Eating disorders plague about 0.9 percent of women and 0.3 percent of men over a lifetime period in the United States. Those who are diagnosed with an eating disorder are given a designation of one of three diagnoses provided by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition.
Greater proportions of white, African American, and Hispanic drinkers have emerged since the early 1990s, a new study finds. Researchers at the University of Texas’s Department of Public Health and affiliates discovered that the number of both male and female drinkers of white, African American, and Hispanic backgrounds had risen from 1992 to 2002, but …
Higher Percentage of Drinkers Across American Ethnic Groups Read More »
After gaining interim final rule on July 14, the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) has officially been enforced by the federal government, making health insurance coverage for mental health and addiction disorders parallel to coverage for other medical benefits. With the support of Congressman Patrick …
Addiction often leads people to become involved with the court system—through a DUI, forging prescriptions, or other situations that stem from the desperation that can surround drug and alcohol addiction. It can be incredibly difficult to face the many adverse elements of addiction when you are not only accountable to yourself and your family, but …
An Interview with Sheila Balkan: Criminologist and Court Consultant Read More »
In honor of National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has announced its partnership with the Advertising Council to launch a new series of advertisements targeting specific cultural groups that have been underserved for mental health treatment. The public service campaigns that are aimed to open discussions …
National Campaign Targets Mental Health Issues among Cultural Groups Read More »
For the first time, Toronto’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey Mental Health and Well-Being Report looked at “screen time,” or the amount of time students spend watching television or on the computer. The report found that nearly 10 percent of students in grades 7 to 12 spend …
Of the 95 million emergency room visits estimated that occurred in 2007, 12 million of them were attributed to a mental disorder, substance abuse condition, or both. According to a new statistical report from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), one in eight visits by adults to hospital emergency departments was related to the …
One in Eight Emergency Room Visits Related to Mental Illness or Substance Abuse Read More »
Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois signed a new bill into law on July 8, 2010, that expands veterans’ services and accessibility to mental health care and coverage within the state. House Bill 6103, which won unanimous support in Illinois’ General Assembly and goes into effect immediately, exempts all Illinois veterans from being charged for services …
Illinois Passes Law to Increase Veterans’ Access to Mental Health Care Read More »
After nine years in two ongoing wars, Army commanders are now more than ever being forced to leave behind thousands of soldiers declared unfit for duty due to not just injury and illness but also poor mental health. More than 13,000 active-duty Army soldiers have been found to be unfit for duty, according to a …
Army Experiencing Influx of Non-Deployable Soldiers Due to Mental Health Issues Read More »
In terms of overall drug use, the good news is that it appears to be stabilizing in industrial countries; the bad news is there are signs that it could be on the rise in countries that are still developing. This assumption is based on a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and …