News in brief - March 28, 2011

Physicians screening for mental illness in teens eligible for national registry

Primary care physicians who screen teenage patients for mental illness can sign up with the Columbia University TeenScreen Registry for free resources to support their work in this area.

The program run by the TeenScreen National Center for Mental Health Checkups at Columbia University in New York officially launches in June but is open for sign-ups now. Registered physicians will be provided evidence-based screening questionnaires, patient education materials and access to a private online community. Those signed up will have profile information listed publicly on the organization's website.

The registry is open to pediatric primary care physicians who use evidence-based questionnaires to identify teens affected by depression, anxiety and other mental health issues registry.teenscreen.org/national-registry/.

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Most states unprepared for radiation emergency

The majority of states are ill-prepared for a public health emergency involving radiation, leaving much of the U.S. at greater risk if such an event occurs, says a study published in a supplement to the March issue of the American Medical Association's Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness (www.dmphp.org/cgi/content/abstract/5/Supplement_1/S134).

Preparedness levels vary by state, but those with nuclear power plants are better prepared overall than states without them. Of 38 states surveyed by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, 45% have no radiation emergency response plan beyond those for specific nuclear power plants. Among states with plans, few address surveillance to assess the health impacts of radiation in the aftermath of such an event.

The report calls for more education and training, collaboration among different levels of government and sharing of best practices among states.

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Report highlights gaps in preventive care among seniors

With people 65 and older projected to make up about one in five Americans by 2030, making preventive services accessible across diverse populations is critical, says a report by the Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"If we can help patients age 65 and older get the recommended preventive screenings and regular immunizations, we could significantly reduce unnecessary illness," said Edward Langston, MD, a member of the American Medical Association Board of Trustees.

The report highlighted disparities in preventive care across different populations, such as screening for breast cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. For example, more than 50% of Hispanics, 47% of blacks and 36% of whites never receive a pneumococcal vaccination, said the report (www.cdc.gov/aging).

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