Healio (1/27, Bascom) reported, “Telehealth was a comparable alternative to in-person care for opioid use disorder” (OUD) “during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that telehealth can safely be used to expand access to this care,” researchers concluded in a study that “evaluated de-identified administrative claims data from 11,801 patients with a mean age of 53.9 years…who had OUD and were enrolled in either commercial insurance or Medicare Advantage plans.” The findings were published online Jan. 24 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Study: Telehealth just as effective as in-person care for opioid use disorder treatment “Emma Bascom, Healio, January 27, 2023

The Washington Post (1/26, Timsit) reports, “A new study of more than 29,000 older adults” has identified six “healthy lifestyle factors” that are tied to “a lower risk of dementia and a slower rate of memory decline.” The study revealed that “eating a balanced diet, exercising the mind and body regularly, having regular contact with others, and not drinking or smoking…were associated with better cognitive outcomes in older adults, in a large Chinese study conducted over a decade.”

According to MedPage Today (1/26, George), the study found that “memory decline was slower for older adults who had a healthy lifestyle, even for people with high genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” that is, for people with the APOE ε4 allele. The findings were published online in the BMJ.

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

Healio (1/26, Herpen) reports, “Individuals diagnosed with a personality disorder benefited from interventions delivered in community or outpatient settings, with all therapeutic approaches demonstrating similar efficacy,” investigators concluded in the findings of a 54-study systematic review and meta-analysis published online Jan. 21 in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Interventions benefit those with personality disorder in community, outpatient setting “Robert Herpen, Healio, January 26, 2023

Healio (1/26) reports, “According to a recently released” online poll from Lifeworks, “mental health among U.S. workers has improved minimally from the depth of the COVID-19 pandemic, with about half of respondents stating they would like online assessments of their mental well-being.” The poll, which was “conducted from Nov. 11-18, among 5,000 respondents employed within the prior six months, revealed that 40% expressed wishes to connect with a mental health professional online, 36% preferred an in-person assessment, 6% opted for a phone consultation and 18% had no preference.” The poll’s findings were disclosed in December in a detailed report (PDF).

Related Links:

— “Poll: 40% of U.S. workers prefer online mental health evaluation “Shenaz Bagha, Healio, January 26, 2023

Healio (1/25, Herpen) reports, “The needs of families are largely unmet when a parent is hospitalized for a mental illness, with the need for a broad range of care models required to address these gaps,” researchers concluded in the findings of an eight-study qualitative systematic review published online Jan. 20 in the journal BMC Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Needs of family members unmet with parent hospitalization for mental illness “Robert Herpen, Healio, January 25, 2023