Healio (2/23, Welsh) reported, “U.S. policy changes are needed to reduce perinatal mental health deserts, standardize social determinants of health data, improve psychiatric curriculums and establish paid parental leave, researchers” argue. The investigators came to these conclusions after evaluating “publications from the past 3 years regarding the impact of mental illness on maternal mortality.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Policy changes needed to improve maternal mental health in US,”Erin T. Welsh, Healio, February 23, 2024

KFF Health News (2/22, Houghton ) reports, “States are redefining when medical professionals can get mental health treatment without risking notifying the boards that regulate their licenses.” Some states are “looking to boost confidential care for health professionals as long as they’re not deemed a danger to themselves or patients.” In recent years, no less than “a dozen states have considered or created confidential wellness programs to offer clinicians help early on for career burnout or mental health issues.” Furthermore, states have “reworked medical licensing questions to avoid scrutiny for” physicians “who need mental health treatment.” KFF Health News adds that the AMA “has encouraged states to” ensure that licensing, credentialing, and other applications focus on “current physical or mental health conditions, not past diagnoses.”

Related Links:

— “Health Care Workers Push for Their Own Confidential Mental Health Treatment,”Katheryn Houghton, KFF Health News , February 22, 2024

Psychiatric News (2/22) reports, “Children who show greater food responsiveness in early childhood have a higher risk of experiencing eating disorder symptoms in early adolescence, while those who eat more slowly have a lower risk of such symptoms, according to a study.” The research found “a 1-unit increase in the food responsiveness scale in early childhood corresponded with a 47% increased risk of binge eating symptoms in early adolescence.” The findings were published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.

Related Links:

— “Appetitive Traits in Children May Be Associated With Disordered Eating in Adolescence, Psychiatric News, February 22, 2024

Pharmacy Times (2/22, Hunter) reports “findings from a new study suggest that parental” adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) “– although they are associated with poor mental health outcomes – may be directly associated with parenting behaviors.” The study found “parental ACEs were directly associated with use of corporal punishment.” Furthermore, “stress was directly and positively associated with an inconsistent discipline style of parenting, although it may be difficult to conclude that parental stress is associated with inconsistent discipline.” The findings were published in Acta Psychologica.

Related Links:

— “Adverse Childhood Experiences Can Lead to Poor Behaviors As Parents,”Erin Hunter, Pharmacy Times , February 22, 2024

Drug Topics (2/22, Massaro) reports, “A new study found that long-term users of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) medication face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD).” Researchers “found a 4% increase in CVD for each year of medication use, underscoring the importance of considering both the benefits and risks of long-term AD/HD treatment decisions.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Could ADHD Medication Increase Cardiovascular Disease Risk?,”Lauren Massaro, Drug Topics, February 22, 2024