HCPlive (1/23, Derman) reports, “A recent study reported that sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic use disorders diagnoses increased 3- to 5-fold between 2001 and 2019 for adolescents and young adults.” Researchers found that “the prevalence of these diagnoses was low in adolescents.” The findings were published in Addiction.

Related Links:

— “Sedative, Hypnotic, Anxiolytic Use Disorders Rose from 2001 to 2019 in Young Adults,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, January 23, 2025

MedPage Today (1/22, Smyth) reports, “Intermittent explosive disorder (IED), characterized by impulsive aggression and poorly regulated emotional control, was associated with multiple classes of comorbidities, an analysis of 117.7 million healthcare records showed.” Out “of 30,000 individuals with an IED diagnosis during their lifetime, 95.7% had at least one other psychiatric diagnosis.” Researchers found that “all psychiatric subcategories and 92% of psychiatric diagnoses were significantly associated with IED, with hazard ratios ranging from 2.1 for substance use disorder to 76.6 for disorders of adult personality and behavior.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

USA Today (1/21, Snider ) reports, “Nearly half of Americans (49%) say they plan to drink less [alcohol] in 2025 – up from 41% who said that was their plan in 2024, according to a new survey, released Tuesday, commissioned by advertising and sales measurement technology firm NCSolutions.” The survey found that Generation Z, made up of “adults ages 18 to 28,” is “leading the way,” as almost two-thirds of them “(65%) say they plan to drink less in 2025.” Almost “four out of 10 in Gen Z (39%) said they will adopt a dry lifestyle in 2025.” Additionally, Gen Z and millennials “are more likely to try alternatives to alcohol such as THC drinks, marijuana and edibles.”

Related Links:

— “What will we be drinking in 2025? Americans are chasing moderation,”Mike Snider, USA Today, January 21, 2025

HCPlive (1/21, Derman) reports, “A new study found that adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) receiving buprenorphine treatment who participated in mindfulness had significantly greater reductions in residual opioid craving than those without mindfulness training.” But, “M-ROCC [Mindful Recovery Opioid Use Disorder Care Continuum] was not more effective than a non-mindfulness evidence-based recovery support for reducing illicit opioids, benzodiazepines, or cocaine.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Mindfulness Reduces Cravings in OUD, No Impact on Abstinence,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, January 21, 2025

Modern Healthcare (1/17, Young, Subscription Publication) reported, “At least 24.2 million people purchased health insurance on the exchange marketplaces during open enrollment for 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced Friday.” That number “surpasses a record set a year ago, as sign-ups for exchange plans accelerated mostly due to the enhanced subsidies enacted in 2021 and extended in 2022.” The final tally “of exchange enrollees is likely to be higher than 24.2 million, which is more than double the number for the 2020 plan year, before the enhanced subsidies were available.”

Related Links:

— “Exchange enrollment breaks another record,”Jeffrey Young, Modern Healthcare, January 17, 2025