Psychiatric News (11/4) reports, “As autumn renders the daylight hours shorter and winter creeps closer, a significant percentage of Americans will experience changes in mood, according to the latest APA Healthy Minds poll.” About “two-fifths of Americans (41%) said their mood declines during the winter months.” The poll found that “this is especially true in the Midwest and Northeast, where 52% and 46% of respondents, respectively, said they experience a decline in mood.” APA President Ramaswamy Viswanathan, MD, said, “The winter months have less light, the time change can feel abrupt, and the holidays for some are overwhelming. … It’s helpful to keep tabs on your mood. … If you’re feeling very poorly, consider talking to a mental health clinician, and also know that spring is only a few months away.”

Related Links:

— “Poll Finds Many Americans Experience Changes in Mood as Winter Approaches,” Psychiatric News, November 4, 2024

Healio (11/4, Jenkins ) reports, “Exercise interventions reduced daily alcohol dependence and significantly improved physical and mental health, like heart rate and anxiety, among patients with alcohol use disorder, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.” The researchers said “the changes in the five outcome indicators of physical and mental status were statistically significant…wh ich proves that exercise can be an adjunctive means of improving the quality of life and reducing the relapse rate of” patients with AUD “in conjunction with clinical treatments.” The findings were published in PLOS ONE.

Related Links:

— “Exercise improves physical, mental health in people with alcohol use disorder,” Cassandra Jenkins, Healio, November 4, 2024

Healio (11/1, Wursta) reports, “According to published results, severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, may be risk factors for decreased bone mineral density, fragility fractures and undiagnosed osteoporosis.” Researchers “performed a longitudinal population-based cohort study of 444,480 patients aged 50 years and older.” The findings were published in the British Journal of General Practice.

Related Links:

— “Mental illness may be associated with fragility fractures, undiagnosed osteoporosis,” Max R. Wursta, Healio, November 1, 2024

Healio (11/1, Kellner ) reports, “Although state laws have expanded access to naloxone, overdose deaths among adolescents and young adults continue to climb, according to data.” Researchers found that “before NALs were implemented, opioid-related deaths rose 7.8% per year,” and “afterward, states with patient-specific NALs saw an increase of 4.7% per year in such deaths, and states with patient-nonspecific NALs experienced increases of 8.7% per year.” The findings were published in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Study: Naloxone access laws have not reduced youth opioid deaths,” Sara Kellner, Healio, November 1, 2024

Medical Economics (10/31, Littrell) says a study “looked at 200 adults with chronic neck or back pain, and reported that effective physician-patient communication during the initial consultation can have significant implications toward patients’ overall outcomes.” According to one researcher, “patients were better equipped to manage their uncertainties, including fears, anxiety and confidence in their own ability to cope with their condition, as a result of effective communication during their first consultation.” The findings were published in the Journal of Health Communication.

Related Links:

— “Physician-patient communication during initial consultation affects outcomes for chronic pain patients,” Austin Littrell, Medical Economics, October 31, 2024