HealthMedia® - Behavioral Health Brief

Behavioral Health Brief

News & Events

The Behavioral Health Brief is a quarterly newsletter aimed at educating and informing the marketplace on the prevalence, impact, and best practices in behavioral health. Here you will find the latest trends, studies, and breakthroughs in the field along with insights and commentary from top industry influencers and leading authorities.

Volume 4, February 2010

Digital Health Coaching Meets Behavioral Health: Private, On-Line, Self-Management for Behavioral Health Issues An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder each year and only one third of these individuals will actually seek treatment — largely due to the stigma and shame associated with asking for help with behavioral health challenges. Although not a replacement for high-touch services Web-based digital programs provide a private, confidential, and convenient option and can play a critical role in reaching individuals who may not feel comfortable seeking traditional methods of treatment.
The Painful Truth: The Economic Burden of Chronic Pain Management Comorbid with Prescription Drug Substance Abuse The annual cost of chronic pain in the United States, including health care expenses, lost income, and lost productivity is estimated to be $100 billion. When the cost of substance abuse is added to this equation, total costs reach a total of $198 billion. To this end, researchers are searching for ways to improve the clinical management of chronic pain and significantly reduce patient risk with non-pharmacologic pain management tools to reduce the amount of pain medication needed to effectively manage chronic pain. One such solution is online Digital Health Coaching, particularly for the management of low back pain which affects more than 26 million Americans and is the leading cause of disability among those under age 45.
A Heavy Weight Crisis: The Economic Burden of Obesity Comorbid with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) Binge Eating Disorder (BED), the nation's top eating disorder — more common than bulimia and anorexia — imposes a serious public health problem. The stigma surrounding overweight and eating disorders often prevents sufferers from seeking treatment. Health plans and employers are seeking out safe, cost effective, scalable, and confidential options to help individuals stop binge eating and compulsive eating, battle obesity, and improve their overall quality of life.
Checking Vitals: Prevalence and Economic Impact of Cardiovascular Disease Co-Occurring with Depression The leading cause of death in the United States, cardiovascular disease affects an estimated 81 million Americans each year. Compounding this enormous public health burden is the exceedingly high incidence of depression within this disease population. To address these issues, employers and health plans are turning their focus to safe, cost-effective, scalable, and confidential interventions, such as online Digital Health Coaching programs to help manage depression.
Behavioral Health in the News Click here to view recent behavioral health national news coverage.

Volume 3, June 2009

Mental Health Parity: Eliminating Barriers to Effective Mental Health Care For decades, great disparities have existed between health care benefits for mental health disorders and physical health disorders. Those seeking treatment for mental health conditions have faced higher co-payments and deductibles, as well as more restrictive limits on treatment — as compared with the corresponding benefits allowed for most physical health conditions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Helps Patients Who Suffer from Major Depressive Disorder Comorbid with Insomnia Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating illness that significantly affects an individual’s quality of life. Eighty percent of patients with MDD also suffer from insomnia and studies show that depressed patients with irregular sleep profiles have significantly poorer clinical outcomes, as evidenced by lower rates of remission — since insomnia hinders response to standard antidepressant therapy and increases risk of relapse.
The Soaring Economic Burden of Insomnia Today, health care professionals are paying closer attention to insomnia — an under-recognized and under-treated disorder — as research indicates that it has become a significant and costly public health problem with serious consequences for both individuals and society.
The Web: A New Solution for Treating Mental Illness and Addiction Working with HealthMedia®, Hazelden created a web-based, 24/7 recovery program that supports the first 18 months after treatment conclusion that includes online, real time discussions with Hazelden alumni, access to a licensed recovery coach via phone and electronically, and many other interactive features that help patients focus and stay engaged in their recovery.
The Connection between Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Abuse in Returning Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans From severe trauma associated with combat exposure to the stress of multiple and prolonged deployments, recent findings suggest that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are producing a new generation of veterans at high risk for a host of mental health problems.
Behavioral Health in the News Click here to view recent behavioral health national news coverage.

Volume 2, February 2009

Behavioral Health and the Economic Downturn The deteriorating economy has already resulted in a significant rise in unemployment, both in the US and throughout the world. Research shows that job loss can have a devastating impact on mental health. The negative consequences of unemployment are not confined solely to those who have lost their jobs. Other family members, particularly children and adolescents, are adversely affected as well.
Employers Should Wake Up to the Real Economic Burden of Insomnia Employers are paying a high price for insomnia on two fronts — productivity loss and health care costs — because only a small percentage of those with sleep problems ever receive professional help. Until viable solutions for identification and treatment for insomnia are found and deployed, employers will continue to lose big profits as their employees lose sleep.
HRA Data Show Up to a Third Experience Depression, But Only a Fraction are Being Treated Of the 900,000 unique individuals who took the HealthMedia® Succeed™ online health risk assessment (HRA) between 2000 and 2008, nearly 30 percent were suffering from or at risk for depression, however just over 8 percent of them sought treatment.
The Case For Physical Activity as a Component of Behavioral Health Program Evidence continues to surface indicating that regular physical activity reduces morbidity and mortality from behavioral health disorders, and can prevent some types of depressive illness. For people who suffer from mental illness, physical activity also appears to improve the ability to perform activities of daily living.
The Toll of Invisible Wounds:
Revealing the Prevalence and Cost of Service Members Suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Public concern is high over the wellbeing of the approximate 1.64 million US troops that have been deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF; Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF; Iraq) since 2001. According to the 2008 RAND Report, 300,000 service men and women currently suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression, but only half are getting help.
Using Online Intervention Data to Weigh In On Binge Eating Disorder Guilt, shame, or social stigma prevent some binge eaters from seeking help, and most weight management programs do not address the emotional side of binge eating. A confidential, online intervention for binge eating can screen for binge eating problems — identifying those and risk, and provide help early on to individuals who may never come forward for treatment.
National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is February 22-28, 2009 The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders, will carry out NEDAwareness Week February 22-28, 2009. The aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment.
Behavioral Health in the News Click here to view recent behavioral health national news coverage.

Volume 1, October 2008

CONTACT US TODAY!

To learn how Digital Health Coaching can improve your outcomes, contact a HealthMedia® Sales Representative today.
Call 1-734-623-0000,
ext. 300 or e-mail
sales@healthmedia.com

Advisory Board

HealthMedia® recognizes the need to address behavioral health issues through promoting awareness of the prevalence and impact of these problems, and working with industry experts and influencers to develop best practices in prevention, early identification, and treatment. The company has formed the following Advisory Board of behavioral health experts to help provide direction and feedback on the specific areas of focus and identification of new and innovative treatment and technology. These experts will also provide information and insights in future issues of the Behavioral Health Brief.

Rich Bedrosian, Ph.D.
Director, