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Study: Propofol addiction is a debilitating form of substance dependence

Abuse of the anesthesia drug propofol is a "rapidly progressive form of substance dependence" that is being more commonly seen among health care professionals, reports a study in the April Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

19 Mar 2013

State roundup: Sequestration's impacts include less grant dollars

Sequestration spares Medicaid and almost all of Medicare, but automatic cuts to other federal health-care programs will make it more difficult for low-income Americans to get maternal and infant care, vaccinate their children, and receive treatment for mental illness.

12 Mar 2013

Upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted heart attack timing

The upheaval caused by Hurricane Katrina seems to have disrupted the usual timing of heart attacks, shifting peak frequency from weekday mornings to weekend nights, in a change in pattern that persisted a full five years after the storm, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

8 Mar 2013

New Orleans residents continue to face increased risk of heart attack post-Katrina

New Orleans residents continue to face a three-fold increased risk of heart attack post-Katrina-a trend that has remained unchanged since the storm hit in 2005, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 62nd Annual Scientific Session.

7 Mar 2013

Treating substance abuse alone helps patients with co-occurring psychosis

Patients with co-occurring substance use disorder and psychiatric disorders may benefit from standard substance use disorder treatment, with the effects potentially lasting for several years, the results of a US study indicate.

7 Mar 2013

Foreign-born adoptees most at risk for psychiatric disorders

Foreign-born adoptees have the highest rates of psychiatric disorders among migrants, show the results of a large, Danish population-based cohort study.

6 Mar 2013

Study shows community-based HIV-prevention efforts increase testing rates, reduce HIV incidence

In Africa and Thailand, communities that worked together on HIV-prevention efforts saw not only a rise in HIV screening but a drop in new infections, according to a new study presented this week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Atlanta.

6 Mar 2013

Children with ADHD more likely to have other psychiatric disorders as adults

The first large, population-based study to follow children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood shows that ADHD often doesn't "go away," and that children with ADHD are more likely to have other psychiatric disorders as adults. Although numbers were small, they also appear more likely to commit suicide and are often incarcerated as adults.

4 Mar 2013

Sleep quality linked to cannabis lapses

Poor sleep quality is associated with an increased risk for early lapses in cannabis-dependent individuals who are attempting to quit the drug, researchers report.

1 Mar 2013

Annual deaths related to heroin and morphine continue to drop in the UK

Annual deaths related to heroin and morphine are continuing to drop significantly, falling from 41 per cent of total drug-related deaths in the UK in 2010 to 32 per cent in 2011. Meanwhile, deaths from 'legal highs' - some of which have now been banned - remained steady following a large increase in the previous year.

28 Feb 2013

Poll: Americans have mixed feelings about people with mental illness

In related news, a new study found that spending on mental health care has increased over the past five years.

28 Feb 2013

Sequester scare touches issues related to Medicare, Medicaid spending

The $85 billion in scheduled spending cuts to defense and discretionary accounts are scheduled to kick in Friday, and movement toward a last-ditch strategy has not been evident.

28 Feb 2013

Govs brace for impact of scheduled cuts in home states

The nation's governors met in Washington over the weekend, and among their hottest topics: a White House warning regarding the state-by-state impact of sequestration, which is scheduled to kick in March 1.

26 Feb 2013

External qigong therapy can help control cocaine craving early in recovery

Cocaine is one of the most addictive drugs of abuse. Few effective treatments are available to help control cravings and withdrawal symptoms among individuals undergoing therapy to overcome cocaine abuse.

26 Feb 2013

Substance use increased in teens with ADHD

Adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have significantly higher rates of substance abuse and cigarette use than their peers without the condition, US research shows.

25 Feb 2013

Feds outline what insurers must cover

The final rule on essential health benefits, issued yesterday, defines what must be covered in health plans sold in online marketplaces beginning this fall, including prescription benefits and mental health services, and prohibits discrimination based on age or pre-existing medical conditions.

22 Feb 2013

Pre-war vulnerability important in predicting persistence of veterans' PTSD over the long run

Pre-war vulnerability is just as important as combat-related trauma in predicting whether veterans' symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be long-lasting, according to new research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

22 Feb 2013

Administration sets new rule on essential health benefits

The Obama administration has released the final rule on essential health benefits, which sets the parameters for the types of benefits that must be offered by insurers starting in 2014.

21 Feb 2013

Study reveals rare look into success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans

New research out of the University of Cincinnati reveals a relatively rare look into the success of substance abuse treatment programs for African-Americans. Researchers report that self-motivation could be an important consideration into deciding on the most effective treatment strategy.

20 Feb 2013