Mental Health in the Headlines: Week of February 23, 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?
Children with eczema are more likely to also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than those without the skin problem...more
*TODAY’S NEWS
Major Parties Nearing Consensus on Healthcare Reform
Key players in the debate over the direction for healthcare reform are nearing consensus that an overhaul should include a requirement that every American carry insurance. The discussions are taking place with the blessing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Representatives of business, labor, consumer, and pharmaceutical interests are now tackling the harder questions of how to enforce the requirement, how to make it affordable for the uninsured and whether employers should be required to help buy coverage for their workers. (The New York Times, 2/20/09)
Estimated 4 Million Americans Lost Health Insurance Since Recession Began
An estimated 4 million Americans have lost their health insurance since the recession began, and as many as 14,000 people could be losing their health coverage every day, according to a report by the Center for American Progress' Action Fund. The report also claims at least half of the 4 million who lost their insurance coverage still are uninsured. Before the recession started, there were an estimated 46 million Americans without health insurance. (MSNBC.com, 2/20/09)
Health Status of Young Adults Stagnant
The health status of young adults has stayed stagnant and even declined from 10 or 15 years ago, according to a federal report. The report, prepared by the Centers for Disease Control, finds that among young adults ages 18-29, one-third are obese and a similar percentage are overweight. Obesity rates have tripled over the last three decades. One reason may be that bad behaviors, such as smoking and drinking, increase after young people finish high school. (USA Today, 2/18/09)
Coalition to Battle Childhood Obesity
A coalition of health groups and insurance companies are starting a new initiative to battle childhood obesity. The effort is designed to give children better access to health care. Participating insurance companies would pay for at least four visits to a dietitian and four visits to a physician each year to guide children and parents on steps they can take to control and loss weight. (The Washington Post, 2/20/09)
Latest Research
Combination Therapy Achieves Remission Earlier Than Monotherapy in Adolescent Depression: Some teens with treatment-resistant depression are more likely than others to get well during a second treatment attempt of combination therapy, but various factors can hamper their recovery, according to an NIMH-funded study. About 40 percent of teens with major depression do not get well after a first treatment attempt with an antidepressant medication. The NIMH-funded Treatment of Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA) study was designed to test second-step treatment strategies for these teens. (Emaxhealth, 2/19/09)
Depression’s Missing Link Found: For reasons unknown, depression has long been linked to risks of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. But doctors may now understand why. Researchers at Loyola University Health System in Maywood, Illinois, found that depressed patients have higher levels of inflammatory substances in their blood - the process by which the body responds to infections, injuries and stress. The increased inflammation, brought on by the daily stresses of life and depression, can lead to physiological and biochemical reactions in the body that damage the heart over time. (Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/19/09)
Kids with eczema more likely to have ADHD: Children with eczema are more likely to also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than those without the skin problem, a new study finds. German researchers spotted the link in a study of 1,436 children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 who had atopic eczema and 1,436 young people without it. They found that 5.2 percent of eczema patients had ADHD, compared with 3.4 percent of eczema-free youngsters, according to a research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (CNN, 2/20/09)
*Mental Health America MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Next year, the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 will take effect, establishing equal treatment for both mental-illness and substance-abuse conditions. “It ends the discrimination between treating general health and mental health," said Julio Abreu, senior director of government affairs for Mental Health America. "It says that mental health is fundamental to one’s overall health. It does so by ending arbitrary limits that had not been based on medical treatment." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Insurance coverage for mental illness is catching up in Texas,” February 22, 2009
According to Mental Health America, women suffer from SAD three times more often then men, as do those in colder climates and people who work for extended periods without sunlight or work the night shift. The American Academy of Family Physicians estimates that as many as half a million people in the United States suffer from winter-onset depression and that another 10-20 percent may experience mild SAD. Deseret News, “Beat the winter blues: 6 ways to boost mind, mood,” February 19, 2009
Commenting on a new report on prevention of mental disorders among youth, David Shern, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mental Health America, said, “On average, we don’t get services to kids who have diagnoses for 10 years, so there’s this 10 year latency between the presentation of the problem and people receiving care.” CQPolitics.com, “Report: Feds Need To Do More To Diagnose and Treat Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Youth,” February 17, 2009
Adam Lieberman tried to kill himself when he returned from Iraq. Only then did the Army take his mental health seriously. "The best way to treat it (PTSD) is to identify it appropriately," said Dr. Anthony Ng, a psychiatrist and board member of Mental Health America. A diagnosis of PTSD from combat would require the Army to pay Adam a lifetime of benefit checks. The Army would not have to pay if a doctor were to find instead that his mental problems were preexisting and/or unrelated to his Army service. Salon.com, “The Death Dealers took my life,” February 16, 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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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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