The Washington Post (3/31) reports a recent study published in JAMA found that “from 2009 to 2019, avoidable mortality increased by an average of 33 deaths per 100,000 people across the United States.” In contrast, avoidable deaths “dropped by an average of nearly 23 deaths per 100,000 across all other countries in the study” during the same period, with European Union countries reducing avoidable deaths by an average of 25 per 100,000. The study noted significant state-by-state variations within the US, “ranging from five avoidable deaths in New York to 100 per 100,000 in West Virginia.” The rise in US deaths was primarily attributed to “external causes such as traffic accidents, homicides, suicides, and drugs and alcohol. Among external causes, drug-related deaths were responsible for 71 percent of the increase in avoidable deaths.” The study also observed a spike in avoidable mortality numbers from 2019 to 2021 across all examined regions, largely due to COVID-19.

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— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

HCPlive (3/31, Derman) reports, “A cross-sectional study found an association between discrimination and mental health across US adults.” About 31% of US adults have experienced at least one major incident of discrimination in their lifetime, with 63% facing discrimination daily. Marginalized groups “experienced more health issues linked to discrimination.” Researchers found that “depression rates rose from 10% to 23% in women and 5.5% to 22% in men (2013–2023). Anxiety rates increased from 8% to 31% in women and 5% to 24% in men (2018–2023). Among Black adults, depression rose from 9% in 2013 to 21% in 2023, while anxiety jumped from 6% in 2018 to 27% in 2023.” Although the study results “demonstrate that White adults experienced higher odds of positive screening results for depression with increasing levels of discrimination,”researchers concluded the finding “does not imply that exposure to discrimination is less significant for Asian, Black, Hispanic or Latino, and other racial and ethnic populations.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

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— “Daily Discrimination’s Link to Depression, Anxiety Varies by Race,”Chelsie Derman, HCPlive, March 31, 2025

HCPlive (3/28, Derman) reported, “A new national survey reported that healthcare [professionals] prioritize quality of life, long-term symptom management, and treatment consistency for patients with bipolar I disorder and schizophrenia.” The survey of 127 psychiatrists and 126 nurse practitioners/physician assistants, conducted online by The Harris Poll, found that “medication adherence was a top concern for healthcare [professionals] when selecting treatments for bipolar I disorder (36%) and schizophrenia (41%). Other concerns included manic (32%) and depressive (31%) episodes for bipolar I disorder, and patients’ ability to take medication as prescribed (41%) and maintain independence and complete daily living activities (38%).” The survey “found that most [professionals] (97%) often look for treatment options that minimize the number of different treatments their patient needs at once.” In addition, “new treatments are more likely to be adopted if included in clinical guidelines and accessible through insurance, with [professionals] valuing strong clinical research and patient experiences.”

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— “Survey: Providers Prioritize QoL, Long-Term Care in BPD, Schizophrenia,” Chelsie Derman, HCPLive, March 28, 2025

HealthDay (3/28, Thompson ) reported a study found that “about 40% of troubled 8- to 20-year-olds reported social media use that could be problematic, saying that they feel discontented, disconnected and upset when they can’t log on to their favorite sites.” Researchers found that “these young people also had higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, as well as poorer overall well-being, compared to peers in treatment who weren’t overly attached to social media.” In addition, “troubled young people hooked on social media had higher levels of substance abuse.” Researchers stated, “What we often see is that the characteristics of problematic use mirror those of addiction, with continued use even when wanting to stop, cravings, interference with daily tasks and activities, deceptive use, interpersonal disruptions and more.” The study was published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

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— “Social Media Can Drag Down Troubled Young People,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, March 28, 2025

The AP (3/27, Seitz ) reports, “In a major overhaul, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will lay off 10,000 workers and shut down entire agencies, including ones that oversee billions of dollars in funds for addiction services and community health centers across the country.”

CNN (3/27, Tirrell , Luhby , Goodman , Gumbrecht ) reports, “In its announcement, HHS said it will consolidate from 28 to 15 divisions, including a new Administration for a Healthy America, and will reduce regional offices from 10 to five.”

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— “Health and Human Services will lay off 10,000 workers and close agencies in a major restructuring,” Amanda Seitz, Associated Press, March 27, 2025