General Mental Health Articles
- Health care is unequal, and it might get worse. Among adults with a mental health condition, white people are significantly more likely to receive treatment than Blacks, Hispanics, or Asians. Access to mental health treatments is notoriously difficult, but it's even harder for people who can't pay out of pocket for care, because they can't find a mental health provider who takes any insurance. The opioid epidemic began as a phenomenon among rural white residents but has become a polysubstance crisis, and the highest overdose death rates are now among American Indian, Alaska Native, and Black Americans. Read more here.
- Health plans nationwide must continue to provide coverage of certain preventive services like cancer screenings and mental health counseling at no cost, a federal appeals court ruled. The decision in this closely watched case largely preserves the Affordable Care Act's free preventive services requirement. However, the appellate panel said the requirement will not apply to the companies who challenged it, and it asked a lower court to review the legality of other no-cost preventive services. Read more here.
Youth Mental Health
- Overall mental health among America’s youth has begun to improve after major pandemic dips, new research data shows. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare children’s struggles as well as a fragmented system to help them navigate recovery. Some of the recovery, though, trails pre-pandemic mental health metrics and indicators. In seven of nine states in the 2023 data, surveys showed lower rates of sadness and hopelessness. Read more here.
- Children who spend more time in natural environments and similar pursuits have significantly better mental health, according to new research led by the University of Glasgow. The study, which is published in the journal Environment International, found that young people who spent just 60 minutes daily in nature had a 50% lower risk of mental health issues. Read more here.
Gun Violence and Mental Health
- Gun violence in the United States is a public health crisis that demands urgent action, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared in a major new government advisory that pushes for more research and stronger legislation designed to reduce harm. It is the first time a report from the Surgeon General has focused on firearm violence and its “profound consequences” on survivors, communities, and mental health. Read more here.
Loneliness and Mental Health
- Middle-age and older adults with long-term loneliness are at higher risk of stroke and heart issues than those who do not report being lonely, according to a new study published in the journal, eClinicalMedicine. The study found the risk of stroke among lonely adults was higher regardless of co-existing depressive symptoms or feelings of social isolation. "Loneliness is increasingly considered a major public health issue. Our findings further highlight why that is," lead author Yenee Soh, a research associate in the department of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a press release. Read more here.
The Opioid Crisis and Addiction Issues
- Arkansas sued two pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that oversee prescription drug coverage for health insurers, employers, and other large clients, accusing them of fueling the opioid crisis in the state. Attorney General Tim Griffin (R) filed the lawsuit against Express Scripts and Optum in state court. Read more here.
- OP-ED – “As a Canadian-born physician who has treated people with opioid use disorder on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border, I know that if I ever needed addiction treatment, I’d head to the Great White North.” Read more here.
- Bankruptcy may become a less attractive way to resolve sprawling lawsuits after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling removed OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's Chapter 11 settlement and sharply scaled back a court's ability to wipe away legal claims against other entities that have not filed for bankruptcy themselves. Read more here.
Research
- The gut microbiome — the ecosystem of tiny organisms inside us all — has emerged as fertile new territory for studying a range of mental health conditions and neurological diseases. Research has demonstrated the brain and gut are in constant communication and that changes in the microbiome are linked to mental health and mood disorders. Now a study published this month in Nature Mental Health finds distinct biological signatures in the microbiomes of people who are highly resilient in the face of stressful situations. Read more here.
Gender-Affirming Care and LGBTQ Issues
- The Supreme Court’s decision to hear a challenge to Tennessee’s gender-affirming care ban for minors sets the stage for a potentially major case implicating transgender protections. It marks the first time the Supreme Court will weigh in on the issue, which could impact laws passed by 24 Republican-led states since 2021 that ban medications like puberty blockers and hormones for transgender children and teens. Read more here.
- The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which went national in 2022, launched a subnetwork in 2023 for LGBTQ+ young people, aimed at closing the gap in care for this population and offering specialized care. After nearly a year, the subnetwork is making an impact, according to new data. Read more here.
Federal and State Policy
- As physicians, we pride ourselves on being able to care for patients by way of our knowledge, skill, and expertise. It’s frustrating and disempowering when we can’t help an individual who needs mental health care due to a shortage of effective, affordable, and culturally competent mental health providers. Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are working to address this barrier with the Connecting Our Medical Providers with Links to Expand Tailored and Effective (COMPLETE) Care Act, federal legislation that would bring mental health care into primary care visits to address this gap. Read more here.
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