HealthDay (7/13, Preidt) reports that during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., “more than twice as many young people as is normal were hospitalized with eating disorders,” with the “highest rates of admissions per month” occurring “between nine and 12 months after the start of the pandemic,” according to data published in Pediatrics. Study researchers wrote, “These findings emphasize how profoundly the pandemic has affected young people, who experienced school closures, canceled extracurricular activities, and social isolation. Their entire worlds were turned upside down overnight.”

Related Links:

— “Hospitalizations for Teens With Eating Disorders Rose Sharply During Pandemic ” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, July 13, 2021

HealthDay (7/12, Murez) reports researchers have “identified higher risks in nervous system, respiratory, musculoskeletal and metabolic diseases among individuals who have” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). For the study, investigators “identified more than four million full-sibling and maternal half-sibling pairs born between 1932 and 1995 through Swedish registers,” and these “participants were followed between 1973 and 2013.” The study revealed that “most strongly associated with” AD/HD “were alcohol-related liver disease, sleep disorders, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), epilepsy, fatty liver disease and obesity.” In addition, AD/HD was also associated with “a slightly increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.” The findings were published online July 6 in The Lancet Psychiatry. HealthDay adds, “The American Psychiatric Association has more on” AD/HD.

Related Links:

— “Adults With ADHD May Face Higher Odds for Physical Illnesses: Study “Cara Murez, HealthDay, July 12, 2021

Healio (7/9, Gramigna) reported, “Several factors increased risk for stimulant treatment discontinuation and switch to nonstimulants among people with” attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), researchers concluded after analyzing “analyzing genetic and national register data of 9,133 individuals with” AD/HD. These factors “included having higher polygenic liability for mood and/or psychotic disorders, delayed ADHD diagnosis and psychiatric comorbidities.” The findings were published online June 22 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication for the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Researchers identify factors that influence stimulant discontinuation, switch in ADHD “Joe Gramigna, Healio, July 9, 2021

Healthcare IT News (7/8, Jercich) reports research published online in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reveals that “virtual visits facilitate healthcare access and relationship-building, contributing to satisfying relationship-centered care, a crucial aspect of contemporary patient experiences.” Investigators arrived at that conclusion after surveying “426 adult patients with a virtual visit between June and July 2017 – notably, before the COVID-19 pandemic more broadly normalized telemedicine.” The study revealed that “the average overall satisfaction score was 4.4 out of 5, with about 82% of respondents saying their virtual visit was as good as an in-person visit with a clinician,” and “more than half of the respondents agreed that their virtual visit was better than an in-person one.”

Related Links:

— “Patients are just as satisfied with virtual visits, Cleveland Clinic study finds “Kat Jercich, Healthcare IT News, July 8, 2021

The New York Times (7/8, Abelson) reports research from Harvard, Northeastern, Northwestern, and Rutgers universities shows that levels of social isolation increased sharply last summer “even as the public health crisis in the United States began to abate,” suggesting “recovery from the pandemic may take a long time and could affect people’s view of their relationships over time.” The researchers found feelings of social isolation increased “even though they were seeing more people,” perhaps because “people may have felt they had fewer people to lean on because they remained physically distant from a broad network of acquaintances and friends,” according to sociology professor Mario Small. According to the Times, “The researchers also point to a strong association between social isolation, particularly for those people who said they lacked people they could turn to for emotional support, and moderate or severe depression.”

Related Links:

— “Social isolation in the U.S. rose even as the Covid crisis began to subside, new research shows “Reed Abelson, The New York Times, July 8, 2021