MedPage Today (3/26, Henderson ) reports a new survey suggests that “physicians remain concerned about the state of U.S. healthcare,” but “fewer are considering leaving the profession.” The survey of 750 primary care physicians and 251 specialists “found that the proportion of participants indicating optimism for the future of U.S. healthcare was down to 29% from a high of 48% in 2022.” However, just 28% of respondents “reported weighing – once a week or more – whether to leave the profession, down from 36% a year ago. Another 68% reported looking forward to coming to work, and 53% reported feeling they have a good work/life balance.” In addition, “optimism was rated higher among physicians who viewed artificial intelligence (AI) as helping to reduce administrative burden, according to the survey.”

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Healio (3/25, Schaffer ) reports data show that “women with polycystic ovary syndrome and a diagnosis of depression are 56% more likely to develop metabolic syndrome compared with women without depression, increasing their risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.” Researchers said that the “findings suggest that all women with PCOS should be screened during a baseline visit for depression and anxiety, as recommended in the two most recent international PCOS guidelines.” They concluded, “We need to make all physicians aware that we need to screen women over time, because mental health is not static. If a woman has depression, then we might want to be more aggressive in managing their cardiometabolic risk.” The data were published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Related Links:

— “PCOS with diagnosed depression may signal greater cardiometabolic risk,” Regina Schaffer, Healio, March 25, 2025

Healio (3/25, Buzby ) reports, “Psychosocial stress, especially financial stress, was associated with increased odds of experiencing intracerebral hemorrhage, with a particularly strong effect among Black and Hispanic patients, researchers” found. The data indicated that “hypertension mediated some of the relationship between stress and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), but not all.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Related Links:

— “Psychosocial stress possibly tied to stroke subtype,” Scott Buzby, Healio, March 25, 2025

HealthDay (3/24, Solomon ) reports a study found that “children exposed to maternal cannabis use disorder (CUD) during pregnancy and postpartum have an increased risk for later behavioral disorders.” Researchers discovered “significantly higher risks for disruptive behavioral disorders in children of mothers with CUD during the antenatal…perinatal…and postnatal…periods versus nonexposed dyads.” They concluded, “Cannabinoid ingredients can cross the placenta and enter breast milk, potentially affecting brain development.” The study was published in Psychiatry Research.

Related Links:

— “Exposure to Maternal Cannabis Use Disorder Ups Risk for Youth Behavioral Disorders,” Lori Solomon, HealthDay, March 24, 2025

HealthDay (3/21, Thompson ) reported a new study suggests people who stay up late have “an increased risk of depression” because they have “worse sleep quality than average sleepers or morning birds, and they tended to consume more alcohol.” The study also “explored the potential role of mindfulness in depression risk among the late-night crowd, and found that it was a contributing factor.” Researchers wrote, “Morning types present with higher ‘acting with awareness’ because of their tendency to sleep better and therefore have a lower risk of fatigue, inattention and mind wandering during the day. On the other hand, evening chronotypes usually have poorer sleep quality, causing them to be more prone to daytime sleepiness and thus less awareness of the present moment.” The study was published in PLOS One.

Related Links:

— “Why Are Night Owls Prone To Depression?,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, March 21, 2025