Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of October 19, 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?
People who continue to work to some degree after retiring enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop working entirely...more
*HEALTH REFORM UPDATE
Merging of Senate Committee Bills Next Step
With the passage of a health care reform plan by the Senate Finance Committee, the next step in the process is to blend that bill and a plan approved by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Some issues will probably be left for floor debate, including the inclusion of a public option and issues of affordability. It might take another two weeks before a bill is ready to go the Senate for floor debate. In the House, Democratic leaders are waiting for numbers from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). That will help House leaders finish pulling together their three different health care bills into a single measure, which will then be sent back to the CBO to get an overall price tag. Once lawmakers are satisfied with the numbers, the bill will be brought to the floor for debate. (The New York Times, 10/16/09)
Kennedy Bill May Be Source of Funding for Health Care
One of the key issues to be decided in the health care debate is how to pay for it. Two potential sources of funding are being looked at. One is to reduce the $81 billion surplus that the Congressional Budget Office projects the Senate Finance Committee bill passed last week would raise over the next decade. The other is to adopt a long-term care plan proposed by the late Senator Edward Kennedy. It would allow individuals to voluntarily put small portions of their paychecks into a government fund that eventually would pick up the tab for long-term care. Money would be raised through the fee and the reduced amount that would be spent on Medicaid and Medicare. (The New York Times, 10/18/09)
*TODAY’S NEWS
More Than 33 Million Workers Smoke
More than 33 million full-time workers between the ages of 18 and 64 report smoking in the past month, according to a new study. The highest rates of smoking were found in the food preparation and service industries. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) collected data from 2006 to 2008 on 73,000 full-time workers who participated in SAMHSA's National Survey of Drug Use and Health. The lowest smoking rates were found in the education, training and library fields, with only 12.3 percent of these workers reporting having smoked in the last month. People who have mental health conditions smoke 44 percent of all cigarettes. (HealthDay News, 10/16/09)
Colleges See Increase In Mental Health Issues
More college students are seeking psychiatric help, according to national surveys of campus therapists and counselors. In 2007, around 15 percent students reported having been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives. That's up from 10 percent in 2000. Better screening and earlier diagnosis of mental illness in high school and even before may be one factor for the rise in demand for services. Another that researchers cite is better treatment. Many high school students with a mental health condition who previously never went to college are now on campus, although they need support to be productive. (NPR.org, 10/19/09)
Author Tells Story of Aunt Institutionalized For Mental Illness
Washington Post journalist Steve Luxenberg discovered late in life that he'd had an aunt institutionalized for mental illness, Annie, whom his mother kept secret from him and his siblings. His book, Annie’s Ghosts: A Journey Into a Family Secret, tells the story and his difficulty in obtaining mental medical records. (MHH Reporting, 10/19/09)
Latest Research
Retirees Who Work Enjoy Better Physical, Mental Health: People who continue to work to some degree after retiring enjoy better physical and mental health than those who stop working entirely, according to a new study. Those who continue to work in their original field also have better mental health than those who change fields, according to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology. Researchers interviewed 12,189 participants, aged 51 to 61, every two years over a six-year period beginning in 1992 about their health, finances, employment and retirement. The retirees who continue to work in temporary or part-time jobs suffer 17 percent fewer major diseases than those who stopped working completely, according to the study. And those who continued to work had a 31 percent higher mental health score than those who stopped working. (Reuters, 10/13/09)
Vets With PTSD Face Increased Risk of Dying After Surgery: Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) face an increased risk of dying after surgery, even if the operation is years after service, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data on 1,792 male veterans who had major non-cardiac, non-emergency surgeries between 1998 and 2008. Of that group, 129 (7.8 percent) had PTSD before their surgery. The death rate among men with PTSD was 25 percent higher one year after surgery than those without PTSD, according to the study. After the researchers adjusted for age and preexisting medical conditions, they found that veterans with PTSD were 2.2 times more likely to die within a year of surgery than those without PTSD. (HealthDay News, 10/17/09)
Urban Residents Living Near Parks Healthier, Less Depressed: City dwellers living near parks are healthier and suffer fewer bouts of depression, a study finds. The study was adjusted to take into account socio-economic background and found that the effect of green surroundings was greatest for people with low levels of education and income. The study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, found that in urban zones where 90 percent of the area was green space the incidence of anxiety disorders or depression were 18 people per thousand. In areas with only 10 percent greenery the incidence was 26 per thousand. The annual rates of more than a dozen disease types, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, digestive and mental health conditions, were also lower for those living near parks. (USA Today, 10/16/09)
HEADLINES at Mental Health America
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*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
A survey conducted by Mental Health America, the National Alliance on Mental Illness with the Depression is Real Coalition, shows the economic downturn is taking a toll on Americans' mental health. The unemployed are four times more likely than those with jobs to report symptoms of severe mental illness, according to the survey. Evansville Courier & Press, “Requests for mental health help on the rise,” October 16, 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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- Check out previous issues of Mental Health in the Headlines
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 Relations.
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