Healio (2/23, Young) reported, “Individuals with vision impairment have greater odds of experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety and social isolation, according to new research.” The study found “severe social isolation symptoms were more prevalent among those with objectively measured vision impairment, but not among those with self-reported vision impairment.” The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Related Links:

— “Vision impairment associated with symptoms of depression, anxiety, social isolation,”Kate Young, Healio, February 23, 2024

HCPlive (2/23, Derman) reported, “A new study found women who work in healthcare face significantly more stress and burnout than men who work in healthcare – and job satisfaction and better work-life balance can prevent women from experiencing harmful stress.” Researchers “analyzed 71 studies published in 26 countries and 4 languages between 1979 – 2022.” In 16% of those studies, “investigators found gender inequality contributes to female healthcare” professionals’ “stress and burnout.” The findings were published in Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.

Related Links:

— “Women Working in Healthcare Have Significantly More Burnout Than Men Colleagues,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, February 23, 2024

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