Friday, November 28, 2003

Editor's note
I think there will be postings to PULSE the week of December 1, but much depends on a successful installation of the software used to produce PULSE on my laptop and the Internet service available where I'll be on the road. I know this much: there will be no e-mailings next week, and if postings are either sporadic or non-existent, the following week's postings will include any major stories, articles or reports that were missed. ..........Bill

  
  

Adolescent Self-Concept and Health into Adulthood
Article (in Adobe Acrobat format) at the Statistics Canada, brought to our attention in the latest issue of CMHA-Ontario's Mental Health Notes - "Teenage girls with low self-concept are more likely to be depressed later in life, according to a report from Statistics Canada. The National Population Health Survey examined the self-concept of 1100 teenage boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 19 in 1994/95. The researchers defined self-concept as a combination of self-esteem and feelings of control over one’s life. Girls with a weak self-concept during adolescence had a higher likelihood of developing depression within the next six years and had a higher chance of becoming obese. While low self-concept in teenage boys was connected to physical inactivity and obesity when they reached adulthood, the researchers did not find a significant linkage to depression..."  
  

Managing employee depression in the workplace
Iowa Employment Law Letter article reprinted at the NAMI web site - "Depression has become a more prevalent problem in the workplace. Both employers and employees are finding that the lack of guidance in dealing with the issue is creating problems and impeding resolution. Studies indicate that the problem is growing."  
  

Double Whammy
Opinion piece in the Washington Post by Abigail Trafford on the challenges faced by elderly people who have mental illnesses - "...The majority of these people don't get the care they need. The treatment they do get is often substandard. They tend not to get the latest, most effective medications. They are rarely offered psychotherapy or even properly evaluated for a mental disorder. And they have the highest suicide rate of any age group -- victims of an act of violence that is largely due to untreated or mistreated depression."  
  

Editorials, Opinion Pieces Respond to Medicare Legislation
Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report roundup of a number of recent editorials and opinion pieces published in reaction to the Medicare bill. Each entry includes a summary and a link to the original source.