The use of lay counselors is a proven method of treating depression, especially in poorer communities that might not otherwise receive care.
November 28, 2016
Gun control laws that allow for the temporary, legal transfer of firearms away from the home of someone suffering a mental health crisis are needed to prevent suicide, argues new research in JAMA Internal Medicine. While tighter gun regulations—including universal…
October 4, 2016
As Venezuela’s economy crumbled, so did its health system—making meds hard to come by. Around 85% of psychiatric medicines are now unavailable in Venezuela, and it has proved devastating to thousands of mental health patients who once lived normal lives under treatment.…
September 20, 2016
A suicide attempt caught on video in Uganda’s capital has ignited conversation about barriers to mental health treatment. A country of over 37 million people, Uganda has only 32 licensed psychiatrists and just 1 national mental health hospital. This insufficient capacity—…
September 15, 2016
An event at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health will explore the many dimensions to eating disorders, including their biological roots, risk factors, treatment options and legislation. Panelists include S. Bryn Austin, a professor at the Chan School and Alison…
September 8, 2016
A week after Hillary Clinton announced her mental health care plan, Clinton adviser and Indiana University sociologist Bernice Pescosolido spoke to Pacific Standard about the proposal and Americans’ attitudes toward mental health issues. Pescosolido touts the proposal’s…
September 7, 2016
There are a lot of open questions about how and why humans get prion diseases where misfolded proteins leave the brain riddled with holes, like a sponge. Historically, researchers studying a tribe in the highlands of Papua New Guinea attributed a strange wasting disease…
August 15, 2016
India faces fast-rising suicide rates are among the world’s highest. The Numbers (from the Global Burden of Disease study):
July 29, 2016
Meager efforts by the global health community to address mental health in developing countries continues to be a huge failure, with up to 90% of people in some developing countries lacking access to the most basic mental health care.
July 27, 2016
Our noses and eyes may reveal early signs of the most common type of dementia afflicting over 5 million Americans, according to research presented this week at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2016. 4 new studies represent "a positive step forward to…