Clinical Psychiatry News articles from September 2004

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from September 2004

Disaster outreach: new for psychiatry.(News)
September 1, 2004... For Dr. Ira Brenner, practicing disaster psychiatry involves everything from taking people to get a sandwich to waiting with them to see whether their loved one's DNA has been found. "It's a whole new way of thinking about helping people,...

How adults feel about the cost-benefit ratio of mental health therapy.(Vital Signs)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... How Adults Feel About the Cost-Benefit Ratio of Mental Health Therapy Costs generally outweigh benefits 43% Usually about right 29% Not sure 16% Benefits generally outweigh costs 11% No...

Duloxetine gains FDA approval for major depression: trials of 6,000 adults with major depressive disorder show SNRI's efficacy.(News)(duloxetine hydrochloride )
September 1, 2004... Approval of duloxetine hydrochloride by the Food and Drug Administration offers an additional drug for the treatment of major depressive disorder that affects both serotonin and norepinephrine. In a statement announcing the approval, Dr....

Donepezil may delay Alzheimer's by 18 months: Tx failed to halt disease in MCI patients.(News)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Treatment with donepezil significantly slowed, but ultimately could not prevent, the progression of patients from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in a placebo-controlled, 3-year study with 769 patients. The...

Psychologists debate Canadian prescribing plan: for some, reliance on physicians who are unfamiliar with the patient in question is cause for concern.(News)
September 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- A program aimed at encouraging psychologists to prescribe through a Canadian pharmacy is prompting concern, even among psychologists themselves. The session on the program held at the annual meeting of the American...

DEA guidelines clarify issues of opioid use and misuse.(News)
September 1, 2004... Physicians who appropriately prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain can rest assured that they will not be investigated by federal agents, according to new guidelines for pain management issued jointly by the Drug Enforcement Agency and...

Children and ADHD: 52.9% get rx treatment.(News)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
September 1, 2004... HONOLULU -- Only half of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are being treated with medication, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, which used data from the National Health...

Adderall XR approved for adult ADHD.(News)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Adderall XR is now indicated for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults. Manufactured by Shire Pharmaceuticals Group, the drug gained approval for the treatment of this disorder in children in 2001. The Food and...

Ziprasidone approved for acute bipolar mania.(News)
September 1, 2004... The recent approval of ziprasidone for treating acute bipolar mania was based on two studies of hospitalized patients. Those studies found that this atypical antipsychotic was significantly more effective than placebo in alleviating symptoms...

Black physicians push for equitable Medicare care.(News)
September 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Physicians who treat black Medicare patients are less likely to be board certified and more likely to lack some clinical resources, compared with physicians seen by white patients, a recent study suggested. The study caused a...

Abbreviated depression scale proves as effective as HAM-D17.(News)
September 1, 2004... PARIS -- A 7-item rating scale for depression was as effective as the standard 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for depression in a study with 142 patients. Although the 17-item scale is considered the standard, "questions about its internal...

Supreme court ruling on HMOs irks physicians.(News)
September 1, 2004... The Supreme Court's recent ruling that patients cannot sue their health maintenance organizations will be detrimental to patients, according to leaders from several physician organizations. "It is a bad thing for patients," said Dr. Michael...

Drug ads: let's use them as learning tools.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2004... Pharmaceutical advertisements are having problems with women. The latest evidence comes from a group of scholars at the Women's Health Program at the University of Toronto. Their study. "Who Is Portrayed in Psychotropic Drug Advertisements?"...

'Borderline' has to go.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I couldn't agree more with Dr. Robert T. London's proposal about borderline personality disorder ("'Borderline' Label Needs a New Name," The Psychiatrist's Toolbox, July 2004, p. 30). My suggestion would be "affective dysregulation...

The psychiatric prefix.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... I wanted to thank Dr. Robert T. London for his article on the need to reclassify borderline personality disorder. This has been true for at least 2 decades, and the problem has not gotten any better. I would suggest the term "dysregulation"...

Anti-semitism forgotten.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... Dr. Alan A. Stone's review of "The Passion of the Christ" recognized its depth of anti-Semitism but did not explain the mechanism ("'The Passion': Powerful but Disturbing," Guest Editorial, July 2004, p. 20). Dr. Stone said that "it is...

'Deprofessionalization'.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2004... The article on the new Louisiana prescribing law identified important issues in medical care contributing to this inauspicious development, including access and the trivialization of the doctor-patient relationship ("Prescribing Law in...

