APRIL 1998
TIPSHEET
EMBARGOED: APRIL 1, 1998
Release no.
98-11
March 24, 1998
Melissa Saunders Katz
(202) 682-6142 /[email protected]
www.psych.org
Journal articles abstracted in this tipsheet are available in their entirety by calling APAFastFAX at 1-888-267-5400 and selecting the appropriate document number (numbers listed below).
In the April issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry:
(Note: All Items Embargoed until April 1, 1998)
DO HYPERACTIVE BOYS BECOME HYPERACTIVE MEN?
Boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not necessarily carry this affliction into adulthood, but they do have a significantly higher likelihood of subsequent later-life difficulties, according to the findings published in the April issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry. While only 4 percent of the subjects with childhood ADHD still met criteria for ADHD as adults, 12 percent young adults who had been diagnosed with ADHD as children developed antisocial personality disorder and 12 percent developed substance use disorders. ["Adult Psychiatric Status of Hyperactive Boys Grown Up," Salvatore Mannuzza, PhD, et. al., p. 493] APAFastFAX#6955
RESIDENTIAL CARE: AN ALTERNATIVE TO HIGH-COST HOSPITALIZATION
In the treatment of voluntary patients with severe mental illness who require hospital care, residential alternatives provide comparable care at a reduced cost. In the April issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, individuals requiring immediate care were randomly assigned to either the psychiatric ward of a general hospital or a community residential alternative facility. Both sites provided comparable care, as measured by patient satisfaction and symptom reduction. In another study, a comparison of the treatment costs for short-term admission patients, with stays of less than 5 years, in a community-based care system with those of a recently closed state hospital showed that direct treatment costs for an episode of illness increased by more than $10,000 and the average annual cost of care per patient increased by nearly $20,000. ["Randomized Trial of General Hospital and Residential Alternative Care for Patients with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness," Wayne S. Fenton, M.D., et. al., p. 516] APAFastFAX#6956. Please direct media inquiries to Dr. Fenton at 301-424-8300.
["Cost Comparison of State Hospital and Community-Based Care for Seriously
Mentally Ill Adults," Aileen B. Rothbard, Sc.D., et. al., p. 523] APAFast
FAX#6957. Dr. Rothbard may be reached in London by e-mail at
[email protected]
FAITH HEALS
In this study of 111 depressed elderly patients in the hospital with medical illnesses, patients with strong religious faith recovered twice as fast from the depressive episode as other patients. A study in the April issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, the group with the greatest improvement were those patients with chronic disability who did not improve physically over a year's time.
["Religiosity and Remission of Depression in Medically Ill Older Patients," Harold G. Koenig, M.D., et. al., p. 536] APAFastFAX#6958
FETAL ALCOHOL EXPOSURE INCREASES RISK OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Researchers have come to understand that exposure to alcohol while in the womb has been found to be the most common cause of mental retardation, however studies also link fetal alcohol syndrome to mental illness. According to a study in the April issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, 72% of adults with IQs over 70 meeting criteria for fetal alcohol syndrome sought treatment for a psychiatric disorder (substance abuse and depression among the most common.)
["Mental Illness in Adults with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or Fetal Alcohol Effects," Chris Famy, B.S., et. al., p. 552] APAFastFAX#6959. Please direct all media inquiries to John Anzinger at 206-543-7155.
In the April issue of Psychiatric Services:
(Note: All Items Embargoed until April 1, 1998)
PSYCHIATRIST MANAGING THERAPY AND MEDS: MORE COST EFFECTIVE
A study of more than 1,500 patients with depression found preliminary evidence that splitting treatment between a psychiatrist for medication and a psychologist for therapy costs more than when a single psychiatrist provides both treatments. According to the study published in the April issue of Psychiatric Services, the patients in integrated treatment used significantly fewer outpatient sessions. Costs over 18 months: $1,340 per patient in integrated treatment, $1,850 per patient in split treatment.
["Outpatient Utilization Patterns of Integrated and Split Psychotherapy and Pharmacotherapy for Depression," William Goldman, M.D. et. al. p. 477] APA FastFAX#6960 Please direct all media inquiries directly to William Goldman, M.D., 415-547-5425; fax, 415-547-6200; e-mail - [email protected].
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
May - Mental Health Month - for more information check the APA website or contact Michael Roy in APA's Division of Public Affairs 202-682-6119.
May 30-June 4, 1998 - The American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada - for those of you planning to attend, please do not wait to make a hotel reservation. Rooms are going fast and we want to make sure all media are accommodated. To register for the meeting as a press person or if you would like a preliminary program with housing information, please call Erin Murphy 202-682-6324 (the preliminary program can also be downloaded from the APA website).
July 31, 1998 - APA Journalism Awards entry deadline for submissions. Please contact Erin Murphy for an entry form.
The text of this tipsheet (APAFastFAX #6153) and other materials for media are available in electronic formats:
Newswise -- http://www.newswise.com -- visit SciNews-MedNews
Compuserve's Journalism Forum (go jforum), SciNews-MedNews library
(section 17)
search for files with the extension '.APA' (e.g. 'TIPS0498.APA')
APA's website -- http://www.psych.org -- check out our 'News Stand'
Get your news via APAFastFAX! Call 1-888-267-5400 and select the document number to have an item faxed to you. Other APA materials for media are also available through APAFastFAX -- just call for the menu. For more information on these topics or other areas of interest, contact Erin Murphy, APA Media Assistant, (202) 682-6324, e-mail: [email protected].
The American Psychiatric Association is a national medical specialty society, founded in 1844, whose 42,000 physician members specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental and emotional illnesses and substance use disorders.
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