USA Today (11/1, Martin) reports a “study shows that race may play a role in depression among college students who are minorities at both predominantly white institutions and historically Black universities.” Researchers “found that moderately severe and severe depression was more prevalent among the minority race at both universities.” They also “found that regardless of whether students are minorities at their institutions, they may experience anxiety.” The study was published in the Journal of American College Health.

Related Links:

— “Study: Minority students at universities more likely to suffer depression, race plays role,”Saleen Martin , USA TODAY, November 1, 2023

Parkinson’s News Today (11/1, Shapiro) reports, “Engaging in regular physical activity before and after being diagnosed with depression can lower a person’s risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, while stopping to exercise increases that risk, a large study that followed patients in South Korea for about five years” found. But, investigators found that “becoming more active only after a depressive disorder diagnosis…had no effect on Parkinson’s risk.” The findings were published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research.

Related Links:

— “Regular exercise with depression can lower person’s risk of Parkinson’s,” Lindsey Shapiro, PhD, Parkinson’s News Today, November 1, 2023

HCP Live (11/1, Derman) reports, “Licensed dosing of stimulants is associated with more reduced symptoms in adults with ADHD than unlicensed dosing, according to a…systematic review meta-analysis.” Published in JAMA Psychiatry, the study “highlighted that unlicensed doses of stimulants may not have positive risk benefits compared with licensed doses for adults with ADHD.”

Related Links:

— “Unlicensed Stimulant Doses in Adult ADHD Barely Reduce Symptoms Compared to Licensed Doses,”Chelsie Derman, HCP Live , November 1, 2023

Healio (10/31, Rhoades) reports, “Researchers identified multiple predictors of opioid overdose after an opioid prescription for chronic pain in a…study published in CMAJ.” In the study, evidence identified predictors including “a history of overdose…four or more dispensing pharmacies,” and “three or more prescribers,” among others. “Moderate- to high-certainty evidence supported large relative associations with history of overdose, higher opioid dose, 3 or more prescribers, 4 or more dispensing pharmacies, prescription of fentanyl, current substance use disorder, any mental health diagnosis, depression, bipolar disorder, or pancreatitis.”

Related Links:

— “Study identifies 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain,”Andrew Rhoades , Healio , October 31, 2023

mHealth Intelligence (10/31, Vaidya) reports, “Receiving care from medical practices with higher telehealth use is associated with an increase in mental health visits among Medicare patients with serious mental illness, according to a” study published in JAMA Health Forum. In the study, researchers found that “compared to the number of mental health visits observed among practices with the lowest telehealth use, patients who received care at middle telehealth use practices had 1.11 more mental health visits per year, and patients who received care at the highest telehealth use practices had 1.94 more visits per year.”

Related Links:

— “High Telehealth Use Linked to More Visits for Serious Mental Illness,” Anuja Vaidya, mHealth Intelligence, October 31, 2023