HealthDay (5/7, Gotkine ) reported a study found that the “prevalence of depressive symptoms increased among U.S. adults during the pandemic.” Researchers “examined changes in depressive symptoms among U.S. adults overall and across sociodemographic characteristics using 2013 to 2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data.” They found “the observed prevalence of depressive symptoms increased from 8.2 to 12.3 percent from 2013-2020 to 2021-2023.” In addition, “depressive symptom prevalence increased by 3.5 percentage points during the pandemic after adjustment and accounting for secular trends.” There was also “a significantly larger increase seen in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adults aged 20 to 44 years versus those aged 65 years or older” between 2013-2020 and 2021-2023. The study was published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Depressive Symptoms Increased for U.S. Adults During Pandemic,” Elana Gotkine, HealthDay, May 7, 2025

The AP (5/7, Seitz ) reports Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “announced a plan Wednesday to use medical data and records from people on Medicaid and Medicare to help study autism although experts say it’s unlikely to help reveal the condition’s root causes.” The program will consist of a data sharing agreement between the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. HHS explained researchers will use the data to “focus on autism diagnosis trends, health outcomes from medical or behavioral treatment, access to care based on demographics and geography as well [as] the economic burden of autism on families and health care systems.” An HHS statement said the agreement will be “consistent with applicable privacy laws to protect Americans’ sensitive health information.”

CNN (5/7, Owermohle ) reports that “early signals from health officials that they would build a database to track autism were met with swift rebuke from advocacy organizations and doctors.”

Also reporting is The Hill (5/7, Choi ).

Related Links:

— “US Health department will analyze data from autistic Medicare, Medicaid enrollees, RFK Jr. says,” Amanda Seitz, Associated Press, May 7, 2025

HealthDay (5/2, Thompson ) reported a study found that “people who increased their physical activity to meet recommended guidelines between ages 45 and 65 had less accumulation of amyloid beta, a toxic protein that forms plaques in the brains of” patients with Alzheimer’s. Researchers observed the link was dose-dependent, meaning that the “more people increased their activity, the greater the reduction in amyloid beta in their brains. Active people also showed less age-related shrinkage in brain regions associated with memory and Alzheimer’s.” Researchers concluded, “These findings reinforce the importance of promoting physical activity in middle age as a public health strategy for Alzheimer’s prevention.” The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Related Links:

— “Middle-Age Exercise Protects Brain Against Alzheimer’s,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, May 2, 2025

Managed Healthcare Executive (5/2, Contreras) reported a study found that “universal annual depression screening for young adults during primary care visits is cost-effective and could even save more if health systems improve access to telehealth, reduce treatment costs or enhance treatment effectiveness.” The study “compared four screening strategies: annual, every two years, once at age 12 and usual care – which includes low screening and treatment rates.” Data suggest that “annual screenings resulted in the greatest benefit – adding nearly 44,000 depression-free days and 57.4 QALYs per 1,000 young adults compared to usual care. While annual screening added about $3 million in costs, the cost-effectiveness ratio remained within the common and accepted thresholds.” The study was published in JAMA Health Forum.

Related Links:

— “Yearly Depression Screening for Young Adults Is Worth the Cost,” Briana Contreras, Managed Healthcare Executive, May 2, 2025

Psychiatric News (5/2) reported a study found that “between 2018 and 2021, the proportion of adults receiving outpatient mental health care that was solely psychotherapy rose, while the proportion of those taking only psychotropic medications declined.” Researchers observed that “the percentage of patients who received psychotherapy without medications rose significantly from 11.5% in 2018 to 15.4% in 2021. The percentage of patients who received medications without psychotherapy dropped significantly from 67.6% in 2018 to 62.1% in 2021. The percentage of patients who received both medications and psychotherapy remained relatively stable (20.8% in 2018 and 22.5% in 2021).” They noted that the “largest single-year increase in the use of psychotherapy occurred between 2018 and 2019, so factors unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of telemedicine contributed to this trend.” The study was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “More Patients Receiving Psychotherapy Without Medication, Study Finds,” Psychiatric News, May 2, 2025