HealthDay (9/15, Gotkine) reported a study found that “parental diseases of despair (DoD; i.e., substance use disorder, alcohol-related disease, or suicidal behavior) are associated with suicidal events (SE) in offspring.” The study “included 561,837 families with at least one parent diagnosed with a DoD and 1,180,546 control families, from which 817,133 and 1,744,182 children, respectively, were identified.” Researchers observed that “parental DoD exposure was associated with an increased risk for SE. Compared with youth with one affected parent, those with two parents with DoD had a larger risk for an SE. In girls aged 8 to 11 years, there was a significant age-by-sex interaction, which was not seen in boys. Higher risk for a child SE was seen with maternal versus paternal DoD.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Parental Diseases of Despair Linked to Suicidal Events in Offspring,”Elana Gotkine, HealthDay, September 15, 2025

MedPage Today (9/12, Firth) reported a study found that “use of medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) in jail was strongly associated with lower risks for overdose, death, and re-incarceration after release into the community.” Researchers observed that “among 6,400 individuals with probable OUD, those who opted to take medication for it had a 52% lower risk of fatal overdose after release and a 56% lower risk for death from any cause compared with those who went untreated.” Furthermore, “receiving medication while in jail was also associated with a 24% lower risk of nonfatal overdose and a 12% lower risk of re-incarceration.” Researchers also observed that “within 30 days of release, medication recipients were more likely to receive treatment for OUD compared to individuals who did not receive treatment (60.2% vs 17.6%). At 6 months after release, 58% of those who started in jail were still receiving treatment.” The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

The American Journal of Managed Care (9/11, McNulty) says a study found that “nearly 8 in 10 adults with alopecia areata (AA) report experiencing stigma,” underscoring the “profound psychosocial burden experienced by adults with AA in the United States, including feelings of embarrassment, negative judgment, or being treated differently because of their condition.” Researchers observed that 79.2% of respondents with AA “reported some form of internalized or external stigma. Three in 4 (74.6%) respondents reported embarrassment due to AA, 66.8% felt judged negatively by others, and 58.7% said they were treated negatively because of their condition. The takeaways of these findings are consistent with previous research, including a study assessing attitudes toward AA among people without the condition.” The survey “also revealed notable rates of comorbid mental health conditions” and that 42% of respondents “said they were dissatisfied with their current hair growth, with dissatisfaction rising sharply with severity.” The study was published in The Journal Of Dermatology.

Related Links:

— “Patients With Alopecia Report High Rates of Internal, External Stigma,”Rose McNulty, The American Journal of Managed Care, September 11, 2025

Healio (9/11, Leiser) reports, “Sociodemographic factors may influence cancer survivors’ ability to access pharmacologic treatment for mental health conditions, according to” research. The data indicated that “use of medication for depression or anxiety varied significantly based on race and ethnicity, as well as insurance status.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “‘Not doing enough’: Study reveals gaps in cancer survivors’ access to mental health care,”Mark Leiser, Healio , September 11, 2025

HealthDay (9/10, Gotkine) reports a study suggests that “a ketogenic diet (KD) is a feasible adjunctive therapy and is associated with improvements in depression symptoms among young adults with major depressive disorder (MDD).” Study participants received “standard-of-care counseling and/or medication treatment and were enrolled in a 10- to 12-week KD intervention.” Researchers observed that “73 percent of the time, nutritional ketosis was achieved. Postintervention, depressive symptoms decreased by 69 and 71 percent with the Patient Health Questionnaire and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, respectively; improvement occurred within two to six weeks. There was a nearly threefold increase in global well-being.” In addition, “both body mass and fat mass decreased (−6.2 and −13.0 percent, respectively). A decrease was seen in serum leptin (−52 percent), while there was an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (+32 percent). On several cognitive tasks, performance improved.” The study was published in Translational Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Adjunctive Ketogenic Diet Shows Promise In Alleviating Symptoms In Young Adults With MDD, Study Suggests,”Elana Gotkine, HealthDay, September 10, 2025