Mental Health News and Research

Latest Mental Health News and Research

EMQ FamiliesFirst earns prestigious accreditation from COA

EMQ FamiliesFirst http://www.emqff.org has earned a prestigious accreditation from the Council on Accreditation http://www.coanet.org. COA defines comprehensive standards for mental health/foster care agencies that provide services, and world-class standards for business operations and personnel management.

22 Jul 2010

New findings suggest link between increased cholesterol, depression

Most people know that high cholesterol levels place them at increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Prior research has shown that particular types of strokes contribute to one's risk for depression, and that abnormal blood lipid levels can increase the risk of depression in the elderly.

21 Jul 2010

First Edition: July 21, 2010

Today's headlines include news regarding specific examples of what could happen at the state level if Congress doesn't extend enhanced federal Medicaid funding.

21 Jul 2010

ATLIS 2010 shows gap in patient-physician dialogue that may negatively impact patients' quality of life

Results from the landmark AIDS Treatment for Life International Survey, a multi-country survey of more than 2,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, revealed a significant gap in patient-physician dialogue about critical health-related conditions that may negatively impact patients' overall long-term health, quality of life, and treatment outcomes.

21 Jul 2010

Depressive symptoms in patients with HCV infection overlooked

Researchers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland (the NORDynamIC project group) have observed that depressive symptoms in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are commonly overlooked in routine clinical interviews, and that treatment-induced depression compromises the outcome of HCV therapy. A second U.S. study found that patients with chronic infection had lower (work) productivity and incurred higher medical benefit costs than those without HCV.

21 Jul 2010

Johnson & Johnson second-quarter sales increase 0.6% to $15.3 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.3 billion for the second quarter of 2010, an increase of 0.6% as compared to the second quarter of 2009. Operational results increased 0.1% and the positive impact of currency was 0.5%. Domestic sales declined 2.8%, while international sales increased 4.1%, reflecting operational growth of 3.0% and a positive currency impact of 1.1%.

20 Jul 2010

Tenofovir gel reduces HIV by 39% in women: CAPRISA 004 study

Researchers who conducted a study testing a vaginal microbicide with an antiretroviral (ARV) drug called tenofovir found its use before and after sex was significantly more protective against HIV infection than a placebo gel among women at high risk of HIV. Results of the study, known as CAPRISA 004, are to be reported at the International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) in Vienna and published online by the journal Science.

20 Jul 2010

New report on neuropsychiatric link with ophthalmologic investigations

Regardless of culture, language, era, or individual artist, the arts consistently depict depression using darkness. Scientific findings now lend empirical support to this representation of depression that everything looks gray when you feel blue.

20 Jul 2010

Researchers identify a stress hormone in sea lamprey

Michigan State University researchers are the first to identify a stress hormone in the sea lamprey, using the 500 million-year-old species as a model to understand the evolution of the endocrine system.

20 Jul 2010

Obesity, chronic pain linked to family history, mood disorders: Study

Though it is well known obese individuals have a high incidence of persistent pain problems, a new study in The Journal of Pain, published by the American Pain Society, reports that comorbid obesity and pain also are linked to family history and mood disorders.

20 Jul 2010

N.Y. health officials increase tanning regulations; Colo. extends review of premium increases; Some small Mass. businesses dropping coverage

The Associated Press: "New York health officials are ramping up their regulation of more than 2,000 tanning salons and gyms offering indoor ultraviolet rays even as health advocates push for a law banning exposure by anyone under 18. … Last year, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning as a definite human carcinogen, putting it in the same category as smoking.

20 Jul 2010

Global study on working memory and influence of advertising on behaviour launched

Is your glass half full or half empty? Are you eternally optimistic or permanently pessimistic? What could this mean for your mental health? The British Science Association today launches a global study testing your working memory in relation to your mental health and then investigating the influence of advertising on your behaviour.

20 Jul 2010

Mayo Clinic's July issue offers tips on ophthalmology, Alzheimer's and CKD

Here are highlights from the July issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. You may cite this publication as often as you wish. Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource attribution is required.

20 Jul 2010

Mental health care suffers as recession hurts state's bottom lines

Mental health budgets are suffering as a lingering recession affects state bottom lines in America, Stateline reports. "States have taken the lead role in publicly funded care for the mentally ill, and paid the majority of the expenses. Even through recessions, the states have steadily increased their mental health budgets every year to meet increasing demand.

19 Jul 2010

Homewood announces acquisition of Human Solutions

Homewood Corporation today announced it has acquired Human Solutions International Inc., based in Vancouver, one of Canada's leading providers of Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).

19 Jul 2010

AHRQ: 12M people with mental health, substance abuse problems visited emergency department in 2007

Nearly 12 million visits made to U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2007 involved people with a mental disorder, substance abuse problem, or both, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This accounts for one in eight of the 95 million visits to emergency departments by adults that year.

17 Jul 2010

GABA disrupts working memory in neurofibromatosis type 1 patients

Imagine if your brain lost its working memory - the ability to hold and manipulate information in your mind's eye. That's the plight faced by millions of people with neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1. The genetic condition affects one in 3,500 people and is the most common cause of learning disabilities.Now a UCLA research team has uncovered new clues about how NF1 disrupts working memory. Published in the July 12 online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the findings suggest a potential drug target for correcting NF1-related learning disabilities.

17 Jul 2010

Proton therapy treatment for anal canal cancer performed for first time in US

The INTEGRIS Cancer Institute of Oklahoma and the ProCure Proton Therapy Center announce a breakthrough treatment approach for anal canal cancer. For the first time in the United States proton therapy is now being used to treat this type of cancer.

17 Jul 2010

Pain medication abuse soars

The Associated Press: "A new government study finds a 400 percent increase in the number of people admitted to treatment for abusing prescription pain medication. The increase in substance abuse among people ages 12 and older was recorded during the 10-year-period from 1998 to 2008. It spans every gender, race, ethnicity, education and employment level, and all regions of the country" (7/15).

17 Jul 2010

Research Roundups: Health IT progress; Telecare and cancer pain; State exchanges; Adults with no medical care

eHealth/Commonwealth Fund: National Progress Report On eHealth - This extensive report examines changes in the adoption and use of health information technology (HIT) since 2007, as assessed by a group of more than 100 experts.

17 Jul 2010