mHealth Intelligence (1/16, Vaidya ) reports, “Though telehealth can help expand mental healthcare access, United States counties where mental health resources are low tend to also lack broadband internet access, hampering telehealth use, according to recent research.”

The study found that “US counties with low broadband access had reduced densities of mental health services, with an average of 3.63 mental healthcare physicians, 2.86 non-physician mental health practitioners, 1.33 psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, 0.94 inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse treatment facilities, and 11.28 outpatient facilities available per 100,000 members of the population.” The findings were published in Nature Mental Health.

Related Links:

— “Counties with Urgent Mental Healthcare Needs Face Telehealth Barriers,” Anuja Vaidya, mHealth Intelligence, January 16, 2024

Healio (1/16, Rhoades) reports “reduced drug use was linked to lower levels of craving, depression and other drug-related problems among individuals with stimulant use disorder, even if they did not achieve abstinence, according to a study.” The researchers involved in the study “said they also observed improvements in the severity of drug-related symptoms and psychosocial functioning.” The findings were published in Addiction.

Related Links:

— “Reducing drug use improves clinical outcomes in patients with stimulant use disorder,” Andrew Rhodes, Healio, January 16, 2024

HealthDay (1/12, Thompson ) reported that individuals “who use exposure therapy to overcome one phobia can find themselves less afraid of other things, according to the results of a study.” Investigators found that “people who underwent exposure therapy for spiders wound up experiencing an average 15% reduction in their fear of heights.” The findings were published in Translational Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Overcoming One Phobia Might Ease Other Fears, Study Finds,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 12, 2024

Healio (1/12, Herpen) reported, “In a cohort of adults with traumatic brain injury, level of impairment for those who exhibited cognitive impairment after 6 months was directly correlated to TBI severity, according to” a study.

The findings were published in JAMA Network.

Related Links:

— “Degree of cognitive impairment after 6 months dependent on TBI severity,” Robert Herpen, MA, Healio, January 12, 2024

HCP Live (1/12, Campbell ) reported, “Looking to avoid physician burnout? A new study suggests taking vacation time and avoiding work while on vacation could be a good place to start.” Conducted by American Medical Association scientists, the study results “suggest more than 50%” of physicians “were taking 15 or fewer vacation days per year, with 1 in 5 taking 5 or fewer, and 70% reporting performing work on the typical vacation day.” The results were published in JAMA Network.

Related Links:

— “Physicians Who Take Vacation Time, Avoid Working on Vacation Less Likely to Suffer Burnout,” Patrick Campbell, HCP Live, January 12, 2024