Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of February 16, 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?
Girls have a better chance than boys to overcome negative experiences in childhood...more
*TODAY’S NEWS
Report Urges Making Prevention of Mental Disorders in Youth a Priority
A report authored by experts in the behavioral sciences urges the federal government to make preventing mental and behavioral problems in young people and promoting their mental health a priority. It concluded that treatment and lost productivity costs related to these problems cost an estimated $247 billion annually. In any given year, the report notes, about 14 to 20 percent of young people in the United States have a mental, emotional or behavioral disorder. (Reuters, 2/14/09)
Stimulus Includes Comparative Effectiveness Funding
For the first time, Congress has approved funding to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for the same illness. The recently passed stimulus package includes $1.1 billion for research to compare drugs, medical devices, surgery and other ways of treating specific conditions. A council of up to 15 federal employees will coordinate the research and advise the administration and Congress on how to spend the money. The legislation does not specify how the findings are to be used. (The New York Times, 2/16/09)
Administration Officials See Stimulus as Advancing Health Reform
The Obama administration is pointing to the economic stimulus package as an example of progress on health reform. In the legislation passed last week, Congress approved spending $19 billion on electronic health records. The bill also provides $1 billion for a prevention and wellness fund, with about $300 million of that funding going for additional immunizations. Another $1.1 billion is ticketed for comparative effectiveness research. (Associated Press, 2/14/09)
Latest Research
Most Depressed Teens Recover with Treatment: A majority of teenagers treated for major depression show improvements, though it may take several months for the benefits to appear, a new study suggests. The study of 439 teenagers found that while only about a quarter saw their symptoms go into remission after the first 12 weeks of therapy, that rate improved to 60 percent by the 9-month mark. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, indicate that remission rates get better over time. (Reuters, 2/12/09)
Girls More Resilient Than Boys in Troubled Families: Girls have a better chance than boys to overcome negative experiences in childhood, although barriers remain for most children, according to a new study. Researchers at the University of Washington looked at 125 children of parents addicted to heroin. Many of the children also had a parent who was jailed or had a mental illness. The study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, found that girls were four times more likely to be considered resilient, mostly because they avoided criminal activity while the boys didn't. But overall, only 30 of the 125 young adults studied were defined as resilient. (Los Angeles Times, 2/11/09)
Depression, Anxiety Major Factors in Neck Pain: The cause of neck pain is not just physical, doctors in Germany have shown. Psychological distress—particularly depression and anxiety—are closely linked to persistent neck pain. The study, conducted by the University of Gottingen, surveyed 448 patients in Germany who had suffered at least one episode of neck pain. More than half of the subjects (56 percent) reported neck pain on the day they completed the questionnaire and 26 percent had constant neck pain during the past year. Twenty percent of subjects were classified as having depressive mood, and 28 percent were found to be anxious. (Reuters, 2/13/09)
*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Mental health problems often can be prevented if children get the help they need early on from parents and schools, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine. With 14 to 20 percent of children suffering a mental illness, that's very good news. "We have consistent scientific evidence that parents, along with the other important people in their children's lives, can use to help shape the positive behaviors of children," says David Shern, president and CEO of Mental Health America. U.S. News & World Report, “How to protect your child’s mental health,” February 13, 2009
A Congressional Resolution Honors Mental Health America on its 100th Anniversary. The resolution, which was introduced by U.S. Representatives Patrick J. Kennedy [D-R.I.] and Mary Bono Mack [R-CA ], states that Mental Health America has “achieved lasting change and progress on behalf of individuals with mental health conditions and their families.” David L. Shern, PhD, president and CEO of Mental Health America said, “We deeply appreciate the work of these members of Congress in introducing this resolution, they have been champions on these issues and we have been proud to work with them.” OpEd News, “Mental Health America honored,” February 12, 2009
Stay Up to Date With More News, Views and Tools
- Mental Health America’s 2009 Media Awards to honor excellence in reporting of mental health issues
- 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 Relation and Sarah Jones, communications coordinator.
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