CNN International (8/19, Wolf) reports that “after the shootings earlier this month in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, the American Psychiatric Association issued a statement calling the gun violence a public health crisis that needs attention.” The APA, which has “called for additional funding for mental health programs,” said in that statement, “It is important to note that the overwhelming majority of people with mental illness are not violent and far more likely to be victims of violent crime than perpetrators of violence. Rhetoric that argues otherwise will further stigmatize and interfere with people accessing needed treatment.”

Related Links:

— “Mental health advocates say reopening institutions won’t stop mass shootings, “Zachary B. Wolf, CNN, August 19, 2019

Psychiatric News (8/19) reports, “Adults who experienced significant abuse or neglect during childhood may exhibit a preference for more ‘personal space’ and discomfort with some types of social touching,” researchers concluded. The findings of the 92-adult study were published online Aug. 16 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “Childhood Abuse May Impact Development of Close Social Bonds as Adults, Psychiatric News, August 19, 2019

HealthDay (8/16, Preidt) reported, “Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment of obstructive sleep apnea [OSA] can ease depression in people with heart disease,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from nearly 2,700 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and moderate-to-severe heart disease who were enrolled in the Sleep Apnea Cardiovascular Endpoints” study. The findings were published online June 13 in the journal EClinicalMedicine.

Related Links:

— “For Heart Patients, CPAP Treatment May Ease Depression: Study, ” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 16, 2019

HealthDay (8/16) reported, “Transgender college students are two to four times more likely than their classmates to have mental health problems,” research indicated.

Healio (8/16, Demko) reported researchers arrived at this conclusion after examining “mental health status by gender identity among undergraduate and graduate students across U.S. campuses using data from the 2015 to 2017 Healthy Minds Study, an internet-based survey of 63,994 cisgender and 1,237 gender minority students.” The findings were published in the September issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Related Links:

— “Higher Risk of Mental Health Problems for Transgender College Students: Study, ” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, August 16, 2019

Psychiatric News (8/16) reported, “Military personnel who have firearms at home and a history of thoughts of death or self-harm are less likely to store their firearms in a safe manner than those with no such history,” researchers concluded after examining “the firearm storage practices of 1,652 active-duty military personnel who were seen in military primary care clinics between July 2015 and August 2018.” The findings of the 1,652-participant study were published online Aug. 16 in a research letter in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Military Personnel With Suicidal Ideation Less Likely to Store Firearms Safely at Home, Psychiatric News, August 16, 2019