The New York Times (8/31, Abelson) reports, “In general, under the” Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, “insurers are prohibited from offering plans that treat depression differently than, say, diabetes; no longer can they impose strict limits on treatment, or set up overly stringent pre-authorization policies or exclude categories of care,” such as “residential programs.” However, “the exemption afforded” state and local “governments for their employees is widely in use, particularly in strained economic times, maintaining a loophole some advocates have tried to close repeatedly.” In fact, “dozens of plans across the country have requested an exemption for the current coverage year,” a time when people have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, “according to the most recent list compiled by the federal government.”

Related Links:

— “Teachers, Police, Other Public Workers Left Out of Mental Health Coverage “Reed Abelson, The New York Times, August 31, 2021

Psychiatric News (8/31) reports, “People with disabilities appear to be significantly more likely to think about, plan, and/or attempt suicide than people without disabilities,” research indicated, with “individuals with multiple disabilities…at a particularly heightened risk of suicidal behavior.” Included in the study were “198,640 U.S. adults who had answered survey questions regarding the presence or absence of any suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts during the 12 months” and also “answered six questions about the presence or absence of functional disabilities.” The findings were published online Aug. 28 ahead of print in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Related Links:

— “People With Disabilities at Elevated Risk of Suicidal Behavior, Study Suggests, Psychiatric News, August 31, 2021

According to Psychiatric News (8/30), patients with cancer “undergoing chemotherapy who regularly attended a weekly integrative oncology program had lower levels of depression, anxiety, and sleep problems than patients who did not regularly attend the program,” researchers concluded in a study that examined “data from 439 adults who received personalized integrative oncology care while undergoing chemotherapy for localized cancer (stages 1-3).” The findings were published online Aug. 26 in the journal Psycho-Oncology.

Related Links:

— “Integrative Oncology Care May Reduce Emotional Distress in Cancer Patients, Psychiatric News, August 30, 2021

Healio (8/30, Miller) reports, “Although combined oral contraceptives improved overall premenstrual symptomatology in women with PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder [PMDD], the birth control pills did not improve premenstrual depressive symptoms,” investigators concluded in a study also revealing that “there was ‘no evidence for one combined oral contraceptive being more efficacious than any other’ for these conditions.” Researchers arrived at these conclusions after conducting “a meta-analysis of nine randomized trials that evaluated the effect of combined oral contraceptives in women with PMS or PMDD.” The findings(PDF) were published online ahead of print in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Related Links:

— “‘Optimal’ treatment for premenstrual depressive symptoms remains elusive “Janel Miller, Healio, August 30, 2021

HealthDay (8/30, Mann) reports, “Fully half of all young adults with” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) “may also battle alcohol or drug abuse,” and people with AD/HD “who have a history of depression or anxiety are particularly vulnerable to substance abuse problems,” investigators found in a study that “included close to 6,900 Canadians aged 20 to 39 with and without” AD/HD. The findings were published online Aug. 3 in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism.

Related Links:

— “Half of Adults With ADHD Have Struggled With Alcohol, Drug Use “Denise Mann, HealthDay, August 30, 2021