Science News about Prevention

NIH Study Shows People with Serious Mental Illnesses Can Lose Weight

Press Release • March 21, 2013

Losing weight is challenging for everyone. It can be particularly difficult for someone with a serious mental illness. An NIMH-funded clinical study proves that a modified diet and exercise program can work for people with serious mental illnesses. Participants lost 7 pounds more than controls—and continued to lose weight.

Precursor Symptoms to Autism Detected in 6-Month-Old Infants

Science Update • February 11, 2013

Some autism symptoms can be seen in 6-month-old infants, possibly leading to even earlier intervention for this disorder.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on the State of Mental Health Care in the United States

Science Update • February 05, 2013

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discusses state of U.S. mental health care, commemorates JFK’s speech on the topic 50 years ago.

50 years ago, President John F. Kennedy Sent a Special Message to Congress About the State of Mental Health

Science Update • January 29, 2013

Fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy addressed Congress about the state of mental health—and changed the way Americans view mental health care.

Focusing Efforts on Early-Stage HIV Interventions May Help Prevent Spread of Disease

Science Update • August 24, 2009

Screening and early intervention with people in the earliest stages of HIV infection may reduce the spread of the disease, according to NIMH-funded researchers. A series of five papers from a small, multisite study were published online ahead of print in June 2009 in the journal AIDS and Behavior.

Web-based Programs Encourage Safer Sex Behaviors among Men at Risk for HIV/AIDS

Science Update • August 11, 2009

A single-session, online, multimedia intervention effectively reduced risky sexual behaviors among young men who have sex with men, a group at high risk for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Such low-cost programs may help reverse the steady rise in HIV diagnoses among this population.

Evidence-Based Prevention is Goal of Largest Ever Study of Suicide in the Military

Press Release • July 16, 2009

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has announced that an interdisciplinary team of four research institutions will carry out the largest study of suicide and mental health among military personnel ever undertaken, with $50 million in funding from the U.S. Army. Study investigators aim to move quickly to identify risk and protective factors for suicide among soldiers and provide a science base for effective and practical interventions to reduce suicide rates and address associated mental health problems.

Brief, Clinic-Based, Peer-led Intervention Helps Reduce Subsequent STDs in African American Men

Science Update • June 18, 2009

A brief, one-time intervention delivered by a trained peer health advisor was an effective and low-cost method for reducing new infections among young, heterosexual, African American men diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD), according to an NIMH-funded study. Such programs may help reduce STD-related health disparities, which currently affect a disproportionate number of African American men in the United States. The study was published in the April 2009 supplemental issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

HIV Prevention Program Gets a Boost From NIMH Recovery Act Funds

Press Release • May 26, 2009

Developing interventions to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among heterosexual men, couples and ethnically diverse populations continues to be complex and challenging. To help address this issue, NIMH awarded a two-year grant to David Pérez-Jiménez, Ph.D., at the University of Puerto Rico, to support the adaptation and assessment of an HIV and other sexually transmitted infection intervention designed for young, heterosexual Latino couples. This grant will use funds allocated to NIMH through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to promote economic recovery and spur advances in science and health.

Black Teens, Especially Girls, at High Risk for Suicide Attempts

Science Update • April 10, 2009

Black American teens, especially females, may be at high risk for attempting suicide even if they have never been diagnosed with a mental disorder, according to researchers funded in part by NIMH. Their findings, based on responses from adolescent participants in the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), provide the first national estimates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors (ideation) and suicide attempts in 13- to 17-year-old black youth in the United States. The study was published in the March 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Childhood Maltreatment Undermines Physical Health in Adulthood

Science Update • March 30, 2009

It’s well known that early life experiences can affect a child’s cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. A recent study funded by NIMH takes this link one step further showing that negative childhood experiences, such as abuse or neglect, can affect a person’s physical health as well. Published in the February 24, 2009, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study suggests a history of child abuse or neglect can lower a person’s overall immunity and ability to manage stress, and that this effect may be long-lasting.

Youths Exposed to HIV Before Birth Have Higher Chance of Developing Psychiatric Disorders

Science Update • March 19, 2009

Youths who were exposed to HIV before birth, especially those who were born HIV positive, have a high chance of developing psychiatric disorders, according to an NIMH-funded study published online ahead of print February 27, 2009, in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Suicidal Thinking May Be Predicted Among Certain Teens with Depression

Science Update • February 17, 2009

Certain circumstances may predict suicidal thinking or behavior among teens with treatment-resistant major depression who are undergoing second-step treatment, according to an analysis of data from an NIMH-funded study. The study was published online ahead of print February 17, 2009, in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Possible HIV Prevention Therapy Shows Promise, But At a Significant Cost

Science Update • February 11, 2009

A therapy that shows promise in preventing HIV infection could significantly reduce the risk of HIV infection among high-risk groups, but the cost may be substantial unless drug costs can be reduced, according to a study published online ahead of print February 4, 2009, in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Consortium Moves Quickly to Study Resilience Following Hurricane Ike

Science Update • December 31, 2008

A consortium of research programs funded by NIMH to conduct post-disaster mental health research mobilized this year following hurricane Ike to study the factors that influence resilience after disasters.

NIMH, U.S. Army Sign MOA to Conduct Groundbreaking Suicide Research

Science Update • November 12, 2008

NIMH and the U.S. Army have entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to conduct research that will help the Army reduce the rate of suicides.

New Grant Aims to Reduce Rate of College Suicide by Helping Students Better Adjust

Science Update • October 31, 2008

A new grant funded by NIMH will test an intervention designed to prevent or reduce suicide among college students.