Psychiatric News (8/28) reports, “Mindfulness-based interventions at schools can help students improve their thinking, resilience, emotional regulation and awareness, and overall mental health, according to a literature review.” In order “to be included in the analysis, the intervention had to have mindfulness as its primary focus and include at least two components (for instance, a combination of breathing awareness and awareness of bodily sensations).” The findings were published in Psychiatric Services.

Related Links:

— “School-Based Mindfulness Interventions Show Positive Mental Health Benefits for Students, Psychiatric News, August 28, 2024

Modern Healthcare (8/27, McAuliff , Subscription Publication) reports, “While Congress appears stalled with its legislative proposals to streamline prior authorizations, many states have surged ahead and imposed tighter rules on health insurance companies.” A National Conference of State Legislatures database shows that “23 states enacted more than 43 bills related to prior authorization in the last few years, with 18 enacted so far in 2024 alone.”

Related Links:

— “Prior authorization targeted by more and more states,”Michael Mcauliff, Modern Healthcare, August 27, 2024

The Washington Post (8/27, Meckler , Natanson , Elwood ) reports, “Students returning to school in a growing number of states and districts are facing tight restrictions and outright bans on cellphone use as evidence mounts of the damaging impact persistent connection to the internet has on teenagers.” Of the 20 largest school districts in the US, “at least seven forbid use of cellphones during the school day or plan to do so, while at least another seven impose significant restrictions, such as barring use during class time but permitting phones during lunch or when students are between classes, according to a Washington Post review.” Pressure on school officials “has come from teachers and parents who see cellphones as a distraction, an impediment to learning and a constant toll on students’ mental health.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (8/26) reports, “First-line antidepressants may help lower the risk of falls and fall-related injuries in older patients with depression, according to a study.” After examining “claims data amassed from 101,953 Medicare beneficiaries age 65 or older who received a diagnosis of depression in 2017 or 2018,” investigators also observed that adults “receiving psychotherapy did not demonstrate any increased or decreased risk of falls or related injuries” when compared with “adults receiving no treatment.” The findingswere published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “First-Line Antidepressants Linked to Lower Fall Risk in Older Patients With Depression, Psychiatric News , August 26, 2024

Healio (8/26, Herpen) reports, “Individuals who engaged in some form of exercise or physical activity on a regular or semi-regular basis demonstrated better brain health compared with inactive individuals, according to research.” Specifically, investigators discovered that study participants engaging in at least 150 minutes of exercise per week “with at least 50% of total MVPA occurring within 1 to 2 days” exhibited “a lower risk for dementia, stroke, PD, depression and anxiety,” while those “who engaged in some form of regular exercise, regardless of the activity pattern, demonstrated lower risks for PD, anxiety and depression compared with those in the inactive group.” The findings were published in Nature Aging.

Related Links:

— “Any level of physical activity linked to improved brain health,”Robert Herpen, Healio, August 26, 2024