The Washington Post (11/22, Malhi) said, “Drug overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum people soared significantly between 2018 and 2021, according to a report published Wednesday.” National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) researchers “collected and analyzed data on more than 17,000 deaths, including people who were pregnant or who had been pregnant within the past year. They found that the ratio of overdose deaths more than tripled in pregnant and postpartum women ages 35 to 44, the team reports in the journal JAMA Psychiatry.”

The Hill (11/22, Robertson) reported the study found “the rate of overdoses increased from 4.9 per 100,000 women between the ages 35-44 to 15.8 in 2021, the NIH said.” The researchers “said the increasing overdose rate could signal that there are still significant barriers to addiction treatment among vulnerable populations.”

Also reporting were HealthDay (11/22, Miller), STAT (11/22, Merelli, Subscription Publication), and Psychiatric News (11/22).

Related Links:

— “Overdose deaths in pregnant, postpartum women tripled in as many years: NIH,” Nick Robertson, The Hill, November 22, 2023

The American Journal of Managed Care (11/24, Jeremias) reported a study “clarified the interconnected relationship between functional impairment, quality of life (QOL), and depressive symptoms in patients with psoriasis and PsA [psoriatic arthritis], highlighting the need for…more patient-centered approaches to address the residual burden of disease and improve patient satisfaction with health.”

The study “suggested that depression is often underdiagnosed and undertreated in patients with psoriatic disease, emphasizing the need for improved screening and access to mental health services.”

The findings were published in Rheumatology and Therapy.

Related Links:

— “Study Finds Link Between Depression, Functional Impairment in Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis,” Skylar Jeremias, American Journal of Managed Care, November 24, 2023

RevCycle Intelligence (11/21, LaPointe) reports, “A new analysis of data from over 1,300 hospitals and health systems by Syntellis Performance Solutions and the American Hospital Association…found a nearly 56% increase in Medicare Advantage denials from January 2022 to July 2023.” In “that period, commercial denials also increased for hospitals nationwide.” These denials increased “by about 20%.”

Related Links:

— “Medicare Advantage Denials Jump 56%, Commercial Denials 20%,”Jacqueline LaPointe , RevCycle Intelligence , November 21, 2023

HealthDay (11/21, Miller) says that a study indicated that “teen boys who reported two or more concussions in the past year were two times more likely to report a suicide attempt than those who had one concussion.” Meanwhile, “girls’ odds for suicidal behaviors were similar regardless of concussion history.” The researchwas published in the Journal of Athletic Training.

Related Links:

— “Teens With Multiple Concussions Face Higher Risk of Suicidal Thoughts,”Carole Tanzer Miller, HealthDay, November 21, 2023

HealthDay (11/21, Thompson, Miller) says, “Genetics could explain why some people can’t stop smoking weed, a…study reports. Analysis of the genomes of more than 1 million people has revealed dozens of genetic variants linked to cannabis use disorder, according to the Yale-led research team.” These “variants also are associated with a variety of behavioral and health issues linked to cannabis use disorder – and possibly even an elevated risk of lung cancer.” Prior studies have “shown that about a third of people who use marijuana develop cannabis use disorder, which is defined as a pattern of cannabis use that impairs a person’s daily life.” The study was published in Nature Genetics.

Related Links:

— “Genome Study Explains Marijuana’s Habit-Forming Potential,”Dennis Thompson, Carole Tanzer Miller, HealthDay , November 21, 2023

MedPage Today (11/20, Monaco) reports, “Children of parents with infertility had a slightly higher rate of autism spectrum disorder, a population-based cohort study of over 1.3 million children found.” Investigators found that “compared with children born from unassisted conception, parents who experienced subfertility but didn’t undergo fertility treatment had children with a 20% higher risk of autism.” The findingswere published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (11/20) reports the “APA released a statement…commemorating the life and legacy of Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on Sunday at the age of 96.” During “her public service career, Mrs. Carter worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for people with mental illness and substance use disorders.” The statement says, “She used her bully pulpit to bring the conversation about mental health out from the darkness and advocate for a more comprehensive system of care.”

Related Links:

— “APA Remembers the Mental Health Legacy of Rosalynn Carter, Psychiatric News, November 20, 2023

USA Today (11/20, Rodriguez) reports that while the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline “has likely helped millions of people in crisis since its launch in July 2022, mental health experts say the nationwide public health program is far from perfect.” Among the hurdles the lifeline faces are a “lack of stable funding, lack of awareness and the absence of mental health resources.” These “have prevented the lifeline from realizing its full potential, experts say.”

Related Links:

— “An epic challenge: Running the 988 crisis line as the US suicide rate rises,”Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, November 20, 2023

CNN International (11/17, Rogers) reported climate change “is a potentially lethal threat” for “people with mental health problems such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or anxiety.” In June 2021, “during a record-breaking heat wave in British Columbia…8% of people who died from the extreme heat had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, according to a March study. That made the disorder a more dangerous risk factor than all other conditions the authors studied, including kidney disease and coronary artery disease.” American Psychiatric Association Representative to the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health Robert Feder, MD, said, “Until climate change gets under control, things are only going to get worse unfortunately. … As the temperature keeps increasing, these effects are going to be magnified. There’s going to be more storms, more fires, and people are going to be more worried about what could happen because a lot more things are happening.”

Related Links:

— “As Earth’s temperature rises, so do deaths among people with mental health problems,”Kristen Rogers, CNN, November 17, 2023

The New York Times (11/16, Caron) reports, “Seniors are one of the fastest-growing populations of cannabis users in the United States.” Research indicates some “are turning to the drug for the first time to help them sleep better, dampen pain or treat anxiety – especially when prescription drugs, which often come with unwanted side effects, don’t work as intended.” In 2007, just 0.4 percent of US adults over 65 “reported using cannabis in the past year, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. That number rose to almost 3 percent by 2016. As of 2022, it was at more than 8 percent.”

Related Links:

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