Should minors have over-the-counter access to Plan B emergency contraception?(Pro & Con)
September 1, 2004... YES Teens are one of many groups vulnerable to unintended pregnancies. Each year, there are 800,000 teen pregnancies in the United States--more than in any other industrialized nation. Most of those pregnancies are unintended. ...

Adjunctive use of anticonvulsants in psychosis.(Practical Psychopharmacology)
September 1, 2004... Until recently, the use of anticonvulsants for schizophrenia seemed a classic instance of practice being forced beyond the research base by the exigencies of patient care. Research is starting to catch up, though, as two randomized...

The importance of cultural competence.(Fink! Still at Large)
September 1, 2004... Psychotherapists who work with patients whose culture encourages them to keep their issues to themselves face a special challenge. How can we help patients who historically have been taught and/or modeled to remain tight-lipped? When Pride...

The challenge of geriatric care.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2004... This should be a golden age for geriatric mental health care. Medicare pays for psychotherapy and other mental health services. There's been a gradual growth in empiric-based evidence for the effectiveness of psychotherapy, including...

Stop smoking on the big screen.(Guest Editorial)
September 1, 2004... It's been years since cigarettes have been advertised on television, and that's good news for millions of kids who watch TV programs every day. But these same children are bombarded with images of smoking almost every time they go to a...

Summer shocker.(Reel Life)(Critical Essay)
September 1, 2004... For the past 2 years the psychiatry department at the University of British Columbia and Pacific Cinematheque, an art/repertory theater in downtown Vancouver, have presented "Frames of Mind," a monthly film series featuring movies with...

The art of Philip Brubaker.(Visionary Art)
September 1, 2004... Philip Brubaker has been taking pictures since he was about 10 years old. "My parents gave me a really simple camera," he said. "I would take pictures of things around the house--like my cat." Now Mr. Brubaker--who has been diagnosed...

Antidepressants may need 8 weeks to take effect.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PARIS -- A patient with depression may take as long as 8 weeks to respond to treatment with an antidepressant, and the length of this possible lag is often underestimated by physicians, Dr. Andrew A. Nierenberg said at the 24th Congress of the...

Desyrel label warns of drug interactions.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... New labeling for Desyrel (trazodone hydrochloride) alerts health care professionals to potential drug interactions with ketoconazole, ritonavir, and indinavir. Changes to the clinical pharmacology section of the label note that...

Depression: what works best?(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Psychotherapy alone and combined with pharmacotherapy reduced symptoms of mild to moderate depression, but neither showed a clear advantage over the other, Frans de Jonghe, Ph.D., said, reporting on a study of two outpatient clinics in...

Using EX/RP to treat OCD.(Clinical Capsules)(obsessive-compulsive disorder)(Intensive exposure and response prevention)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Intensive exposure and response prevention (EX/RP), with or without clomipramine therapy, should be used more widely in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients, said Dr. H. Blair Simpson of the New York State Psychiatric...

PTSD and myocardial infarction.(Clinical Capsules)(posttraumatic stress disorder)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Screening myocardial infarction patients for posttraumatic stress disorder may flag patients likely to be nonadherent to medication and at risk for cardiovascular readmission, said Dr. Eyal Shemesh of Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York. ...

Managing alcohol withdrawal.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Sedative-hypnotic agents are more effective than neuroleptic agents in reducing mortality in alcohol withdrawal delirium popularly known as delirium tremens. In a metaanalysis of nine prospective controlled trials, Dr. Michael F....

Two predictors of bipolar relapse identified.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PARIS -- Among patients with bipolar I disorder, those with a history of rapid cycling and those who presented with a mixed-index episode had the highest risk of a quick relapse. Dr. Mauricio Tohen said in a poster presentation at the 24th...

Distinguish chronic and acute suicide risk in bipolar patients.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... SANTA FE, N.M. -- Indications of chronic suicide risk often fail to predict acute risk in bipolar patients, Dr. Jan Fawcett said at a psychiatric symposium sponsored by the University of Arizona. It's important to differentiate chronic from...

Five newer atypicals appear equally effective for mania.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- All five newer atypical antipsychotics appear to be equally effective for bipolar mania, Dr. Roy H. Perlis said in a poster presentation at a meeting of the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit sponsored by the National Institute...

Long-term imipramine can induce bluish-gray hyperpigmentation.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... VICTORIA, B.C. -- Bluish-gray hyperpigmentation has now been reported in 11 patients taking the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine, Dr. Andrei Metelitsa said at the annual conference of the Canadian Dermatology Association. In all of...

