2020

Healio (12/8, Gramigna) reports, “Gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals had more adverse childhood experiences than their heterosexual counterparts in the United States,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data collected in households via structured diagnostic face-to-face interviews of 36,309 U.S. adults aged 18 years or older who were included in the 2012 to 2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III.” The study revealed “the highest prevalence of adverse sexual experiences and comorbid substance use and mental health disorders among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, especially bisexual women.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Gay, lesbian, bisexual individuals have higher rates of adverse childhood experiences “Joe Gramigna, Healio, December 8, 2020

Healio (12/8, Gramigna) reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health of” healthcare workers on the front line, “survey results released by Mental Health America” indicate. The online survey garnered responses from 1,119 healthcare workers, revealing that 93% of them “reported experiencing stress, 86% reported experiencing anxiety, 77% reported frustration, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout and 75% reported feeling overwhelmed.” Click here to see the full breakdown of the survey’s findings.

Related Links:

— “Survey shows significant mental health burden on frontline care workers during pandemic “Joe Gramigna, Healio, December 8, 2020

HealthDay (12/7, Mann) reports, “Growing numbers of younger kids are overdosing on stimulant medications commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [AD/HD],” researchers concluded after reviewing “charts from close to 90 million emergency department visits for nonfatal overdoses that took place over three years among U.S. kids in three age groups: 0 to 10; 11 to 14; and 15 to 24.” The findings were published online Dec. 7 in Pediatrics. MedPage Today (12/7, Hlavinka) also covers the study.

Related Links:

— “ADHD Medication ODs Rising in U.S. Kids, Teens “Denise Mann, HealthDay, December 7, 2020

According to Healio (12/7, Weller), the COVID-19 “pandemic has heightened the stress and burnout that” healthcare professionals “experience, such that it is imperative to seek mental health care and, when needed, take difficult steps to protect colleagues’ well-being, according to” a speech given by “Saul Levin, MD, MPA, FRCP-E, FRCPsych, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association and clinical professor at the George Washington School of Medicine…at the opening session of the virtual American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.” Dr. Levin said, “As physicians, we’re responsible for the health of our patients, but we need to remember, we’re also responsible for ours.” In addition, “physicians must…be able to recognize symptoms of burnout and depression in themselves and their colleagues.” Finally, “if immediate help is needed for a colleague who expresses active suicidal ideation, physicians must be prepared to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or emergency services, Levin said.”

Related Links:

— “It takes ‘great courage’ to support colleagues’ mental health during pandemic “Madison Weller, Healio, December 7, 2020

CNN (12/7, Rogers) reports, “Negative body image can threaten mental health, according to new research that found teenagers who were dissatisfied with their bodies tended to experience depression as adults.” When “study participants were 14, on a five-point scale (from extremely satisfied to extremely dissatisfied) they rated their satisfaction with their weight, figure, body build or breasts, stomach, waist, thighs, butt, hips, legs, face and hair,” and at 18 “a nurse assessed their depression symptoms and severity.” The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, found that “girls who were discontented with their bodies at 14 had mild, moderate and severe depressive episodes at 18, while boys had mild and/or moderate depressive episodes.”

Related Links:

— “Teens with negative body image may experience depression as adults, study finds “Kristen Rogers, CNN, December 7, 2020