STAT (4/23, Todd , Subscription Publication) reports a study found that “using the oral pill varenicline in combination with behavioral counseling is the most effective way for young people” to quit e-cigarettes. In the study, half of participants ages 16 to 25 who took varenicline for 12 weeks “were able to abstain from e-cigarettes for the last month of that period, compared to 14% of the placebo group. After a total of six months, 28% of people in the varenicline group were still vape-free, compared to 7% of the placebo group.” Although the study was fairly small, its authors believe it “to be the first trial of a vaping cessation medication in young people.” Its findings can have “significant implications for how pediatricians and school health care providers treat nicotine addiction.” The study was published in JAMA.

Related Links:

— “Many young people want to quit vaping. A new study says medication can help,” Sarah Todd, STAT, April 23, 2025

HealthDay (4/23, Thompson ) reports 10.6% of children “suffered from anxiety in 2022, up from 7.1% in 2016,” and “depression among children increased to 4.6% from 3.2%” during the same period, according to researchers who analyzed National Survey of Children’s Health data. The results – published as a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics – “showed that some physical maladies among children decreased even as their mood disorders rose.”

Related Links:

— “Mood Disorders Have Increased Among Kids, Teens,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, April 23, 2025

HealthDay (4/22, Thompson ) reports that a “study says that school-based asthma therapy is effective in helping kids breathe easier while away from home.” Researchers say “these school programs keep kids healthier, and can save millions in health care costs.” Medical records “revealed that after a year in the school-based program, children experienced up to 56% increased control over their asthma on average.

They also had about a 50% decrease in asthma-related hospitalizations and ER visits; about a 40% decrease in urgent care and acute care visits; and a 71% reduction in pediatric ICU stays, researchers found.” The program had a significant impact on “Black children, who had as much as a 66% improvement in their asthma control, results show.” Researchers point out that “annual savings cropped up to $3.4 million.” The study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global.

Related Links:

— “School-Based Asthma Programs Keep Kids Healthy And Learning,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, April 22, 2025

Psychiatric News (4/22) reports a study found that “infants and toddlers who do not spend a lot of time outside may have an increased risk of anxiety symptoms.” In the study, “parents reported on the frequency and duration of the children’s daytime outdoor activity when the children were infants (less than a year old) and toddlers (one to three years old), and the researchers measured the children’s current anxiety.”

Researchers found that among infants, “those who had less than seven sessions of outdoor activity per week had between 1.19 and 2.55 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms.” Among toddlers, “those who had less than seven sessions of outdoor activity per week had between 1.42 and 3.10 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms.”

Researchers concluded, “These findings provide actionable insights for parents and caregivers, highlighting the importance of promoting outdoor activity in early childhood care and parenting practices.” The study was published in BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Less Time Outside Linked to Anxiety Symptoms in Early Childhood,” Psychiatric News, April 22, 2025

CNN (4/22, Duffy ) says that nearly half of US teens believe social media negatively affects youth mental health, according to a Pew Research Center report published Tuesday. The survey found that 48% of teens view social media as “mostly negative,” an increase from 32% in 2022. Meanwhile, 14% of teens feel social media negatively impacts them personally, up from 9% in 2022. About 45% acknowledge “they spend too much time on social media, up from 36% in 2022. And 44% of teen respondents said they have cut back on time spent on social media and their smartphones.”

The report highlights “that the effects of social media vary somewhat by gender and race and ethnicity,” with teen girls slightly more likely “to say social media has hurt the amount of sleep they get, their productivity, their mental health and their confidence.” The survey of 1,391 teens ages 13 to 17 and their parents was conducted in September and October 2024.

Related Links:

— “Nearly half of teens say social media is bad for youth mental health, report finds,” Clare Duffy, CNN, April 22, 2025

HealthDay (4/21, Gotkine ) reports that “more than 40 percent of U.S. adults know someone who died by suicide.” The results were “approximated nationally representative estimates of suicide prevalence for U.S. adults using data from the second round of the National Center for Health Statistics Rapid Surveys System, an online survey of 7,046 adults.” The findings were published in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Related Links:

— “About 40 Percent of U.S. Adults Report Knowing Someone Who Died by Suicide,” Elana Gotkine, HealthDay, April 21, 2025

MedPage Today (4/21, Minerd ) reports on a study finding that “daily oral and monthly extended-releaseinjectable naltrexone were similarly effective at reducing heavy drinking days in patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD).” The study included “248 adults prescribed treatment at hospital discharge, the mean percentage of heavy drinking days decreased from 66.7% at baseline to 27.4% at 3 months in the oral naltrexone group and from 70.7% to 23.8% in the extended-release injectable naltrexone group.” The findingswere published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (4/18, Gotkine ) reported a study suggests that “predictable movement stimuli could be a behavioral marker for early autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening.” Researchers analyzed “observation durations for predictable movements for children with potential ASD (13 male and four female) compared to typically developing children (nine male and two female) using a preferential-looking paradigm.”

They found that “children with potential ASD spent significantly more time observing predictable movements, especially in the latter part of the stimulus presentation.” Researchers concluded, “This study’s results highlight the potential of predictable stimuli as an early screening tool, offering promise for improving early diagnosis and intervention for children at risk for ASD.” The study was published in Scientific Reports.

Related Links:

— “Observation of Predictable Visual Stimuli a Potential Early Indicator for Autism,” Elana Gotkine, HealthDay, April 18, 2025

Medical Economics (4/18, Littrell) reported on a Sermo survey of “more than 1,100 physicians worldwide” finding that 23% of physicians endorse “an outright ban” on TikTok, “due to the app’s role in spreading health misinformation.” In addition 43% of respondents “identified TikTok as a significant source of misinformation about medical treatments.” Asked about social media they personally use, 5% said TikTok, 26% Sermo, 23% Facebook, and 16% LinkedIn.

Related Links:

— “1 in 4 physicians support a TikTok ban, citing health misinformation,” Austin Littrell, Medical Economics, April 18, 2025

Dermatology Advisor (4/18, Kuhns) reported on a study finding that “oral finasteride use at various doses was associated with completed suicide, depression suicidal, suicidal behavior, and suicidal ideation following the identification of post-finasteride syndrome, but was not associated with suicide attempts.” The study was based on “data from the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).” The findings were published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. Finasteride is used to treat Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy and men’s pattern baldness.

Related Links:

— “Oral Finasteride Associated With Increased Depression, Suicidal Ideation Rates,” Lisa Kuhns, PhD, Dermatology Advisor, April 18, 2025