The Atlantic (2/25, Mull) reports “70 percent of teens see mental health as a major struggle for their peers,” according to the results of a survey from the Pew Research Council. The article suggests that “even though it’s troubling that so many teens worry about their peers’ well-being, it might also represent progress in how Americans relate to and empathize with the mentally ill.”

Related Links:

— “A New Sign That Teens Know They Aren’t Struggling Alone, “Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, February 25, 2019

Reuters (2/25, Carroll) reports on a study in Pediatrics which found that pregnant women with nicotine in their systems “are more likely to have children who develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder” (AD/HD). Researchers used national databases in Finland comparing “blood samples from mothers-to-be” and “children who developed the attention disorder,” finding that mothers of AD/HD diagnosed children had high levels of cotinine, the substance created from nicotine breaking down in the body.

Related Links:

— “Prenatal Nicotine Exposure Linked To AD/HD, Study Suggests, “Linda Carroll, Reuters, February 25, 2019

Modern Healthcare (2/22, Castellucci, Subscription Publication) reported that a survey from the American Medical Association indicates approximately “44% of U.S. physicians reported at least one burnout symptom in 2017, a substantial decrease from 2014 when roughly 54% suffered from burnout.” Meanwhile, although “reported burnout dropped, the number of doctors who reported feeling depressed” increased during “the same period,” with the survey finding “41.7% of doctors screened positive for depression, compared with 39.8% in 2014.”

HealthDay (2/22, Preidt) reported, “Declines in burnout symptoms among doctors were not seen across all specialties.” The survey found that “levels among obstetrics and gynecology, general surgery and some other specialties did not fall significantly in 2017.” The findings were published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

Related Links:

— “Burnout among physicians drops but depression on the rise, AMA survey finds, “Maria Castellucci, Modern Healthcare, February 22, 2019

The New York Times (2/21, Wolverton) reports that “colleges are struggling to keep up with an increase in requests for mental health counseling,” so “many have hired additional staff members and are experimenting with new approaches to treatment.” The article discusses three colleges taking “new approaches to treatment”: UCLA, Kent State, and Jefferson Community College in Watertown, NY. Some treatment techniques include “internet-based screenings and online mental health treatment,” as well as “‘resilience peers’ who are not licensed to provide counseling but who offer a release valve for stressed-out students.” The article also highlights “a ‘wraparound’ model” that provides “an assortment of services outside of traditional talk therapy that help students address their overall well-being.”

Related Links:

— “Colleges Expand Their Reach to Address Mental Health Issues, “Brad Wolverton, The New York Times, February 21, 2019

Congressional Quarterly (2/21, Raman, Subscription Publication) reports, “Average Medicaid spending on opioid use disorder treatment increased 25.1 percent per year” since 2010, “with the fastest growth from 2014 to 2016,” according to an analysis conducted by the Urban Institute. The article says a contributing factor “is the expansion of eligibility.” Some 37 states have expanded Medicaid under the ACA. Data show that “between 2013 and 2017 in Medicaid expansion states, the amount Medicaid spent on opioid use disorder nearly tripled.” Meanwhile, Medicaid spending doubled in non-expansion states. The piece adds that between 2010 and 2017, “Medicaid spending on two of the three most common types of medication-assisted treatment to help people using opioids – buprenorphine and naltrexone – and the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone jumped from $190 million to $887.6 million.”

Related Links:

— “Congresional Quarterly (Requires Login and Subscription)