USA Today (5/22, Hellmich) reports, “The emotional after-effects of living through a traumatic event like the Oklahoma tornado could last for weeks or even longer, especially for children.” Psychologists interviewed in the article recommended that parents offer empathy to the youngsters and allow them to discuss what happened. Parents are also advised to place limits on children’s exposure to television reports about the tornado. One expert noted that the majority of children who experienced the tornado will not go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, but nightmares, sleeping difficulty and anxiety are to be expected for the near term. As for talking to children in other parts of the country about what happened, “how much you tell kids about the disaster is based on two factors: the child’s age and the vulnerability of the child.”

Related Links:

— “Kids who survived tornado face emotional after-effects, “Nanci Hellmich, USA Today, May 21, 2013.

Medscape (5/22, Jeffrey) reports that according to survey results presented at the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, healthcare professionals, “even those involved in the delivery of mental health care, are not immune to bias against patients with serious mental illnesses.” In fact, “given two identical clinical scenarios, one of which involved a patient with schizophrenia, a group of healthcare [professionals] that included psychiatrists and primary care physicians as well as primary care and mental health nurses tended to view the patients with serious mental illness more negatively than those without mental illness, and these attitudes colored their treatment decisions, including referrals.” Jeffrey Borenstein, MD, chair of the Council on Communications of the American Psychiatric Association, said, “We use the word stigma, but I would use a different word – prejudice.”

Medscape (5/22) reports, “Children in the United States who experience both school bullying and cyberbullying are at alarming risk for suicidal behavior,” according to research presented at the American Psychiatric Association meeting. Investigators who analyzed data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey found “that the combination of both types of bullying was associated with a 4-fold higher incidence of all suicide risk factors, including suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts, compared with those who experienced no bullying.” Investigators found that “cyberbullying alone was associated with a 3-fold increased risk for suicidal behaviors.”

MedPage Today (5/22, Gever) reports on the cyberbullying study, and also point out that “a separate analysis of YRBS data…found that teenagers with four or more previous sex partners, those starting to have sex before age 13, and those who said they had been forced into sex all showed much higher rates of suicidal ideation or attempts than the general high-school-age population.”

Related Links:

— “Cyberbullying, Risky Sex Hike Teen Suicide Risk, “John Gever, MedPage Today, May 21, 2013.

On its “Morning Edition” program and on its “Shots” blog, NPR (5/20) reported that a virtual therapist named Ellie was created at the University of Southern California’s Institute for Creative Technologies “to talk to people who are struggling emotionally, and to take their measure in a way no human can. Her makers believe that her ability to do this will ultimately revolutionize the way mental health care is practiced in this country.” Ellie tracks up to 60 different kinds of movements of the physical behavior of people she interviews. After sessions with patients, she produces a detailed report which can flag certain behaviors indicative of emotional distress or depression, for example.

Related Links:

— “If Your Shrink Is A Bot, How Do You Respond?, “Alix Spiegel, NPR, May 20, 2013.

The Wall Street Journal (5/21, Hay, Subscription Publication) reports on new technologies that companies are developing that will encourage people to take their prescription medication as directed. Health insurers and companies such as CVS has used robo-calls, mailers and even face-to-face meetings with pharmacists to keep patients on track. Now, CVS is testing analytics technology from RxAnte that detects what patients have poor record of adherence, according to CEO Josh Benner. Other ideas include an app that rewards users with Target gift cards or donations to charity for following the schedule. Other ideas include a digital pills containing digestible sensors and an automated pill bottle that glows different colors when a dosage is needed or missed.

Related Links:

— “Forget to Take Medicine? These Pills Will Tell Your Doctor, “Timothy Hay, The Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2013.