Monday, December 08, 2003
Editor's note -
Due to the lack of postings last week, "catching up" will take a few days, and throughout the week PULSE will include links to articles, reports and news stories published in various sources since December 1. .......Bill
Antipsychotic Dosing: Individualizing Medication Treatment A new CME unit from
Medscape based on the work of an expert advisory panel "developed in order to use available scientific and clinical evidence to optimize dosing and titration of currently available atypical antipsychotic agents." [Viewing
Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].
African Americans Views On Health Policy: Implications For The 2004 Elections
Report published in
Health Policy - " In the competition for African American voters in the 2004 elections, health policy is likely to be an important issue. Blacks are about twice as likely as whites to say that health care issues are important in their vote choice. Using national survey data, this paper shows that candidates will have to have well-developed proposals on the uninsured, protecting Medicaid, aiding neighborhood health centers, and expanding funding for AIDS, to appeal to black voters. However, in responding to black voters, candidates will have to be careful not to alienate white voters by proposing health policies that involve sizable increases in taxes or government regulation." You can also
view the full report online and download an
Adobe Acrobat version.
States' 3-year budget crisis eases, but challenges ahead Philadelphia Enquirer story - "The three-year fiscal crisis in state governments across the nation - which forced tax increases, spending cuts, and political upheaval that culminated in the dramatic recall of California's governor - is bottoming out. The accelerating national economy helped lift state fortunes in September as tax revenues rose 5.9 percent, according to a report released yesterday by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers. Revenue increased in all but Delaware and seven other states. All 50 predict rising revenues next year..." See also the press release
State Budgets Not Out of the Woods Yet at the National Governors Association web site - and the full report,
The Fiscal Survey of States (
Adobe Acrobat format).
Scientists Take Inside Look Into Origins of Schizophrenia Chicago Tribune stopry reprinted at
PsycPORT - "Using sophisticated imaging technology that peers deeper into the brain than ever before, scientists reported Tuesday in Chicago that they are beginning to see where schizophrenia begins and possibly what's causing it. The report highlights the speed of discoveries coming from the new field of brain imaging that scientists say is helping them understand mental disorders such as schizophrenia, dyslexia and antisocial behavior."
Attention Deficit Drugs May Have Long-Term Effects
Reuters Health story at
Yahoo - "Drugs given to children to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder could have long-term effects on their growing brains, studies on rats suggest. Several studies published on Monday show that rats given a popular ADHD drug were less likely to want to use cocaine later in life, but also often acted clinically depressed and behaved differently from rats give dummy injections. ..."
Substance Abuse Patients Pay More Story at
About.com's mental health section - " A survey of 434 managed care plans in 60 market areas found that patients receiving substance abuse and mental health services often had to make a higher copayment or pay a higher share of allowed charges than did patients receiving general medical care. Researchers from Brandeis University found that at least 30 percent of the managed care service providers surveyed imposed higher cost sharing requirements for outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment than for medical services."
