HealthDay (1/23, Preidt) reports, “Gestational diabetes and a previous bout of depression can increase a first-time mother’s risk of postpartum depression,” researchers found after analyzing “data from more than 700,000 women in Sweden.” The findings were published online Jan. 18 in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

Related Links:

— “Gestational Diabetes a Risk Factor for Postpartum Depression: Study,”Robert Preidt, HealthDay , January 23, 2017.

HealthDay (1/23, Thompson) reports that research suggests “the stress of managing breast cancer care provokes symptoms of anxiety in more than 42 percent of partners and caregivers.” Investigators found that “this stress-induced anxiety can last years after their loved one’s illness.” Investigators came to these conclusions after surveying “289 partners of patients diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger.” The findings are scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.

Related Links:

— “When Loved One Has Breast Cancer, Partner Suffers, Too,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 23, 2017.

In a 2,000-word piece, the Washington Post (1/21, Itkowitz) reported on how certain community-based programs are helping give people with severe mental illness “a chance to lead a meaningful life.” For example, the Way Station program, “which serves more than 5,000 people across Maryland,” is making a big difference in the lives of individuals with mental illnesses by using “social support systems to integrate people with mental illnesses into their communities.”

Related Links:

— “His mental illness left him homeless. Then a unique program gave him his life back,”Colby Itkowitz, The Washington Post, January 21, 2017.

Reuters (1/20, Lehman) reported that a study suggests that infertile women “who are depressed are less likely to proceed with fertility treatments.” Researchers found that of the 416 women studied, “41 percent screened positive for depression.” The study’s lead author told Reuters Health in an email, “Our study revealed that women who have a screening test correlating with depression were less likely to proceed with infertility treatments, likely making it harder to achieve the ultimate goal of pregnancy.” The findings were published online Jan. 9 in the journal Human Reproduction.

Related Links:

— “Depression may prevent infertile women from seeking treatment,”Shereen Lehman, Reuters, January 20, 2017.

HealthDay (1/20, Preidt) reported, “More Americans with mental illness and substance abuse disorders got health insurance after the Affordable Care Act was introduced,” researchers found after reviewing “data from nearly 30,000 adults, aged 18 to 64, with mental illness and more than 19,000 with substance use disorders.” Investigators focused on “two time periods: 2011 to 2013, and in 2014.” The findings were published online Jan. 17 in Psychiatric Services, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association. Healio(1/20, Oldt) also covered the study.

Related Links:

— “Obamacare Covered More People With Mental Illness, Addictions,”Robert Preidt, HealthDay, January 20, 2017.