Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Psychiatry for December 2014. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
AMA Identifies Top 10 Issues That Affected Docs in 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The top 10 issues that affected physicians in 2014 include many regulatory issues relating to Medicare and data release, as well as health issues such as overprescribing of antibiotics and the Ebola crisis, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
More Information
Serotonin1A Binding Linked to Suicide Attempt Lethality
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For suicide attempters with major depressive disorder (MDD), serotonin1A binding potential in the raphe nuclei is correlated with lethality rating and lethal intent factor, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Binge Alcohol Ingestion Has Acute Immunomodulatory Effects
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A single binge alcohol intoxication episode has acute immunomodulatory effects, according to a study published online Dec. 4 in Alcohol.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Ebola, ACA, VA Scandal Top U.S. Health News for 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- It started as a deadly but little-known outbreak in West Africa, but the lethal and unchecked spread of the Ebola virus dominated U.S. headlines for much of 2014, making it one of the year's top health news features.
More Information
Pre-Op Depression Tied to Fewer Gains in QOL After Spinal Surgery
TUESDAY, Dec. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing lumbar decompression or posterior cervical fusion (PCF), preoperative depression is associated with lower improvements in postoperative quality of life (QOL), according to two studies published in the Jan. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
Abstract - Miller
Full Text
Abstract - Alvin
Full Text
Hepatitis C Co-Infection in HIV Doesn't Worsen Mental Decline
MONDAY, Dec. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Hepatitis C infection does not contribute to neurocognitive impairment in people with HIV, according to a new study published online Dec. 10 in Neurology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Brain Variations on MRI May Predict Surgical Success in OCD
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors may be able to identify candidates for dorsal anterior cingulotomy for refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) by looking at a key structure in the targeted brain region. These research findings have been published online Dec. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Older Women Restrict Driving More Than Older Men
MONDAY, Dec. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Older women restrict their driving activity more than older men, regardless of physical health or cognitive status, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Tips Offered to Docs, Spouses for Maintaining Happy Marriage
FRIDAY, Dec. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Simple tips can help physicians and their spouses maintain marital happiness, according to an article published in the American Medical Association (AMA) Alliance magazine Physician Family.
More Information
Sedatives Still Prescribed for Elderly Despite Risks
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors continue to prescribe benzodiazepines for seniors despite the significant risks they pose, a new study contends. The research was published online Dec. 17 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Digital Self-Scheduling Set to Increase Considerably by 2019
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Digital self-scheduling is set to increase considerably in the next five years, according to a report published by Accenture.
More Information
Challenges ID'd in Development of the Physician Compare Website
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), information must be made available to allow the public to compare physicians, although there are considerable challenges surrounding the development of the physician performance website, Physician Compare. These challenges are addressed in a health policy brief published online Dec. 11 in Health Affairs.
Full Text
Support for Electronic Health Information Varies With Use
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Consent and purpose are important for public support of secondary uses of electronic health information, according to a study published in the Dec. 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Ideas and Opinions (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Physicians Reminded of Ethical Obligations Regarding Torture
TUESDAY, Dec. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- With the issuing of the new U.S. Senate report on interrogations, the American Medical Association (AMA) is reminding physicians of their ethical obligations relating to torture and interrogation.
News Release
AMA Statement
Methylphenidate Use Tied to Fewer Injuries in Kids With ADHD
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Taking medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might reduce the risk of young patients accidentally injuring themselves, new research suggests. The findings, published online Dec. 15 in Pediatrics, applied to both girls and boys.
Abstract
Full Text
Physicians Should Scrutinize Job Offers Before Accepting
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians should scrutinize job offers and pay attention to specific issues before accepting a job, according to an article published Dec. 3 in Medical Economics.
More Information
Webcast Scheduled to Discuss Maintenance of Certification
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New data relating to Maintenance of Certification (MOC) will be discussed in a free webcast to be held Dec. 17 by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
More Information
ICU Diaries May Aid Survivors in Recovery After Discharge
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patient diaries kept during a hospital stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) for a critical illness may be used as a therapeutic tool to assist survivors in recovery after discharge, according to research published online Dec. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
In Nursing Homes, Statins Often Continued in Advanced Dementia
MONDAY, Dec. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For nursing home (NH) residents with dementia taking statins, most continue statins with the progression to advanced dementia, according to research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Tips Offered for Docs to Manage Their Online Reputation
FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physicians can manage their online reputation, according to a report from the American Medical Association (AMA).
