Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Depression In Teens Is Soaring -- And It's Hitting Girls Particularly Hard
NPR: Depression Hits Teen Girls Especially Hard, And High Social Media Use Doesn't Help
It's tough to be a teenager. Hormones kick in, peer pressures escalate and academic expectations loom large. Kids become more aware of their environment in the teen years — down the block and online. The whole mix of changes can increase stress, anxiety and the risk of depression among all teens, research has long shown. But a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests many more teenage girls in the U.S. may be experiencing major depressive episodes at this age than boys. (Neighmond, 2/13)
The New York Times: Doctors See Gains Against ‘An Urgent Threat,’ C. Diff
Tom Bocci’s encounter with a bacterium he had never heard of began in April, when his doctor suggested a test for prostate cancer. Because the results appeared slightly abnormal, Mr. Bocci underwent a biopsy, taking antibiotics beforehand as a standard precaution against infection. There was no problem with his prostate, it turned out. But a few days later, Mr. Bocci developed severe diarrhea, fever and vomiting. He grew dehydrated. Five days afterward, in a hospital emergency room, doctors diagnosed a Clostridium difficile infection. (Span, 2/10)
Stat: FluMist Mystery: Why Was It So Weak, And Only In US Studies?
It’s been a perplexing puzzle in the flu vaccine world — what’s going on with FluMist? The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices said last June that the live-attenuated vaccine, made by MedImmune (a division of AstraZeneca) should not be used this flu season because some US studies from three recent years suggested it offered poor or no protection in children aged 2 to 17. (Branswell, 2/13)
The New York Times: Baby In A Box? Free Cardboard Bassinets Encourage Safe Sleeping
Jernica Quiñones, a mother of five, was the first parent in New Jersey to get her free baby box — a portable, low-tech bassinet made of laminated cardboard. But first, she had to take an online course about safe sleeping practices, which experts say can sharply reduce the chances of sudden infant death syndrome. “Basically, you want to have the baby on the mattress, and that’s it,” she said after watching a 20-minute series of videos. (Foderao, 2/12)
The New York Times: Karen Pence Picks A Cause, And Art Therapists Feel Angst
Although art therapy is offered by a number of established medical centers, many Americans don’t know much about it. Art therapy is a form of psychotherapy where mental health professionals use art materials to help patients explore feelings that may not be easy to express in words. Almost overnight, the field has attracted new attention because of a connection with the Trump administration. On Inauguration Day, Karen Pence, the second lady, announced on the newly revamped White House website that she wants to shine a “spotlight on the mental health profession of art therapy.” (Saint Louis, 2/10)
Kaiser Health News: Death Doesn’t Have To Be So Scary
Most people prefer not to think about death, much less plan for it. In a tech-crazed world, where time is commonly measured in 140 characters and 6-second sound bites, life would appear to be dissected into so many bite-sized morsels that discussion of death doesn’t even seem to fit into the equation. “Everybody has a fear of death, no matter what culture, religion or country they come from,” said Kelvin Chin, author of “Overcoming the Fear of Death” and founder of the Overcoming the Fear of Death Foundation and the non-profit turningwithin.org. “Fear is simply an emotion caused by the anticipation of unhappiness.” (Horovitz, 2/13)
