Healio (5/10, Gramigna) reports researchers found in “a longitudinal cohort study” that “childhood adversities played a role in understanding the risk for suicide attempt among youths of certain ethnic groups who were from disadvantaged contexts.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.
“The findings of this cohort study suggest that, among Puerto Rican young adults from 2 different sociocultural contexts, adverse childhood experiences were relevant to understanding suicide attempt and suicide ideation, the latter specifically among young women. The prevention of cumulative adverse childhood experiences could reduce later risk of suicide attempts and, among young women, for suicide ideation.”

Related Links:

— “Childhood adversities increase suicidality risk among youths from disadvantaged contexts “Joe Gramigna, Healio, May 10, 2021

According to Psychiatric News (5/10), in a study focused on “on 1,580 participants (73% female) who had reported engaging in self-harm at age 14,” investigators “used computer modeling to identify any social or behavioral similarities in this group compared with peers who did not self-harm.” By doing so, the researchers “identified two distinct pathways by which adolescents develop self-harming behaviors: the first is associated with years of emotional difficulties and bullying: the second is associated with more willingness to take risks and experiencing less security with peers and family during adolescence.” The findings were published online May 7 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Researchers Identify Childhood Behaviors That May Signal Future Self-Harm, Psychiatric News, May 10, 2021

STAT (5/7, Joseph) reported while “the end of the emergency phase of the pandemic is in sight in the United States,” experts have warned the events of this past year will have “a long-term impact on people’s mental health.” While some people will see their “feelings of anxiety and depression that emerged during the pandemic…resolve as routines resume,” other people “will face new or worse mental health issues that persist or even appear down the road, a number that could be quite large given the magnitude of despair and disruption.”

Related Links:

— “As the Covid-19 crisis ebbs in the U.S., experts brace for some to experience psychological fallout ” Andrew Joseph, STAT, May 7, 2021

HealthDay (5/7, Preidt) reported Canadian researchers found ICU survivors “have a higher risk of self-harm and suicide after discharge than other hospital patients.” The findings were published in BMJ.

Related Links:

— “Time Spent in ICU Linked to Higher Odds for Suicide Later “Robert Preidt, HealthDay , May 7, 2021

The AP (5/8, Landers) reported that according to the CDC, “at least 87,000 people died of a drug overdose in America” in the 12-month period ending last September, “an increase of 27% from the previous 12 months and a record for the most such deaths in a single year.” In that same period, “deaths attributed to synthetic opioids, mainly fentanyl, increased 53% nationwide.”

Related Links:

— “Tragedies pile up with drug overdoses surging amid pandemic “Jamie Landers, AP, May 8, 2021

The New York Times (5/9, Taylor) reports across the US, mental health professionals say they have seen a growing number of Black people seek their help in the past year. Following the police killing of George Floyd, “mental health experts across the country say they have seen African-Americans, whose skepticism of therapy has been documented by research, seeking it in growing numbers.”

Related Links:

— “After a Traumatizing Year, Black People Turn to Therapy ” Derrick Bryson Taylor, The New York Times, May 9, 2021

MedPage Today (5/6, Gever) reports, “Just as reports of severe lung illnesses related to vaping began to make headlines in 2019, rates of cannabis vaping among high school students were soaring, according to high-quality survey data.” Data “from the long-running Monitoring the Future study showed that 4.9%…of high school students reported “frequent” vaping of cannabis products – 10 or more times in the previous month – up from 2.1% in 2018.” Meanwhile, “rates of any cannabis vaping in the previous month also increased dramatically, from 7.5% in 2018…to 14.0% in 2019.” The findings were published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Bloomberg (5/6, Wheeler) reports, “Dealing with Covid-19’s physical after-effects are challenging enough, but the virus is also taking a toll on the mental health of survivors with lingering symptoms, who call themselves long haulers.” A new “study reported in The Lancet Psychiatry journal found a third of Covid-19 survivors were diagnosed with a neurological or psychiatric condition in the six months after being infected; 17.4% had an anxiety disorder.” COVID-19 “survivors with physical conditions like heart or lung problems are often able to find in-network specialists with minimum hassle, particularly if their primary care doctor is part of a large health network.” However, “with mental health, however, it’s often a struggle to get help at all.” Health experts say it demonstrates “how the U.S. health-care system is ill-equipped to meet the growing demand for mental health treatment.”

Related Links:

— “‘Pretty Damn Awful’: Covid Long-Haulers Find Mental Care Elusive “Lydia Wheeler, Bloomberg, May 6, 2021

Reuters (5/6, Caspani, Beier) reports “Educators across the country agreed students’ mental wellbeing became a bigger priority after the pandemic forced schools to shut down or operate with a mix of remote and in-person learning.” Teachers saw that “some students struggled to focus, and isolation, worry and depression took a toll on many.” Earlier this year, a Reuters survey of school districts in the US “serving more than 2.2 million students found that a majority reported multiple indicators of increased mental health stresses among students.”

Related Links:

— “U.S. schools turn focus to mental health of students reeling from pandemic “Maria Caspani, Hannah Beier, Reuters, May 6, 2021

The Hill (5/5, Schnell) reports that a new survey, “conducted by CVS Health and Morning Consult, found that 46 percent of women are experiencing significantly more or somewhat more stress compared to this time last year.” Results show “that fears and concerns regarding the effects of COVID-19 are a prime source of the stress felt by women.” The findings demonstrate that “the COVID-19 pandemic has universally amplified levels of stress and anxiety among women, with moms and caregivers most deeply affected,” CVS said in a press release.

Related Links:

— “Nearly half of women say they’re more stressed amid pandemic: survey “Mychael Schnell, The Hill, May 5, 2021