NPR (2/27, Archie ) reports, “The monthly rate of antidepressants being dispensed to young people increased about 64% more quickly during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.” The IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database was used by researchers “to examine a sample of about 221 million prescriptions written for millions of Americans between the ages 12 to 25, and from 2016 to 2022.” Researchers “separated the data into before and after March 2020, when the pandemic started.”

Related Links:

— “The rate of antidepressants prescribed to young people surged during the pandemic,”Ayana Archie, NPR, February 27, 2024

HealthDay (2/26, Thompson ) reports, “Hormone replacement therapy might help women avoid depression as they go through menopause, a new study” in Menopause found. Women “treated with hormone therapy at a menopause clinic in Ontario, Canada, experienced a reduction in their symptoms of depression” – an improvement that “occurred whether or not antidepressants were also described, results showed.”

Related Links:

— “Hormone Replacement Therapy Could Ease Depression Around Menopause,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay , February 26, 2024

HealthDay (2/26, Mundell ) reports that data “from dozens of studies supports the notion that mental health crises are a big factor behind rising rates of maternal deaths during and around pregnancy in the United States,” according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry. Researchers “looked at data from 30 recent studies and 15 historical references,” and found that the period in and around pregnancy is “associated with elevated risk for new-onset or relapse of maternal psychiatric disorders.” The team also found that a growing number of American women are living in “maternity care deserts,” which is preventing pregnant women from being screened for health issues during their pregnancies.

Related Links:

— “Mental Health Issues a Prime Driver of Deaths for New Moms: Study,”Ernie Mundell, HealthDay , February 26, 2024

Psychiatric News (2/26) reports, “Since 2019, calls to U.S. poison centers involving youth or young adults who took the psychedelic psilocybin have risen sharply, according to a study.” Investigators “examined all cases of psilocybin exposure between 2013 and 2022 involving young people aged 13 to 25.” During “the 10-year period, the researchers identified 4,055 calls for psilocybin exposure, of which about 66% involved psilocybin alone.” The article adds, “The timing is notable as 2019 was the start of a psilocybin decriminalizatio n movement across numerous states and cities.” The findings were published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Related Links:

— “Calls to Poison Centers Involving Psilocybin on the Rise Among Young People, Psychiatric News, February 26, 2024

Healio (2/5, Rhoades) reports, “Women with polycystic ovary syndrome were at a more than eightfold risk for attempting suicide, with young adults particularly susceptible to risk, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine.” In the study, “researchers found that, overall, participants with PCOS had an 8.47-fold (95% CI, 7.54-9.51) increased risk for suicide attempts vs. the control group, even after adjusting for demographics, psychiatric comorbid conditions and all-cause clinical visits.”

MedPage Today (2/5, Monaco ) reports, “Incidence of suicide attempts for women with PCOS was 3.0%, compared with 0.3% among matched controls, the researchers reported.

Related Links:

— “Study: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome face increased risk for suicide attempts,”Andrew (Drew) Rhoades, Healio, February 5, 2024

The New York Times (2/5, Baumgaertner ) says, “Black people in the United States are more likely than white people to report that they do not sleep much, research shows.” In general, “they live in louder neighborhoods, work longer hours and pick up more late-night shifts – concerning to public health experts, since sleep deprivation is linked to chronic health issues and early death.” However, “a group of public-health researchers from multiple universities and the National Institutes of Health wondered whether unequal exposure to police violence could also be contributing to racial sleep disparities, since those events are known to increase hypervigilance, worry and post-traumatic stress.”

Related Links:

— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

MedPage Today (2/5, George ) reports, “Cognitive function was better for older adults with healthy lifestyles even if they had Alzheimer’s or other dementia-related pathologies, autopsy data showed.” Investigators found that “a 1-point increase in a healthy lifestyle score was associated with better cognitive performance proximate to death.” Meanwhile, “after adjusting for beta-amyloid load, healthy lifestyle scores remained independently associated with cognition.” The findings were published in JAMA Neurology.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Healio (2/5) reports that approximately “30% of adults in the United States experienced loneliness at least once a week, and 10% reported feeling lonely every day, according to January’s Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association.” In a press release, APA President Petros Levounis, MD, MA, said, “The Healthy Minds Monthly poll confirms loneliness is widespread, especially in young people.” Dr. Levounis added, “The U.S. Surgeon General is correct to label it as a public health problem with troubling outcomes and to suggest steps communities can take. Doctors and other clinicians can make a major difference in their patients’ wellbeing and physical health when they ask about loneliness and how to mitigate its effects.”

Related Links:

— “One-third of Americans report feeling lonely every week,”Shenaz Bagha, Healio , February 5, 2024

Healio (2/23, Welsh) reported, “Pregnant women who were prescribed opioid drugs had increased likelihood of spontaneous preterm delivery, and odds increased as total dose increased, according to case-control study results.” Researchers found “that each doubling of nonzero opioid MME [morphine milligram equivalents] was associated with a 4% increase in spontaneous preterm birth odds compared with no opioid exposure.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Odds for spontaneous preterm birth rise as opioid exposure increases,”Erin T. Welsh, Healio, February 23, 2024

Healio (2/23, Young) reported, “Individuals with vision impairment have greater odds of experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety and social isolation, according to new research.” The study found “severe social isolation symptoms were more prevalent among those with objectively measured vision impairment, but not among those with self-reported vision impairment.” The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Related Links:

— “Vision impairment associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, social isolation,”Kate Young, Healio, February 23, 2024