Compliance tougher in schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI -- Human nature makes compliance with medication difficult with any illness, but it becomes particularly challenging for people with schizophrenia, Dr. Samuel J. Keith said at a psychopharmacology update sponsored by the University of...

Hallucinations and antipsychotic treatment.(Evidence-Based Psychiatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... The Problem A patient presents with depression and auditory hallucinations. He is facing a number of very serious felony charges, so you consider the possibility of malingering. Since malingering is a diagnosis of exclusion, and in the...

Partial compliance is key for patients with schizophrenia.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Even partially compliant schizophrenia patients greatly reduce their risk of hospitalization, Dr. Peter J. Weiden and his associates reported. In a review of California Medicaid pharmacy claims and medical claims for 4,325 outpatients...

Telepsychiatry equal to office in depression study.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... Telepsychiatry could be a viable alternative to conventional, in-person sessions for treating depression, Dr. Paul Ruskin and his associates reported. This is encouraging news for people who live far from a treatment center, as well as for...

Age, apo E allele predict dementia progression.(Adult Psychiatry)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- A combination of age and the presence of the apolipoprotein E [epsilon]4 allele can identify which patients with mild cognitive impairment are most likely to progress to dementia in the long term, Dr. Pieter J. Visser reported...

Alzheimer's risk factor may affect cortical atrophy.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... BALTIMORE -- Nondemented adults with the apolipoprotein E [epsilon]4 genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease may have a higher risk for accelerated brain atrophy, Prabha Siddarth, Ph.D., said in a poster presentation at the American Association...

Trichotillomania: finding solutions.(The Psychiatrist's Toolbox)
September 1, 2004... Some years ago, I treated a woman who had been diagnosed with trichotillomania. This patient, who made her living as a trial attorney, had become courtroom phobic after she began pulling the hairs out of her eyebrows and feeling self-conscious...

Venlafaxine and paroxetine both relieve social anxiety.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Venlafaxine XR and paroxetine appear equally effective in the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder, according to a poster presentation by Dr. Nicholas DeMartinis at a meeting of the New Clinical Drug Evaluation...

Nearly 30% of adults reported needing a mental health professional in the past 2 years.(Data Watch)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
September 1, 2004... Nearly 30% of Adults Reported Needing A Mental Health Professional in the Past 2 Years No 72% Yes 27% Notes: Based on a national telephone survey of 500 adults conducted Feb. 16 to March 5, 2004. Fewer than 1% either declined...

'Pathological bias' being considered for DSM-V: some fear that inclusion may provide an excuse for people charged with engaging in racist behavior.(Adult Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... SAN DIEGO -- Racism, a concept absent from DSM-IV, is under consideration for inclusion in DSM-V under the rubric "pathological bias," Dr. Carl C. Bell said at the annual meeting of the National Medical Association. In addition to racism,...

Escitalopram effective for long-term treatment of GAD.(Adult Psychiatry)(generalized anxiety disorder )
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Anxiety scores continuously improve over at least 24 weeks in patients with generalized anxiety disorder who take escitalopram, Dr. Jonathan R.T. Davidson said in a poster presentation at a meeting of the New Clinical Drug...

Exercise and mental health.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Physical activity reduced feelings of sadness and suicidality in a cohort of 1,870 Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adolescents in Nueces County, Tex., reported Jennifer Brosnahan of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and her associates....

Violence linked to risky sex.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Sexually active adolescent girls who are physically hurt by a dating partner are more likely to become pregnant and to have had multiple sexual partners, said Jay G. Silverman, Ph.D., of Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, and his...

Academic aid and ADHD.(Clinical Capsules)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Children aged 7-9 years who responded to short-term methylphenidate received no additional academic benefit from organizational skills training, psychotherapy, or academic tutoring, said Dr. Lily Hechtman of McGill University, Montreal, and her...

Family meals benefit teens.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Eating a meal with family members may improve both the physical and mental health of adolescents, said Marla D. Eisenberg, Sc.D., and her associates at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. In a school-based survey of 4,746 adolescents...

Family factors affect cruelty.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Children in families where marital violence, paternal pet abuse, and paternal alcoholism were evident were significantly more likely to start fires than children in nonviolent homes, said Kimberly D. Becker, Ph.D., of the University of Hawaii,...

Immaturity and low IQ may predict psychosis: small study of adolescents suggests that a broader neurobiologic basis for psychosis might exist.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... BAL HARBOUR, FLA. -- Adolescents with psychosis demonstrate neurodevelopmental abnormalities that, when combined with age and intelligence testing, correctly discriminate them from adolescents without mental illness, Dr. David Arciniegas...

