Effectiveness Of Involuntary Mental Health Care Inconclusive, GAO Finds
Despite HHS finding favorable outcomes, GAO disagrees, claiming the earlier assessments are unreliable due to methodological flaws. In other news: some common sweeteners can increase the risk of early puberty; Propecia causes fertility issues for some users; and more.
Stat:
GAO: Evidence 'Inconclusive' For Involuntary Mental Health Treatment
In the last decade, the federal government has provided $146 million to organizations that provide outpatient care to people with serious mental health conditions like psychosis. The people were ordered to undergo treatment so they wouldn’t be a threat to themselves or society. Did it work? (Broderick, 7/14)
The Hill:
Here Are The Most And Least Stressed Cities In The US: Study
A recently published study from finance site WalletHub ranked 182 U.S. cities from most to least stressed, with Detroit taking the crown for most and South Burlington, Vt., winning in the least stressed category. The study determined its rankings through five different dimensions — work, financial, family, and health/safety stress. A higher number denotes a lower level of stress. (Sanders and Tanner, 7/12)
Minnesota Public Radio:
Minnesota Law To Require Mental Health Warnings On Social Media
Beginning next summer, Minnesotans scrolling social media sites will get a pop up warning. Before they can proceed to photos, articles or posts, they’ll have to click through the warning, acknowledging the site could pose a hazard to their mental health. (Ferguson, 7/14)
In public health news —
Newsweek:
Children Consuming Common Sweeteners Face Higher Early Puberty Risk
Common sweeteners found in foods and drinks may significantly increase the risk of early puberty in children, new research shows. The findings come from a large-scale study that was presented on today at ENDO 2025, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco. (Gray, 7/13)
CNN:
Cell Phone Use Affects Parent-Child Interactions, Even When Adults Aren’t Online
Many people try to limit the time they spend on social media when they’re with their kids. But new research suggests social media use has a significant effect on interactions with children — even when adults aren’t looking at their screens. Mothers who were in the habit of spending more time on social media talked much less to their kids when they played with them than did moms who spent less time on social networks, and that difference carried over when they weren’t using their devices, according to a study to be presented Tuesday at the Digital Media and Developing Minds International Scientific Congress in Washington, DC. (Alaimo, 7/13)
NPR:
Doctors Give 'Social Prescriptions' For Fitness, Arts And Socializing
For more than 30 years, Frank Frost, worked as a long-distance truck driver, ferrying industrial chemicals across the U.K. "I worked away from home six days a week, working up to 12-15 hours a day," says Frost, now 76. "My only exercise was looking for a fast food outlet in the evening when I'd parked up," he says. He gained weight and was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in his 50s. His doctors put him on insulin injections and told him to lose weight and move more. (Chatterjee, 7/14)
The New York Times:
Hair Loss Medication Finasteride Comes With Fertility Issues For Some
Finasteride, sometimes sold as Propecia, is the most widely used prescription medicine for male-pattern baldness. Prescriptions have reportedly tripled in recent years alongside the rise of direct-to-consumer telehealth companies popular among young men. For many, the medication comes with no issues and can provide newfound confidence, but it does carry side effects. ... Finasteride is prescribed at higher doses to treat enlarged prostates and has been known to mildly affect sperm counts. (Brown, 7/11)