More Information
FDA: Ziprasidone Can Cause Rare, Serious Adverse Drug Reaction
FRIDAY, Dec. 12, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The antipsychotic medicine ziprasidone (Geodon) and generic versions of the drug can cause a rare, serious skin reaction that can progress to affect other parts of the body, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
FDA MedWatch
More Information
More Students Enrolling in U.S. Medical Schools
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More students are enrolling in medical schools, and enrollees are more diverse than before, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
More Information
More Docs, Patients Not Speaking Same Language
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People applying to become medical residents in the United States speak a wide range of non-English languages, but many aren't the languages spoken by patients with limited English skills, according to a research letter published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Docs Trained in High-Cost Areas Practice More Costly Medicine
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors who were trained in high-cost areas of the United States may be more likely to practice expensive medicine, a new study suggests; however, that effect gradually decreases over time. The study was published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Work-Hour Restrictions Have Not Improved Outcomes
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Reducing medical residents' work hours hasn't improved mortality rates, hospital readmission rates, or outcomes of surgery, according to two new studies published in the Dec. 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on medical education.
Abstract - Patel
Full Text
Abstract - Bilimoria
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)
Depression, Anxiety Tied to T-Wave Abnormalities
TUESDAY, Dec. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Depression and anxiety are independently, yet oppositely, associated with electrocardiographic (ECG) T-wave inversions, according to a study published in the Dec. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Peer Education Helpful for Diabetes Patients in Distress
FRIDAY, Dec. 5, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Peer education improves mental status in type 2 diabetes patients who have emotional disorders, according to research published online Nov. 16 in the Journal of Diabetes Investigation.
Abstract
Full Text
AMA: Social Determinants of Health to Be Taught in Med School
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new policy implemented by the American Medical Association (AMA) supports integrating more training on the social determinants of health into undergraduate medical education, according to a report published by the AMA.
More Information
Antidepressant Effect Seen for Anti-Inflammatory Meds
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Anti-inflammatory agents may decrease depression and depressive symptoms, according to research published in the December issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
First-Episode Schizophrenia Care Needs Improvement
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Improper drug treatment is given to nearly 40 percent of people who suffer their first episode of schizophrenia, according to a new study published online Dec. 4 in The American Journal of Psychiatry.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Running Linked With Lower Alzheimer's Death Risk
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Running more than 15 miles a week may reduce the risk of dying from Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests. The study was published online Nov. 14 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Cognitive Behavioral Tx for Insomnia Assists CA Survivors
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For cancer survivors, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) with and without armodafinil is associated with decreases in insomnia severity and improvements in sleep quality, according to a study published online Dec. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Bidirectional Link Between Physical Activity and Depression
THURSDAY, Dec. 4, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physical activity is associated with a trend toward fewer depressive symptoms, and the correlation is bidirectional, according to research published in the December issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
CDC: Nearly 1 in 12 Americans Struggle With Depression
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Almost 8 percent of Americans aged 12 and older experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression during 2009 to 2012, U.S. health officials reported Wednesday, with only about one-third of those suffering from severe depressive symptoms seeking help from a mental health professional in the previous year.
More Information
Too Much Patient Care Tied to Faculty Members' Intent to Leave
TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Spending "far too much/too much" time/effort on patient care is associated with increased intent to leave the institution, according to research published in Academic Medicine.
Full Text
Midlife Diabetes Linked to Greater Cogntive Decline Later
TUESDAY, Dec. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes in midlife is associated with a greater decline in cognitive skills over 20 years, according to a new study published in the Dec. 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Doctor Discusses Ways to Keep Morale in Medicine High
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite the many frustrations for doctors in medical practice, there are ways to keep morale high, according to an article published Nov. 20 in Medical Economics.
More Information
Most People With Dementia Have Not Been Screened
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- More than half of Americans with dementia have never undergone screening of their cognitive function, according to a new study published online Nov. 26 in Neurology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Many Physicians Report Their Incomes Have Plateaued
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Many physicians report that their personal income has not changed since last year, according to the results of the Physicians Practice 2014 Physicians Compensation Survey.
More Information
Prevalence of Psych Comorbidity Down After Detention
MONDAY, Dec. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For youth, the prevalence rates of psychiatric comorbidity decrease after detention; however, rates remain substantial and those with multiple disorders at baseline are at highest risk of disorders five years after detention, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
