Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of August 24, 2009
Mental Health in the Headlines offers summaries of the latest news and views in the mental health field. Coverage of news items in this publication does not represent Mental Health America's support for or opposition to the stories summarized or the views they express.
*DID YOU KNOW?
Young people with asthma have nearly twice the incidence of depression compared to their peers...more
*HEALTH REFORM UPDATE
Health Reform Plan Could Be Scaled Back
As debate continues around the country on a health reform, indications are growing that any plan might be scaled back because of economic and deficit concerns. A bipartisan group of six senators who have been meeting over the past several months are now working to craft a cheaper plan that still expands coverage and lowers costs. Other senators are calling for a delay. In his weekly radio address, President Obama said he is willing to make compromises but not sacrifice core principles. (The Washington Post, 8/21/09)
Majority of Public Still Supports Reform
Despite increasing criticism of health reform, polls show the public continues to favor moving forward on legislation. A poll released by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 53 percent of the public believes tackling health reform is more important than ever, compared to 42 percent who say the country can’t afford it. And a WSJ/NBC poll finds that when Americans are read the details of the Obama health care plan, a majority—53 percent—say they support it. (MHH Reporting, 8/24/09)
Debate Over Benefits of Prevention Continues
The value of including prevention and wellness programs in health reform continued to spur debate. Some of the prevention efforts include putting money toward community-based activities and more extensive interventions. In a letter to the editor, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America pointed that while early detection is not designed to save money, “there is a growing body of evidence showing that investing in primary prevention to avert chronic disease (such as preventing smoking and obesity) and tertiary prevention to manage chronic diseases (such as by coordinating care) improves health outcomes and saves money. (The Washington Post, 8/19/09)
*TODAY’S NEWS
Workplace Suicides Set Record
The U.S. Department of Labor reported last week a record 28 percent rise in workplace suicides, further evidence of the impact of the recession on the mental health of Americans. The total number of people who completed suicide last year was 251, the highest figure since the agency's Bureau of Labor Statistics began reporting. The total number of people who died on the job dropped 10 percent. That was the lowest number since 1992. (The Associated Press, 8/21/09)
Study Finds Foreclosures Impact Mental Health
A new study finds that the current housing crisis is harming the mental health of individuals who lose their homes. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers said that almost half of people studied while undergoing foreclosure reported depression symptoms, and 37 percent of the participants met screening criteria for major depression. Although the health status of homeowners has traditionally tended to be better than that of renters, “the financial and emotional stress of foreclosure may undermine the potential benefits of homeownership,'' said the study, which will appear in the October edition of the American Journal of Public Health. (Miami Herald, 8/22/09)
Army Planning Mental Resiliency Training
To avert mental health problems, the Army is planning to require all 1.1 million of its soldiers to take intensive training in resiliency. The program is designed to improve combat performance and head off problems such as depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. About one-fifth of troops who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan have behavioral health difficulties. The training will be made available to all active-duty soldiers, reservists and members of the National Guard and also be available to family members and civilian employees. It is modeled on techniques that have been tested mainly in middle schools. (The New York Times, 8/18/09)
Cho’s Records Show Lack of Treatment
The mental health records of Virginia Tech shooter Seung Hui Choi provide more evidence that the school’s counseling center and the state’s mental health system failed to recognize and treat his behavior. A panel created by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) to investigate the state and local systems had previously found that they failed because of lack of resources and passivity. (The Washington Post, 8/20/09)
Use of Illicit Drugs by Baby Boomers Rise
The percentage of Americans age 50-59 who reported use of illicit drugs within a year nearly doubled between 2002 and 2007, from 5.1 per cent to 9.4 per cent, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported last week. The agency said that percentage rose because baby boomers continued to use drugs as they got older. SAMHSA Acting Administrator Eric Broderick said the continued drug use "is likely to put further strains on the nation's health care system." (Associated Press, 8/20/09)
Film Depictions of Mental Health Problems Becoming More Damaging
Film characters with mental health problems are being depicted as more demonic than at any time in movie history, according to a British study. The report, by the anti-stigma mental health campaign Time to Change, says that depictions of people with mental health problems have become more damaging. It finds that the public gets its understanding of mental health conditions more from movies than any other type of media. A YouGov survey commissioned for the report reports that almost half of the public had seen people with mental illness acting violently in films. And it found that more than 4 out 10 believed that people with a mental illness would act violently. (The Telegraph, 8/18/09)
Latest Research
Stress and Depression Worsen Childhood Asthma: Young people with asthma have nearly twice the incidence of depression compared to their peers without asthma and those conditions can worsen asthma symptoms, a study finds. Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that depressed children with asthma exhibit a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system along with increased airway compromise. The study, which appears in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, cautions parents of children with asthma to be aware of the possibility that stressful or emotionally troubling events may lead to worsening asthma episodes. (Reuters, 8/19/09)
Clinical Depression Causes Malfunctions in Brain’s Pleasure Center: Clinically depressed individuals are less capable of finding pleasure in activities they previously enjoyed, according to a recent study. Researchers found that the healthy subjects showed more brain activity in specific regions when they listed to their favorite music compared to the depressed subjects. More specifically, several regions of the brain that are associated with reward processing were shown to be less activated in the depressed individuals, suggesting that even the most basic capacity of enjoyment seems to be malfunctioning in this area of the brain in those who have depression. (Sciencedaily, 8/24/09)
Short Children No More Likely to be Depressed: Short children are no more likely to be depressed, unpopular with their classmates, or have other social and emotional problems than their taller peers, a new study asserts. Researchers analyzed data on 712 sixth-graders. Twenty-eight children were classified as having short stature; the remaining children were not. The study, published in Pediatrics, found that while short children reported slightly higher levels of being victimized or teased by their peers, there was no difference on other measures of depression, behavioral problems, or popularity. (Chicago Tribune, 8/21/09)
Genetic Link Found Between Physical Pain and Social Rejection: A gene linked with physical pain sensitivity is associated with social pain sensitivity as well, according to a new study. The findings, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates that variation in the mu-opioid receptor gene, which is often associated with physical pain, is related to how much social pain a person feels in response to social rejection. People with a rare form of the gene are more sensitive to rejection and experience more brain evidence of distress in response to rejection than those with the more common form. (Sciencedaily, 8/21/09)
HEADLINES at Mental Health America
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*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
With the start of the school year, parents should be alert to signs of emotional distress in their children. Kids age 6 and younger may have mental health problems, such as attention deficit disorder or major depression. Mental Health America has more information. St. Petersburg Times, “School Bells At Times Ring In Behavior Issues,” August 20, 2009
Children who are nervous about the new school year can relax by practicing "mindfulness" during anxious moments, researchers say. Mental Health America has more information on stress. HealthDay News, “Soothe Back-to-School Anxiety, Teach Kids to Relax,” August 23, 2009
Stay Up to Date With More News, Views and Tools
- Survey reveals obstacles to health care for people who have schizophrenia
- New report reveals link between states’ depression status and access to treatment
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Mental Health in the Headlines is produced weekly by Mental Health America. Mental Health America's Mental Health in the Headlines staff: Steve Vetzner, senior director, Media Relation and Sarah Jones, communications coordinator.
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