7 JAMA resources for psychiatrists to share with patients

To help patients who are living with mental health disorders, a key tool in the psychiatrist’s armamentarium is reliable information about psychiatric conditions and how they are best diagnosed and treated. 

The JAMA Network® has published Patient Pages since 1998 to distill high-quality evidence and make it more accessible for patient education and help guide patient decisions. Patient Pages provide a basic definition of the condition or issue, along with symptoms, consequences, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. These resources, illustrated by JAMA® medical illustrators, are always freely accessible online.

As part of a series of news articles curating these outstanding resources, the AMA is highlighting free, recently published Patient Page resources of highest relevance to various physician specialties. This article highlights resources relevant to psychiatry, including treatment options for many common conditions.

AMA members can explore a range of peer-reviewed research and clinical information published by the JAMA Network, which brings JAMA together with JAMA Network Open and 11 specialty journals. Published continuously since 1883, JAMA is one of the most widely circulated, peer-reviewed, general medical journals in the world. If you are a member or interested in becoming one, learn how to access these educational materials and innovative tools. 
 

1. “Borderline Personality Disorder”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes borderline personality disorder, its signs and symptoms, possible causes, diagnosis, and treatment options. From the Patient Page: “Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a mental health disorder that affects up to 3% of adults.”
   2. The JAMA Patient Page notes that the most common treatment is psychotherapy, “which refers to various forms of talk therapy. Psychotherapy is particularly useful when symptoms of BPD are severe (such as suicidal thoughts). Educating patients about their illness and involving them in the care plan can also be helpful.
   3. “While medications can be helpful for treating other mental health conditions that exist along with BPD, no class of medications has been shown to be consistently effective for improving symptoms of BPD in randomized clinical trials.”

2. “Screening for Depression and Suicide Risk in Adults”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes the pros and cons of screening for depression and suicide risk in adults. From the Patient Page: “People with depression often feel sad, hopeless, helpless, tired and unmotivated.”
   2. The JAMA Patient Page explains that screening means “looking for a condition or illness in individuals who do not have specific symptoms or concerns related to that illness. Screening for depression and suicide risk is important because patients often do not feel comfortable bringing up depression symptoms with their doctor, especially during a routine checkup. It may only be when patients are specifically asked about these symptoms that the problem comes to light.”

3. “Screening for Depression and Suicide Risk in Children and Adolescents”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page summarizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s recommendations on screening for depression and suicide risk in children and adolescents. From the Patient Page: “The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recently published recommendations on screening for depression and suicide risk in children and adolescents.”
   2. The JAMA Patient Page notes that people with depression “can also manifest as being irritable, distracted or argumentative. All children and adolescents have these feelings at times as part of normal growth, development and life. However, a depressive disorder is when these feelings become strong and persistent and lead to problems in day-to-day functioning at home, in school or with peers. Depression in childhood is strongly associated with depression in adulthood.”

4. “Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page discusses social isolation and loneliness as important public health concerns, especially among older adults. From the Patient Page: “The U.S. Surgeon General has identified social isolation and loneliness as important public health concerns.
   2. “Social isolation is a condition in which individuals lack adequate connections to family, friends, or a community. In contrast, loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone. People prefer different amounts of time alone, and individuals can be alone without feeling lonely. Alternatively, an individual can be surrounded by people and still experience loneliness. In general, the risk of loneliness increases with social isolation. Social isolation and loneliness have been increasingly recognized as a health risk during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.”

5. "What Are Eating Disorders?”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes the most common types of eating disorders, risk factors for eating disorders and treatment options. From the Patient Page: “Eating disorders are substantial disturbances in eating or behavior related to eating.
   2. “Eating disorders may be associated with medical and psychiatric complications, impaired functioning, and decreased quality of life. People with eating disorders have higher death rates than those who do not have these disorders.”

6. “What Is Bipolar Disorder?”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes bipolar disorder: diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. From the Patient Page: “Bipolar disorder is characterized by mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs.
   2. “Bipolar disorder affects about 8 million people in the US and an estimated 40 million individuals worldwide. Symptoms of bipolar disorder typically start between age 15 to 25 years, often with an initial episode of depression.”

7. “What Is Paternal Perinatal Depression?”

   1. This JAMA Patient Page describes paternal perinatal depression and its symptoms, risk factors and management strategies. From the Patient Page: “Paternal perinatal depression is a mental health condition that affects about 10% of fathers worldwide.
   2. “Paternal perinatal depression is defined as depressive symptoms that develop in fathers during their partner’s pregnancy and/or during the first year of their infant’s life. Paternal postnatal depression involves depressive symptoms that develop within 1 year after the birth of an infant.”

In addition to the Patient Page feature, here are other ways physicians can leverage resources from the JAMA Network to help them in their clinical practice:

• Take CME courses and earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
• Fulfill maintenance of licensure (MOL) and CME requirements on JN Learning™, the home for all JAMA Network CME.
• Read concise summaries of clinical guidelines and recommendations in a format designed for today’s busy physicians.

The subscription cost of JAMA is included with your AMA membership, plus unlimited digital access to all JAMA Network journals, including JAMA Psychiatry and these other journals: JAMA Cardiology, JAMA Dermatology, JAMA Internal Medicine, JAMA Network Open, JAMA Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, JAMA Neurology, JAMA Oncology, JAMA Ophthalmology, JAMA Pediatrics and JAMA Surgery.

The journals include many helpful features for students, residents and fellows, including full-text PDFs, clinical challenges, archived editions, audio and video author interviews where authors give their perspectives on a study’s objectives, findings and implications.