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Affectionate communication may have positive impact on alexithymia sufferers

Every person has some level of alexithymia, as it is the personality trait which keeps people from sharing or even understanding their own emotions. Now, one University of Missouri researcher's latest study indicates that affectionate communication, such as hugging, could help those who have high levels of alexithymia lead more fulfilling lives.

7 Apr 2011

Study finds marked increases in teen use of marijuana and Ecstasy

Following a decade of steady declines, a new national study released today by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation indicates that teen drug and alcohol use is headed in the wrong direction, with marked increases in teen use of marijuana and Ecstasy over the past three years.

6 Apr 2011

Two reports show drastic increase in opioid prescriptions in America

Two reports by addiction researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse show a drastic shift in prescribing patterns impacting the magnitude of opioid substance abuse in America.

6 Apr 2011

Seventeen local organizations receive AHF $1,000,000 Mission Support Grants

Alliance Healthcare Foundation announced today the recipients of nearly $1,000,000 in Mission Support Grants. AHF is committed to serving the most vulnerable populations in the San Diego area through funding projects and programs that address access to healthcare, with a focus on increasing the capacity and coordination of the healthcare delivery system.

2 Apr 2011

SAMHSA publishes strategic initiatives paper on nation's behavioral health care system

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today published its strategic initiatives paper - an overview of SAMHSA's goals, priorities and action steps for accomplishing its mission of reducing the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

30 Mar 2011

New study finds 74.8% increase in hospital emergency visits due to Ecstasy use

A new national study indicates that the number of hospital emergency visits involving the illicit drug Ecstasy increased from 10,220 in 2004 to 17,865 visits in 2008 - a 74.8 percent increase.

25 Mar 2011

Biologists decipher molecular code regulating availability of brain channel linked to neuronal excitability

A key question in protein biochemistry is how proteins recognize "correct" interaction partners in a sea of cellular factors. Nowhere is that more critical to know than in the brain, where interactions governing channel protein activity can alter an organism's behavior.

23 Mar 2011

Victoria tackles underage drinking

Experts are happy with the Victorian Government’s strict attitude towards under-age drinking. The Baillieu Government will introduce legislation into Parliament this week, providing for $7,000 fines for adults who give alcohol to children without parental permission.

21 Mar 2011

Smoking during pregnancy increases risk of children becoming smokers too

New research has revealed that prenatal exposure to nicotine increases the vulnerability to nicotine self-administration in adolescent mice. The results support the hypothesis that adolescents with prenatal nicotine exposure are more likely to start smoking earlier than their peers and that they are also more susceptible to the addictive effects of nicotine, especially as a result of stress and peer pressure.

21 Mar 2011

Hazelden, Columbia University to open collegiate addiction recovery residence in N.Y. City

Hazelden, one of the world's largest and most respected private, nonprofit alcohol and drug addiction treatment centers, announced today that it will open a first-of-its-kind collegiate recovery residence called Tribeca Twelve in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood.

17 Mar 2011

New findings reveal abused women are frequent ER visitors for many health problems

More than three quarters of domestic violence victims who report the incidents to police seek health care in emergency rooms, but most of them are never identified as being victims of abuse during their hospital visit.

17 Mar 2011

New study: Emergency departments may miss 70% of domestic abuse cases

Emergency departments may be missing over 70 percent of domestic abuse cases, warns new study.

17 Mar 2011

PHC announces acquisition of MeadowWood Behavioral Health

PHC, Inc., d/b/a Pioneer Behavioral Health, a leading provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, today announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire MeadowWood Behavioral Health, located in New Castle, Delaware, for $21.5 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. The transaction is expected to close late in the second quarter of 2011.

16 Mar 2011

Classifying gambling subtypes does not predict treatment outcomes

Approximately two million adults in the United States meet criteria for pathological gambling, and another four to six million are considered problem gamblers, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. A study by researchers at Wayne State University reveals that gambling addiction treatment is not one-size-fits-all, but it is difficult to predict which style of treatment is best for the various forms of gambling addiction.

16 Mar 2011

Medica Foundation awards $1 million in grants to five Minnesota organizations

The Medica Foundation today announced $1 million in grants to five Minnesota organizations. The grant amounts range from $100,000 to $300,000 each and are designed to provide funding to the recipients over a three-year period.

14 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Sebelius, Harkin, Wyden, King, Altman, Butler weigh in on health reform law

Early signs show that, after years of decline, the number of small businesses offering coverage to employees is increasing. Perhaps less widely recognized, but no less significant, has been the way the law is demanding transparency and accountability from the insurance industry to bring down premiums.

14 Mar 2011

New insights into factors affecting adolescent marijuana use

What factors are associated with a higher or lower risk of marijuana use among adolescents? There are some important differences for boys versus girls, according to a study in the March Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

14 Mar 2011

$HIV infection and increased fracture risk: Study$

HIV infection and increased fracture risk: Study

According to a latest study, adults between ages 25 and 54 infected with HIV, are at increased risk for bone fractures compared to the general population. Until now it was known that low bone mineral density was common in people with HIV, but no concrete proof existed.

14 Mar 2011

Girls who transit to mixed-gender friendship network early are more likely to develop substance abuse problems

In childhood, boys and girls tend to form friendships almost exclusively with same-sex peers. Around early adolescence, they gradually begin to include other-sex friends in their network. A new study published in Journal of Research on Adolescence suggests that girls and boys experience this transition very differently.

11 Mar 2011

Gastric bypass patients tend to overuse alcohol

Patients who have had a gastric bypass operation take longer to process alcohol, potentially leading some of them to overindulge when drinking, according to the results of a new study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

11 Mar 2011