Slightly more than 6 percent of U.S. teens take prescription medications for a mental health condition such as depression or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new survey shows. The survey also revealed a wide gap in psychiatric drug use across ethnic and racial groups. The survey showed that white teens were much more likely to be taking […]
Individual
Tool Evaluates Understandability of Health-Education Materials: The Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool & User’s Guide
Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) and User’s Guide provides a systematic method to evaluate and compare the understandability and actionability of consumer-education materials such as brochures, medical instructions, and audiovisual aids. The tool, which was prepared under contract for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, covers topics such as content, word choice and […]
National Survey on Drug Use and Health: 17% of Unemployed Workers Have Substance Use Disorder
A government survey finds 17 percent of unemployed workers have a substance use disorder, compared with 9 percent of full-time workers, CNNMoney reports.The findings, from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, are self-reported, so the rate of substance use disorders among the unemployed may be even higher, the article notes. The survey included […]
Suicide Prevention Tools Focus on the Care of At-Risk Juveniles
The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance) has released a set of comprehensive suicide prevention resources to support professionals who work with youth in the juvenile justice system. The newly developed educational tools advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention, which guides efforts to prevent suicide across the nation. Online versions of the […]
Mental Health Outcomes in US Children and Adolescents Born Prematurely or with Low Birthweight
“The evidence presented here suggests that premature birth and LBW [low birthweight] are significant risk factors for mental health problems among children and adolescents,” write the authors of an article published in Depression Research and Treatment. Despite marked improvements in survival rates, preterm and LBW infants remain vulnerable to many physical and mental health problems, […]
Break Up With Tobacco: Campaign Aims to Reduce Smoking Among Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health launched an unprecedented new anti-smoking campaign aimed at the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population, who smoke at more than twice the rate of the heterosexual population in California. Centered around popular nightlife venues and gyms, the innovative “Break Up With Tobacco” campaign combines traditional and experiential […]