CNN (9/20, LaMotte) reports, “Eating greater amounts of ultraprocessed food and drinks, especially if those items are artificially sweetened, may be linked to the development of depression,” investigators concluded in a study suggesting “an association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and depression, with an about 50% higher risk for those consuming 9 portions (per day) or more (the top 20%) compared to those consuming four portions or less.”

NBC News (9/20, Sullivan) reports, “The study” examined “the eating habits and mental health status of more than 31,000 women between the ages of 42 and 62,” all of whom were participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II study. The findings were published online Sept. 20 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Artificially sweetened ultraprocessed foods linked to depression in women, study finds,”Sandee LaMotte, CNN, September 20, 2023

Healio (9/20, Rhoades) reports, “Patients prescribed buprenorphine at 24 mg for opioid use disorder were more likely to remain in treatment compared with those prescribed a 16 mg dose,” researchers concluded in the findings of a 6,499-patient study published online Sept. 18 in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Higher buprenorphine dose may keep patients in treatment longer,”Andrew Rhoades, Healio, September 20, 2023

HealthDay (9/20, Collins) reports, “Nearly one in five counties across the United States lack psychiatrists or internet service, making it difficult for around 10.5 million Americans to find mental healthcare,” according to findings published online Sept. 14 in JAMA Network Open. Those “counties examined in the study were more likely to be in rural areas, have higher unemployment rates, and have populations that were more likely to be uninsured and lack a bachelor’s degree.”

Related Links:

— “Few Doctors, Spotty Internet: Finding Mental Health Care Tough for Many Americans,”Sarah D. Collins, HealthDay , September 20, 2023

mHealth Intelligence (9/19, Vaidya) reports a “study revealed fewer differences in health care utilization by race and ethnicity and preferred language when a mix of virtual and in-person care options was available to patients versus when only in-person care was available.” The study, published in JAMA Network Open, “aimed to examine rates of change in in-person and telehealth visits and between-visit interactions over time, as well as key patient characteristics associated with visits and between-visit interactions.”

Related Links:

— “Hybrid Care Could Help Curb Disparities in Healthcare Utilization,”Anuja Vaidya, mHealth Intelligence , September 19, 2023

Psychiatric News (9/19) reports, “Researchers have long known that people with serious mental illnesses (SMI) tend to die at younger ages than those who do not have these conditions – likely due to their higher risk of chronic illnesses that tend to be more severe and diagnosed later in life,” but an “article in JAMA Psychiatry examines why these patients may have been overlooked for palliative care and a few simple steps that psychiatrists can take to help connect patients to end of life care when needed.” The researchers wrote, “This population faces disparities at the patient, health care professional, and system levels, which are worsened by the prevalent stigma associated with major mental illness. The ensuing fragmentation impedes care integration and raises the likelihood of poor health outcomes.”

Related Links:

— “Palliative Care Said to Help Patients With Serious Mental Illness, Psychiatric News , September 19, 2023