Medscape (7/1, Davenport, Subscription Publication) reports, “Community-based services that tap into local environments not only reduce the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) but also provide improved long-term outcomes for patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP),” investigators concluded in two studies. In one study, researchers “developed a program to reduce DUP to complement their first-episode service,” finding that they were “able to nearly halve the time from diagnosis to initiation of antipsychotic treatment.” The second study, which included more than 400 patients with FEP, found that early intervention services “significantly improved both symptoms and quality of life and reduced inpatient days in comparison with standard care.” The findings of both studies were scheduled for presentation “at the Congress of the Schizophrenia International Research Society…2020, but the meeting was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Related Links:

— “Community Programs Improve Psychosis Outcomes, “Liam Davenport, Medscape, July 1, 2020

Psychiatric News (6/30) reports that “during a virtual U.S. House subcommittee hearing” conducted on June 30, American Psychiatric Association (APA) President Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, “urged Congress to take action to curb the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Speaking before the US House Committee on Energy & Commerce’s Subcommittee on Health, Dr. Geller stated, “We expect that, even after the infectious aspect of this pandemic is over, we’re going to have a mental health pandemic that could go on for quite some time.” During the hearing, Dr. Geller voiced his support for a number of pending bills that would promote mental health.

MedPage Today (6/30) also reports Dr. Geller’s testimony.

Related Links:

— “Geller Testifies on Mental Health Needs During Pandemic and Beyond, Psychiatric News, June 30, 2020

The Washington Post (6/29, Chang) reports that Joshua Morganstein, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on the Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster, said that the US is facing “three disasters superimposed on top of one another” referring to the COVID-19 pandemic, its economic consequences, and “civil unrest.” Morganstein said, “Certainly, one way of responding, and a common way of responding, is anger.” The Post offers “strategies to curb anger” including, according to Morganstein, “basic self-care.” Morganstein also suggested “more media breaks, more time walking outside, seeing our neighbors, saying hello, exchanging problem-solving and reminding each other that we’re in this together.” Morganstein further said, “One of the things that can feel very overwhelming and paralyzing for people is to sit in a passive mode,” and suggested that helping someone else shows “we are not helpless, we are not powerless, and there are things we can do to effect change.”

Related Links:

— “Americans are living in a big ‘anger incubator.’ Experts have tips for regulating our rage., “Elizabeth Chang, The Washington Post, June 29, 2020

MedPage Today (6/29, George) reports, “A higher level of early-life cognitive enrichment – such as learning a foreign language, reading and being read to, and playing games like checkers – was tied to a slower rate of late-life cognitive decline,” investigators concluded after evaluating “813 autopsied brains from the Rush Memory and Aging Project to explore whether early-life experiences were associated with Alzheimer’s pathology.” The study authors posited that the “effect occurred partly through an association with lower levels of Alzheimer’s pathology changes.” The findings were published online in JAMA Neurology.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Healthcare IT News (6/29, Jercich) reports according to the Commonwealth Fund, there has been a “plateau” in telemedicine appointments, which still make up “a relatively small percentage of rebounding ambulatory care services.” The study also shows “that telemedicine visits have actually been declining since April.” The study was based on data from “a sample of practices accounting for approximately 5 percent of ambulatory visits in the U.S.” In addition, “overall visits to ambulatory practices are still 10% below baseline numbers from the week of March 1.” The study shows that telemedicine visits rose from 0.1% of visits in the week of March 8 to 14% of visits in mid-April, but have since been declining as a percentage to 7.4% of visits in the week of June 14.

Related Links:

— “After initial spike, telehealth visits are on the decline, report finds, “Kat Jercich, Healthcare IT News, June 29, 2020