New Report Indicates that Integrating Mental Health and Physical Health Care Services can Benefit Patients with Depression

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A new report released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) found evidence that people treated for depression in primary care clinics that provide a coordinated set of mental and physical health do better and have fewer symptoms than patients who are treated at sites that just provide health services.

The report entitled Integration of Mental Health/Substance Abuse and Primary Care, also found that patients treated in specialty mental health centers appear to benefit when the facilities offer general medical care. Click here to read the report.

The report was co-funded by HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Women’s Health, and Office of Minority Health, and conducted by the AHRQ-supported University of Minnesota Evidence-based Research Center in Minneapolis.

Mindfulness Therapy just as effective as Anti-Depressants

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According to a new study out of the UK, Mindfulness Cognitive Behavorial Therapy is just as effective as Anti-Depressants in treating Depression.

The study involved groups of eight to fifteen people meeting with one therapist for eight weeks. The participants were taught exercises they would be able to practice on their own. Professor Willem Kuyken of the University of Exeter said: “Anti-depressants are widely used by people who suffer from depression and that’s because they tend to work. But, while they’re very effective in helping reduce the symptoms of depression, when people come off them they are particularly vulnerable to relapse. MBCT takes a different approach – it teaches people skills for life. What we have shown is that when people work at it, these skills for life help keep people well.”

You can read the article by clicking here.

On experiencing Postnatal Depression with a second child

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British novelist Sarah May has a new novel coming out: The Rise and Fall of the Domestic Diva. She also recently opened up about experiencing Postnatal Depression after the birth of her second child. Sarah didn’t experience PND after the birth of her first son, even though she had additional risk factors of being young, still in college, and not having planned the pregnancy. The second pregnancy was planned, her older son was 11 and in school. Yet she found herself in the throes of PND. You can read more about her experience here.

Electronic Guide on Depression & Pregnancy

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The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library has released a new edition of its resource “Depression During and After Pregnancy:  Knowledge Path.”  This electronic guide includes recent resources about the prevalence and incidence of perinatal depression, identification and treatment, impact on the health and well-being of a new mother and her infant, and implications for service delivery.  The knowledge path, produced by the MCH Library, contains information on Web sites, publications, and databases.  Separate sections present resources for professionals (health professionals, policymakers, program administrators, and researchers) and for women experiencing perinatal depression and their families.  The knowledge path is available at http://mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_postpartum.html.

New Research on Infertility

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As you may or may not know, Infertility difficulty can be a risk factor for developing Postpartum or Antepartum Mood Disorders.

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examines the issue of infertility in the US.  The publication, titled, “A Public Health Focus on Infertility Prevention, Detection and Management” presents information on the efforts of a CDC-wide working group that found that, “considerable gaps and opportunities exist in surveillance, research, communication and policy development” on infertility.  Researchers from the CDC intend to consult with other federal agencies, professional and consumer organizations, the scientific community, the health care community, industry, and other stakeholders, and participate in the development of a national public health plan for the prevention, detection, and management of infertility.  For more information, go here.