Expert offers screening lineup for unexplained mental retardation.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... CAMBRIDGE, MASS. -- Children with unexplained mental retardation should undergo genetic screening with comparative genomic hybridization when standard cytogenic techniques fail to detect chromosomal abnormalities, according to Dr. Jeff...

Medication useful as adjunct to psychotherapy in PTSD.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Medication can provide a beneficial adjunct to psychotherapy in children with posttraumatic stress disorder, Dr. Jamshid A. Marvasti said at the annual meeting of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry. Studies have...

Memantine shows efficacy for mild to moderate AD in phase III study.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Memantine was safe and effective for treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease in a phase III study with 403 patients that ran for 24 weeks. If this result leads to U.S. approval of memantine for treating mild to...

Hippocampus size on MRI flags risk of AD.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Alzheimer's disease)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA. -- An MRI brain image that shows a small hippocampus can identify those patients with mild cognitive impairment who have the highest risk of progressing to Alzheimer's disease, based on a study with 190 patients. Patients who...

Long-term use of beta carotene beneficial.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Long-term beta carotene supplementation could significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, Francine Grodstein, Sc.D., reported at the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders....

Alzhemed may stabilize cognitive function: investigational drug appears to prevent formation of amyloid fibrils in brain--a hallmark of Alzheimer's.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Alzhemed, an investigational drug believed to prevent formation of amyloid fibrils in Alzheimer's patients, was safe and showed hints of efficacy in a phase II study, Dr. Paul A. Aisen said at the Ninth International Conference...

Diagnoses of vascular dementia on the rise; cost per patient higher than other subtypes.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Vascular dementia has been diagnosed with increasing frequency over the last decade, particularly among African Americans, Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy said in a poster presentation at the Ninth International Conference on...

Poor respiratory function lifts AD risk in women.(Geriatric Psychiatry)(Alzheimer's disease)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Poor respiratory function increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease in women, Dr. Xinxin Guo reported at the Ninth International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders. Poor lung function reduces oxygen...

Smoking cessation improves antipsychotics' effect.(Addiction Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... PHOENIX, ARIZ. -- Cigarette smoking is commonplace in many psychiatric facilities, but authorities have been reluctant to ban the practice for fear that withdrawing nicotine may worsen symptoms in patients taking antipsychotic medication. ...

Topiramate may cut smoking in alcoholics.(Addiction Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Topiramate appears to reduce tobacco smoking in patients who are codependent on nicotine and alcohol, Dr. Bankole A. Johnson reported at the annual conference of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. While analyzing the...

Alcohol abstinence drug wins FDA approval: acamprosate is thought to help alcohol-dependent patients who are not drinking at start of treatment.(Addiction Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... The recent approval of acamprosate in the United States provides the first new pharmacologic treatment for treating alcohol dependence in a decade--and the first believed to target the changes in chemical abnormalities that occur in the brains...

Methamphetamine use in pregnancy may flag more abuse.(Addiction Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... SAN FRANCISCO -- Woman who use methamphetamine during pregnancy face an increased risk of polydrug use, poverty, delayed prenatal care, and out of home placement of their newborns, compared with women who do not use the drug, Dr. Penny Grant...

NYU think tank is focusing on prevention: Mental Health Prevention Center's mission is to promote early detection and prompt intervention.(Community Psychiatry)(New York University)
September 1, 2004... Not that long ago, the idea that diabetics could measure their blood sugar while resting comfortably at home was unimaginable. Fast forward to the future, and it's entirely possible that an equally simple device will be available to measure...

Dexamethasone suppression test can indicate suicide risk.(Community Psychiatry)
September 1, 2004... MIAMI -- A dexamethasone suppression test can identify patients at increased risk of suicide, according to a follow-up study presented at the annual conference of the American Association of Suicidology. Researchers striving to identify an...

Think restless legs in sleep-disturbed patients.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... BETHESDA, MD. -- Physicians owe it to their patients to learn about restless legs syndrome, a neurologic disorder that usually presents as a sleep complaint and is remarkably disabling--more than even most sleep experts appreciate, Dr. Mark W....

Modafinil shows limits in non-sleep deprived.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Modafinil is not an effective enhancer of cognition in healthy, non-sleep-deprived individuals, according to the largest study to date on the subject. Modafinil (Provigil) is indicated for use to improve wakefulness in...

