Psychiatry Roundup: April 2016
When doctor and patient disagree about care at the end of life: one of six issues in the psychiatric news.
Sources:When a Doctor and Patient Disagree About Care at the End of LifeIncrease in Suicide in the United States, 1999â2014Kazakhstan's Mental Health Crisis: 'As Men We Can't Seek Help'Opioid Abuse in Chronic Pain-Misconceptions and Mitigation StrategiesStudy Finds Risks for Teens of Mothers Who Took Certain AntidepressantsOf Blood and TruthMentions are not endorsements.Â
Here's the latest psychiatry news on the opioid epidemic, global mental health, SSRI use in pregnancy, alcohol awareness, and more. Scroll through the slides to read Editors' picks of noteworthy articles from around the Web. Links to articles are beneath each slide.
When a Doctor and Patient Disagree About Care at the End of Life
A resident in internal medicine and primary care writes about Medicare's new rules that will allow doctors to be reimbursed for discussing end-of-life preferences with patients-and everything that goes along with that.
Increase in Suicide in the United States, 1999–2014
“Suicide is increasing against the backdrop of generally declining mortality, and is currently one of the 10 leading causes of death overall … This report highlights increases in suicide mortality from 1999 through 2014.”
NCHS data brief, no 241.
Kazakhstan's Mental Health Crisis: 'As Men We Can't Seek Help'
A dismal economy and fear of homelessness have contributed to an an increase in the number of people-especially men-seeking mental health help in Kazakhstan. This is surprising, especially since the act of asking for help is considered a weakness in the region.
The Guardian, April 18, 2016
Opioid Abuse in Chronic Pain-Misconceptions and Mitigation Strategies
NIDA Director Nora Volkow MD and A. Thomas McLellan, PhD review strategies to minimize opioid abuse and dispel some myths that have become commonplace.
New England Journal of Medicine, March 31
Study Finds Risks for Teens of Mothers Who Took Certain Antidepressants
This WSJ article summarizes the implications of a new finding that teens had a 4-times greater risk of depression if their mothers took SSRIs during pregnancy. Reported in the Journal of the American Academy & Adolescent Psychiatry (Gestational Exposure to Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Offspring Psychiatric Disorders: A National Register-Based Study).
Wall Street Journal, April 4, 2016
Of Blood and Truth
In conjunction with Alcohol Awareness Month, Dr Cynthia Geppert uncovers many ethical dilemmas in this case study and quiz. The senior resident carefully explains to his patient the risk of refusing a transfusion-including death. But the patient whose alcohol use, gastrointestinal bleeding, and other symptoms make it clear: “I would rather die than be transfused again.”
Psychiatric Times, April 25