The Washington Post (9/2, Humphreys) “Wonkblog” reported that despite efforts to make healthcare more accessible to Americans over the last decade, research indicates even those with healthcare coverage have trouble finding psychiatrists.

A study led found that from 2003 to 2013, “adult primary-care physicians increased by 9.5 percent and the number of neurologists increased by 35.7 percent,” but the number of psychiatrists fell by 0.2 percent. Another study conducted by the same researchers revealed that most physicians accept private and public insurance, but just 50 percent of psychiatrists do so.

The article said this is due to the fact that psychiatrists “are much in demand and can therefore often keep their practices full on a cash-only basis.”

Related Links:

— “The troubling reason it’s so hard to find a psychiatrist in the United States,” Keith Humphreys, Washington Post, September 2, 2016.

On the front of its Science Times section, the New York Times (9/6, D1, Hafner, Subscription Publication) reports in a nearly 1,800-word article on the physical and mental effects of loneliness experienced by the elderly. In the UK and in the US, “roughly one in three people older than 65 live alone.” Investigators “have found mounting evidence linking loneliness to physical illness and to functional and cognitive decline.” Loneliness, “as a predictor of early death” even surpasses obesity.

Related Links:

— “Researchers Confront an Epidemic of Loneliness,” KATIE HAFNER, New York Times, September 5, 2016.

The Washington Post (9/4, Bluth) reported relatives who care for patients with advanced dementia often experience difficulty because they can no longer communicate with their loved ones, according to a study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias. Researchers found that many family caretakers were often frustrated with their relatives with dementia because they could no longer communicate what they needed or when they were in pain.

Related Links:

— “How dementia makes it harder to offer end-of-life comfort,” Rachel Bluth, Washington Post, September 4, 2016.

Medscape (9/1, Brooks) reports, “Antipsychotic medications raise the risk for pneumonia in patients with (and without) Alzheimer’s disease (AD),” researchers found. Investigators report “the risk is highest at the start of antipsychotic treatment but remains increased with long-term use.” The findings of the 60,584-participant study were published online Aug. 30 in CHEST.

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (9/1, Mozes) reports, “Some children of parents with a history of psychiatric illness may be at higher risk for attempting suicide and/or engaging in violent behavior,” researchers found after examining data on some 1.7 million “Danes born between 1967 and 1997.” The findings were published online Aug. 31 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Parents’ Psychiatric Issues May Adversely Affect Some Children,” Alan Mozes, HealthDay, September 1, 2016.

In an editorial, the Washington Post (8/31) praises the “wide-ranging mental health strategy” unveiled by Hillary Clinton this week, calling it “one of the most consequential announcements of her campaign,” and argues that, “unlike much of what she has proposed this election season, it has a real chance of becoming law.”

The Post says that while all sides are not “in perfect agreement” on the issue, and the question of “where the funding for it would come from” is a “major hurdle,” Clinton’s “focus on the issue is warranted and welcome,” and if she is elected, “it might do some real-world good.”

Related Links:

— “Clinton just made a very important announcement — and hardly anyone is talking about it,” Editorial Board, Washington Post, August 31, 2016.

The AP (8/31, Stobbe) reports, “Marijuana use is becoming more accepted among US adults as states loosen pot laws,” researchers found after analyzing survey results from “more than a half million US adults.”

The CBS News (8/31, Welch) website reports, “The trend comes as a growing number of states are changing laws to legalize medical, and to a lesser extent, recreational marijuana, which may be playing a role in” how the public perceives the drug. The findings were published online Aug. 31 in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “More U.S. adults use pot as laws, attitudes shift,” ASHLEY WELCH, CBS News, August 31, 2016.

NPR (8/31, Anderson, Cardoza) reports in the first part of its NPR Ed series on mental health in schools that “up to one in five kids living in the US shows signs or symptoms of a mental health disorder in a given year.” What’s more, “nearly 80 percent who need mental health services won’t get them.” According to experts, “schools could play a role in identifying students with problems and helping them succeed.” Unfortunately, “many schools are not prepared” to take on this role.

Related Links:

— “Mental Health In Schools: A Hidden Crisis Affecting Millions Of Students,” MEG ANDERSON and KAVITHA CARDOZA, National Public Radio, August 31, 2016.

TIME (8/31, Rhodan) reports that “young adulthood is a critical period for mental health,” and students heading off to college may end up facing “a pending mental health crisis.” The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration has found that 75% “of mental illnesses are onset by age 24 and 43.8 million adults, about one in five, experienced a mental illness in 2012.”

But, “the experiences students and parents have in dealing with mental illness can vary greatly from campus to campus, making it important for people to gain knowledge about what to expect, and what to look out for, imperative.” On Aug. 31, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in partnership with the Jed Foundation, “released a guidebook for students and parents that outlines warning signs for mental illness, resources available to students, and information parents need to know about getting access to their children’s health information.”

Related Links:

— “Why College Is a Risky Time for Students’ Mental Health,” Maya Rhodan, Time, August 31, 2016.

The AP (8/29, Thomas) reports that on Monday, Hillary Clinton unveiled “a comprehensive plan to address millions of Americans coping with mental illness, pointing to the need to fully integrate mental health services into the nation’s health care system.” The proposal seeks to ensure that Americans need “no longer separate mental health from physical health in terms of access, care and quality of treatment.” In addition, it aims “to enforce mental health parity laws and provide training to law enforcement officers to deal with people grappling with mental health problems while prioritizing treatment over jail for low-level offenders.”

Psychiatric News (8/29) reports the American Psychiatric Association applauded Clinton’s proposed comprehensive mental healthcare plan. APA president Maria A. Oquendo, MD, stated, “We welcome the attention Clinton is giving to mental health, an issue that affects Americans from all walks of life.” Dr. Oquendo added, “Our mental health system needs to be discussed this election season. Americans deserve to know how the candidates plan to address this important issue.”

Related Links:

— “APA Applauds Mental Health Plan Unveiled Today by Hillary Clinton,” Psychiatric News, August 29, 2016.