Minorities, Medicare recipients less likely to get antidepressants
HealthDay News via U.S. News & World Report
Hispanics and blacks are less likely to be prescribed antidepressants than whites, and Medicare and Medicaid patients are less likely to receive the drugs than those with private insurance, a new study says. University of Michigan School of Public Health researchers examined data from 1993 to 2007 and found that whites were 1.5 times more likely to receive antidepressants than blacks or Hispanics with major depression.More

MedPAC worried over managed care plan for dual eligibles
McKnight's Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living
A Medicare advisory panel has expressed concern automatic enrollment into managed care plans for dually eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries would harm their access to healthcare. Under a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services demonstration project, dual eligibles would be "passively" enrolled in managed care plans. More

Sloppy EHR implementation could threaten patient safety
InformationWeek
A study of health IT implementation at seven Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals shows that when information systems are implemented without proper planning and management, problems can occur and threaten patient safety. Published in the American Journal of Managed Care, the study was based on interviews with nurses, pharmacists, physicians, IT staff members and managers. More

US gives nod to Eli Lilly's brain plaque test
Reuters
U.S. regulators have given the nod to an imaging test from Eli Lilly that can for the first time help doctors detect brain plaque tied to Alzheimer's disease, the company said. The Food and Drug Administration approved the radioactive dye, called Amyvid, to help doctors rule out whether patients have Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, Lilly announced.More

FDA says ADHD drug shortage to end soon
Consumer Reports
Those who fill prescriptions to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, such as Ritalin or Adderall, will soon find relief from a shortage since 2011. Drugmakers have told the Food and Drug Administration they will release enough medication — particularly the short-acting versions of these drugs — in April, which should end the shortage, according to the FDA.More

Teen drinking may boost odds of precancerous breast changes
HealthDay News via MSN
Teenage girls and young adult women who drink even moderate amounts of alcohol appear to increase their risk of developing breast changes that can lead to cancer, according to a large new study. The study, which followed more than 29,000 females, found that for each 10 grams of alcohol consumed each day, the risk of developing these noncancerous cells and lesions increased 15 percent.More

Higher risk for women with false-positive mammogram results
TIME
Women who have false-positive results from their mammograms may have another reason to worry, a recent study says. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen found that women who had a "false alarm" on their mammogram — an abnormal result that is further tested and determined not to be cancer — had a 67 percent greater chance of developing breast cancer in the future, compared with women with normal mammogram results.More

For some appendicitis cases, antibiotics may do the Trick
TIME
Since 1889, appendectomy — the surgical removal of the appendix — has been the go-to treatment for acute appendicitis. But a new study finds that going under the knife may not be necessary. For two-thirds of patients, antibiotics may work just as well, or better, than surgery. More

In Kansas, no consensus on how to end 'dental deserts'
Kaiser Health News
In an ongoing disagreement over how to solve dental care access problems in Kansas, there is one thing no one disputes: the great need. That need was on display recently when the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation held its 11th free clinic of the past decade. Known as the Kansas Mission of Mercy, the clinic was staffed by volunteer dentists in a vacant Wal-Mart store in Kansas City.More

Scientists link rare gene mutations to heightened autism risk
The New York Times
Teams of scientists working independently have for the first time identified several gene mutations that they agree sharply increase the chances that a child will develop autism. They have found further evidence that the risk increases with the age of the parents, particularly in fathers over age 35.More

Study: Autism risk tied to mom's obesity during pregnancy
The Associated Press via CBS News
Autism is more likely to occur in children whose mothers were obese while pregnant, new research suggests. The study, one of the first of its kind, involved about 1,000 California children, ages 2 to 5. Researchers looked at their mothers' medical records and examined the association between obesity and autism.More

Emotional issues may follow motor problems in children
Reuters
A new study suggests the way children with severe coordination problems see themselves may influence their emotional wellbeing later in life. Coordination issues — sometimes diagnosed as developmental coordination disorder — prevent people from accomplishing everyday tasks, such as using scissors or buttoning their shirts. The disorder can lead to frustration at school, at home and on the playground.More

Study: Cancer diagnosis raises heart attack, suicide risk
Los Angeles Times
Cancer can kill long before malignant tumors take their toll, new research shows. A study involving more than 6 million Swedes reveals that the risk of suicide and cardiovascular death increases immediately after a cancer diagnosis. Within the first week of being told they had cancer, patients were 12.6 times more likely to commit suicide than people of similar backgrounds who were cancer-free. More