Mental Health in the Headlines Week of September 7, 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?
Depression and anxiety affect up to 15 percent of preschoolers...more
*TODAY’S NEWS
Obama To Address Congress Tonight on Health Care
President Obama will address a joint session of Congress tonight and provide greater details on what he wants to see in an overhaul. While he will strongly endorse a public insurance option, the President will stop short of insisting it be included in legislation. A bipartisan group of senators is continuing to meet on a plan that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) began circulating over the weekend. That proposal includes fees on insurers and penalties on Americans who don’t carry insurance. (The Wall Street Journal, 9/09/09)
Bush-era Medicaid Policies On Children's Mental Health Continue
States have continued to implement Bush-era Medicaid policies on children's mental health despite a decision by the Obama administration to reverse those policies, according to a new report by a coalition of nonprofit health care providers. The Alliance for Children and Families estimates that unless changed, the ongoing implementation of the Bush policies could reduce needed mental health care for tens of thousands of children across the nation. The report found that states are continuing to implement Bush administration policies that limited funding for mental health services for foster children with serious emotional disturbances. These services, including therapeutic foster care, are covered by Medicaid in most states. (Medical News Today, 9/04/09)
WHO: Depression Will Be Most Common Health Problem Within 20 Years
Depression will become the most common health problem within 20 years, according to the World Health Organization. It said the condition will be the biggest health burden on society both economically and sociologically. Most developing countries spend less than 2 percent of their national budgets on mental healthcare. The warning comes as the first Global Mental Health Summit starts in Athens, Greece. (BBC News, 9/02/09)
Calculating Savings From Prevention Requires Longer View
Officials involved in “scoring” health reform proposals may be missing potential savings by not looking at efforts to manage or prevent expensive, chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, a study finds. The report, which appears in Health Affairs, suggests that “well-designed (prevention) interventions dealing with chronic illness could be more cost-effective than projected.” The study recognizes that the traditional 10-year “scoring” window utilized by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office may not be long enough to accurately assess the effects of chronic disease interventions, particularly those addressing diabetes. Lawmakers need cost estimates that look at a period of 25 years for health care legislation, researchers said. (Reuters, 9/01/09)
Worrying About Job Loss Worse Than Being Jobless
Worrying about the loss of a job can be more damaging to a person’s health than actually losing employment, a new study finds. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, assessed the impact of job insecurity by analyzing data on 1,700 adults and studies conducted between 1986 and 1989 and from 1995 and 2005. For one group, they found that chronic job insecurity was a stronger predictor of poor health than either smoking or high blood pressure. (Reuters, 9/01/09)
Latest Research
Twenty Percent of Patients with Early Stage Kidney Disease Have Depression: Twenty percent of patients with early stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer from depression, according to a new study. Researchers studied 272 patients with CKD in stages two through five who they categorized as depressed or nondepressed. The study, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, found that the prevalence of major depressive episodes in CKD patients is greater than those reported for patients with other chronic diseases including diabetes, congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease. "Unemployment, psychiatric illness and diabetes were factors that seemed to contribute to depression in the chronic kidney disease patients we studied," said Susan Hedayati, M.D., at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. (Medical News Today, 9/03/09)
Depression and Anxiety Affect Up to 15 Percent of Preschoolers: Depression and anxiety affect up to 15 percent of preschoolers, Canadian researchers and international colleagues say. A study, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, found children with high depression and anxiety were more likely to have mothers with a history of depression. Researchers annually evaluated a representative sample of 1,758 preschoolers born in Quebec. Mothers provided information on the children in extensive interviews. As early as age 1, there are indications that some children are at higher risk of developing high levels of depression and anxiety, first author Sylvana M. Cote of the University de Montreal said. (United Press International, 9/01/09)
Abstaining From Alcohol Associated with Depression Risk: Abstaining from alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of depression, new research finds. The study, published in Addiction Journal, used data from the Nord-Trondelag Health study that provided information on the drinking habits and mental health of more than 38,000 people. It found those who reported drinking no alcohol during a two-week period were more likely than moderate drinkers to report symptoms of depression. People who called themselves "abstainers" were at the highest risk of depression. The researchers said other factors, such as age, physical health problems and number of close friends could explain some, but not all of the increased risk. (United Press International, 8/31/09)
HEADLINES at Mental Health America
Mental Health America Announces Support of Give an Hour: The organizations will work to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues within the military and veteran communities as well as the general public.
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*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
The work of the group Five Town Communities That Care will be spotlighted in an event with the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Five Town CTC’s work was highlighted at Mental Health America’s Conference in Washington, D.C. in June. The Herald Gazette, “Five Town Communities That Care gains national attention,” September 2, 2009
According to Mental Health America, gay or questioning youth hear anti-gay slurs about 26 times a day, or once every 14 minutes. Recent studies have also found that 31 percent of gay youth have been threatened or injured at school in the last year alone. Public News Service, “Back to School Means High Anxiety for Many CO Teens,” September 2, 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.
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