Tuesday, April 01, 2003
NIMH launches public health campaign to reach men about depression NIMH press release - "The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), one of the National Institutes of Health, today announced the launch of the first national campaign to raise awareness that depression is a major public health problem affecting an estimated 6 million men annually. Research suggests that men are less likely to seek treatment for this serious illness; data also show that men die by suicide at four times the rate of women."
Anxiety and Depression Comorbidity Medscape Psychiatry & Mental Health article - "There has been growing interest and concern about the high rates of comorbidity of anxiety disorders and depression, now clearly documented in both epidemiologic and clinical samples. The presence of comorbidity has been repeatedly shown to have a negative impact on course, including elevated rates of suicidality, greater severity of the primary disorder, greater impairments in social and occupational functioning, and poorer response to treatment." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free.]
CASA Report: Alternative-to-Prison Program Reduces Crime Article in
Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly at
Medscape - "Drug-addicted, nonviolent felony offenders with multiple arrests and an incarceration history achieved significantly lower recidivism and higher employment through a drug treatment program than did comparable offenders who were sent to prison, according to a report released last week by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
Information on Illnesses and Treatments This new section of the NAMI web site provides detailed brochures, fact sheets and information on treatment of a wide variety of mental illnesses from anorexia nervosa to schizophrenia.
Self-Protection or Delusion? The Many Varieties of Paranoia New York Times article - "Probably no psychiatric term is bandied about as loosely as paranoia. But paranoia covers a broad terrain, from a stable personality trait to a symptom of severe mental illness." [Viewing
New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].
Screening of teens may prevent suicide (Ohio) Canton Repository story - "Mental-health experts hope teens will sit down at a computer to reveal whether they are at risk for suicide. Stark is one of five counties in Ohio taking part in a free pilot program offered by Columbia University and the Ohio Department of Mental Health."
Bay State strips 36,000 of Medicaid (Massachusetts) Boston Globe story - "Last-minute efforts to reverse cuts to the state Medicaid program fell short yesterday, meaning that more than 36,000 chronically unemployed adults today lose their state-funded health insurance. Some of these patients, who were notified two weeks ago that they were about to be dropped, will be eligible for other forms of state aid, health care advocates said. But many in this vulnerable group -- most have substance abuse or mental health problems -- will go without basic care, then turn up in emergency rooms nursing severe illnesses, the advocates said."
Childrens mental health gets attention (Idaho) Idaho Statesman story - "As children struggle to learn multiplication or basic reading, schools are struggling to identify those students with mental illnesses that make it difficult to learn. But even tougher than discovering which children have depression, schizophrenia or other problems is helping them navigate Idaho´s convoluted system of mental health agencies the children rely on for care."
Mental health services transferred (Canada) Edmonton CBC story - "Mental health services are being transferred to the province's regional health authorities Tuesday, a move that will benefit anyone dealing with those issues, advocates say. Ron Lajeauness, head of the Alberta branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, says in the long-term, patients will see better co-ordination of services."
Layoffs deplete health services (Oregon) Story in the
Bend Bulletin - "Because of state budget cuts, the Deschutes County Mental Health Department is going to lay off about 16 employees in July, meaning longer waits for appointments for some patients and dropping service to others."
