The New York Times (4/20, A11, Tavernise, Subscription Publication) reports, “Life expectancy declined slightly for white Americans in 2014, according to new… data” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics. The data, which were “drawn from all deaths recorded in the country in 2014, showed that life expectancy for whites dropped to 78.8 years in 2014 from 78.9 in 2013.”

NCHS statistician Elizabeth Arias, who analyzed the data, “said drug overdoses, liver disease and suicide were the main drivers of the gloomy trends among whites in recent years, a pattern also found by other researchers,” and particularly among middle-aged white women.

In “To Your Health,” the Washington Post (4/20, Achenbach) reports that “Hispanic life expectancy rose from 81.6 to 81.8 years between 2013 and 2014; gains were seen for both males and females.” Meanwhile, “life expectancy for blacks rose from 75.1 to 75.2 years, driven by a particularly large jump among black males, from 71.8 to 72.2 years.”

Related Links:

— “White Americans Are Dying Younger as Drug and Alcohol Abuse Rises,” Sabrina Tavernise, New York Times, April 20, 2016.

The Washington Post (4/18) reports that physiological stress and psychological stress both “have molecular underpinnings,” according to Richard J. Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging. The article mentions a study published last year that found “social stress” may result in shorter telomeres and “can have similar effects on a different measure of biological aging: the methylation pattern of DNA.”

Researchers “used a methylation-based ‘clock’ to estimate the biological age of 100 black women in the United States who have been followed since 1997” and found that nearly “70 percent of women whose family’s per-capita income was less than $3,900 per year showed ‘accelerated aging’ compared with the group average.” The Post adds that, “higher-than-average biological age was also strongly associated with financial pressure, defined as difficulty paying monthly bills.”

Related Links:

— “Stress and poverty may make you old before your time,” David Brown, Washington Post, April 18, 2016.

HealthDay (4/18, Preidt) reports that over 50% of US “adults believe children have worse emotional and mental health than children in previous generations,” the findings of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health reveal. In addition, “many of the nearly 2,700 respondents…believe youngsters today have higher stress levels, less quality family time, and poorer coping skills and personal friendships.”

Related Links:

— “Many U.S. Adults Think Kids’ Health Is Worse Today,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, April 18, 2016.

HealthDay (4/16, Preidt) reported that while “depression, stress and exhaustion are known to increase heart attack risk,” research suggests individuals “who’ve already had a heart attack may not be getting the treatment they need for these conditions.” Investigators came to this conclusion after studying “more than 800 people younger than 75,” all of whom had experienced a heart attack. The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting.

Related Links:

— “http://consumer.healthday.com/cardiovascular-health-information-20/heart-attack-news-357/heart-attack-patients-have-worse-mental-health-709968.html,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, April 16, 2016.

HealthDay (4/15, Preidt) reported, “Depression and suicidal thoughts or attempts are common among youth who join gangs, and these problems get worse after they join,” the findings of a study published online April 13 in Criminal Justice and Behavior suggest. After analyzing “data from more than 11,000 students in middle schools and high schools across” the US, researchers “found that gang membership was associated with greater levels of depression, a 67 percent increase in suicidal thoughts, and a 104 percent increase in suicide attempts.”

Related Links:

— “Depression More Common in Kids Who Join Gangs, Study Finds,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, April 15, 2016.

The Huntington (WV) Herald-Dispatch (4/17, Stuck) reports that eight years ago, Josh Parker, a physician at Prestera Center “decided to try something different and add a service to the center’s addiction treatment options – medication-assisted treatment.” At the time, there was little research to support “medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, other than for methadone, but Prestera began a pilot program with a group of women in the Renaissance program using Suboxone [buprenorphine/naloxone].” Today, there is growing evidence that “MAT can be an effective treatment for substance use disorders if done properly, which includes counseling and behavioral therapy.”

Related Links:

— “Medication-assisted treatment on the rise,” Taylor Stuck, Huntington (WV) Herald-Dispatch, April 20, 2016.

The Washington Post (4/14, Frankel) reports four former US surgeon generals on Thursday criticized the ban on “federal funding for gun violence research,” and called on Congress to end it. Regina Benjamin, Joycelyn Elders, and David Satcher, who were appointed by a Democrat, wrote to Congress, “It is only through research that we can begin to address this menace to our nation’s public health.” In his own letter, Richard Carmona, who was appointed by a Republican, argued that “without appropriate research ‘we really have no idea what policies and/or regulation may be needed in order to ensure the public’s safety.’”

Related Links:

— “Last four surgeons general call on CDC to resume gun violence studies,” Todd C. Frankel, Washington Post, April 14, 2016.

In an 1,100-word piece, the Washington Post (4/14, Itkowitz) reports, “An estimated 70 percent of kids that cycle through the juvenile justice systems have a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI],” and approximately half of all youngsters “with a mental illness didn’t receive any treatment the year prior.”

Related Links:

— “His mom publicly compared him to killer Adam Lanza. Now the teen is opening up about his bipolar disorder.,” Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post, April 14, 2016.

The Boston Globe (4/13, Teitell) reports that over the next 10 years, some “500,000 young adults with autism will age out of publicly funded day and residential special-education programs nationwide, according to a Drexel University researcher.” According to the Globe, the 22nd birthday “is…a significant milestone for individuals with autism and other disabilities,” and Massachusetts offers “a state program called ‘Turning 22’ that helps families transition into the adult service system.”

Related Links:

— “For parents of autistic kids, 22nd birthday often arrives with dread,” Beth Teitell, Boston Globe, April , 2016.13

HealthDay (4/13, Preidt) reports that a study published April 12 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reveals that Alzheimer’s disease affects visual perception, particularly the “ability to recognize faces.” What’s more, problems with visual perception appear to occur “in the early stages of the disease.”

Related Links:

— “Alzheimer’s Can Steal Ability to Know Loved Ones’ Faces,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, April 13, 2016.