HealthDay (8/24) reports, “Spirituality can be uplifting for…mental health,” according to a study recently published in the Journal of Religion and Health. After examining “the results of three surveys that asked Buddhists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims and Protestants about their personalities, levels of spirituality and physical and mental health,” researchers found that “among people in all five faiths, a greater degree of spirituality was associated with better mental health — specifically lower levels of neuroticism and greater extroversion.” However, “after considering personality variables, the researchers concluded that forgiveness was the only spiritual trait predictive of mental health.”

Related Links:

— “Spirituality May Boost Mental Health: Study, “Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 23, 2012.

MedWire (8/24, Cowen) reports, “Contrary to expectations, engagement in vigorous exercise is positively associated with the incidence and prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly bipolar II disorder and alcohol dependence,” according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. After examining “data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC)” on some 23,505 adults, researchers “found that individuals who engaged in vigorous physical exercise were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, less likely to achieve remission, and more likely to relapse than nonexercisers.” (Editors note: This does not mean that vigorous exercise causes mental illness.)

Related Links:

— “Vigorous exercise associated with mental illness vulnerability, “Mark Cowen, MedWire News, August 24, 2012.

MedWire (8/23, Cowen) reports, “Adults with mood and anxiety disorders are significantly more likely to be smokers than the general population,” according to astudy of data derived from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) published online Aug. 10 in the American Journal on Addictions. After assessing “associations between mood and anxiety disorders and smoking in a nationally representative sample of 43,093 individuals, aged at least 18 years, from the NESARC,” then adjusting for confounding factors, researchers found that compared with the general population, “the risk for nicotine dependence was increased among respondents with panic disorder (OR=1.82), bipolar disorder (OR=1.71), specific phobia (OR=1.69), and major depression.”

Related Links:

— “Nicotine dependence risk increased in bipolar disorder, “Mark Cowen, MedWire News, August 23, 2012.

HealthDay (8/21, Dallas) reports, “Mothers who work full time report better mental and physical health than stay-at-home moms or women who work part time,” according to a new study scheduled to be presented Sunday at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Denver but yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal. “Researchers from University of Akron and Penn State University found that women who go back to work soon after having children have more energy and mobility, and less depression at age 40.” HealthDay notes, “The study included data on 2,540 women who became mothers between 1978 and 1995,” and the authors “added that additional childcare and transportation resources for single mothers could improve their employment options.”

Related Links:

— “Working Moms Report Better Health Than Those Who Stay Home, “Mary Elizabeth Dallas, HealthDay, August 20, 2012.

Medscape (8/21, Melville) reports, “Patients with multiple chronic conditions are significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression at primary care practices that use electronic medical records (EMRs) compared with practices that do not use EMRs,” according to a study published in the August issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine. “Researchers at the University of Florida hypothesized that practices using EMRs would be particularly beneficial for complex patients with chronic conditions who are in need of depression treatment, offering greater efficiency in information sharing and delivery of care than those not using EMRs.” However, “the study of 3,467 primary care practice visits by patients aged 18 years and older who were identified as having depression, which used data from the 2006 to 2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys, showed an opposite effect.”