Asthma severity, circadian rhythm linked in small Sleep lab study.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... PHILADELPHIA -- Worsening of asthma at night may be caused by circadian rhythm, rather than sleep, according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies. "If clinicians think that it is just...

Behavioral therapies can put sleep problems to rest.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
September 1, 2004... LAS VEGAS -- Behavioral therapies can break the habits and misconceptions that cause chronic insomnia, provided that psychiatric or medical problems are not at play, Dr. Bashir Chaudhary said at a meeting on primary care sponsored by the...

Pregabalin could be next step in fibromyalgia Tx: neuromodulator's approval expected this year for neuropathic pain, generalized anxiety, and epilepsy.(Pain Medicine)
September 1, 2004... BERLIN -- The door stands wide open awaiting new, more effective therapies for fibromyalgia--and pregabalin seems poised to gain first entry, Dr. Dan Buskila said at the annual European Congress of Rheumatology. Pregabalin is an...

Neurologists characterize more of their headaches as migraines.(Pain Medicine)
September 1, 2004... VANCOUVER, B. C. -- Neurologists report having more migraines than other physicians, which may mean the stated prevalence rate of migraine needs to be revised upward. Of 135 neurologists, 50% reported having had a migraine during the past...

Puffer fish toxin alleviates refractory cancer pain in trial.(Pain Medicine)
September 1, 2004... VANCOUVER, B. C. -- A novel pain drug from puffer fish poison showed an analgesic effect that lasted up to 2 weeks following intramuscular injection in patients with refractory cancer pain, Dr. Neil Hagen said at the annual meeting of the...

Somatization severity reduced a year after CBT.(Psychosomatic Medicine)(Cognitive-behavioral therapy )
September 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy may produce enduring and clinically meaningful reductions in the discomfort and physical disability of patients with somatization disorder, Lesley A. Allen, Ph.D., reported in a poster presentation at...

Eating disorders missed, misdiagnosed in men.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
September 1, 2004... The 15-year-old swimmer who came into Dr. Joel Jahraus' office recently could hardly be accused of not eating much--after all, he was consuming up to 4,000 calories daily. Unfortunately, even that many calories weren't enough to keep up with...

Media's negative use of 'psychosomatic' can add to stigma.(Psychosomatic Medicine)
September 1, 2004... The word "psychosomatic" is often used pejoratively in newspaper media, and that usage might be damaging to patients and the newly minted psychiatric subspecialty of psychosomatic medicine, according to Dr. Jon Stone of the Western General...

Dye eases intraoperative imaging of aneurysms: technique using indocyanine green may provide alternative to digital subtraction angiography.(Across Specialties)
September 1, 2004... ORLANDO, FLA. -- A new imaging technique allows quick assessment of cerebrovascular aneurysm procedures during surgery, offering surgeons the ability to alter device placement and potentially improve patient outcomes, according to data...

Emphasize fitness over weight loss to fight chronic diseases.(Across Specialties)
September 1, 2004... QUEBEC CITY -- Physical inactivity, more than obesity, is to blame for a large chunk of America's battle with chronic illness, according to Dr. Steven N. Blair president and CEO of the Cooper Institute, a nonprofit research and education center...

Initiative aims to fight leading causes of death.(Across Specialties)
September 1, 2004... The American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association have joined forces to help Americans lower their risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, which together account for nearly two out...

High school mental health.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Depression and substance abuse are bigger problems in the nation's high schools than are bullying, fighting, or use of weapons, according to more than 1,400 public school mental health professionals surveyed by the Annenberg Public Policy...

Illicit drug use low in Iowa.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Iowa had the lowest rate of past-month illegal drug use in persons 12 years of age or older--6.1%--according to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The District of Columbia had the highest rate, at...

Anthem sues over failed merger.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Anthem Inc., one of the nation's largest health insurers, has sued California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi over his denial of a portion of Anthem's plan to merge with WellPoint Health Networks, one of its fellow Blue Cross Blue Shield...

Income shows modest increase.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... Most physicians saw a modest increase in compensation for 2003, with some high-demand specialties getting the largest increases, according to the American Medical Group Association's 2004 Medical Group Compensation and Financial Survey. For the...

Comparing copayments.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The $10 copay at physicians' offices may be a thing of the past, a Kaiser Family Foundation/eHealthInsurance survey reported. The survey, which provided an update on individual health insurance, found that one-half of single purchasers chose...

Justice drops merger investigation.(Policy & Practice)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2004... The Department of Justice has dropped its investigation of UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Oxford Health Plans Inc., noting that such a merger would not be anticompetitive. The merger will not "give a combined United/Oxford...