Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Depression Drug Spravato Reduces Symptoms In 24 Hours For People Considering Suicide, Studies Find
NPR: Spravato May Ease Depression In Suicidal Patients
The depression drug esketamine, marketed as Spravato, appears to offer quick relief to people who are actively considering suicide. Esketamine, a chemical cousin of the anesthetic and party drug ketamine, reduced depression symptoms within hours in two large studies of suicidal patients, the drug's maker announced Monday. (Hamilton, 9/9)
Reuters: Suicide Kills One Person Every 40 Seconds, Says WHO
Across the world, one person takes their own life every 40 seconds, and more people die by suicide every year than in war, the World Health Organization said on Monday. Hanging, poisoning and shooting are the most common suicide methods, the WHO said as it urged governments to adopt suicide prevention plans to help people cope with stress and to reduce access to suicide means. (9/9)
NPR: Telemedicine Aids Recruiting Of Psychiatrists And Access To Care
It used to take at least nine months for a patient to schedule an initial appointment with a psychiatrist at Meridian Health Services in Indiana. Now, it takes days, thanks to a program that allows doctors to connect over the Internet with patients, reaching those even in remotest corners of the state. That has also helped with recruitment. Over the last several years, Meridian's staff of psychiatric specialists, including nurse practitioners, tripled from four to 12. (Noguchi, 9/9)
NPR: Positive Relationships In Childhood Can Prevent Depression Later In Life
Plenty of research shows that adverse childhood experiences can lead to depression and other health problems later in life. But researcher Christina Bethell wondered whether positive experiences in childhood could counter that. Her research comes from a personal place. In the 1970s, in a low-income housing complex in Los Angeles, Bethell had a tough childhood. Sometimes she didn't have money for lunch. (Simmons-Duffin, 9/9)
The Washington Post: New Survey Shows Heavy Psychological Toll For Virginia’s First Responders
A first-of-its-kind mental health survey of police, firefighters and 911 call dispatchers in Virginia finds that they experience suicidal thoughts at a rate of more than double the general population and that nearly a quarter suffer from work-related depression. The survey of nearly 4,900 first responders also found that nearly half couldn’t stop looking for threats even in their own homes, a common symptom for those who have been exposed to trauma. (Jouvenal, 9/10)
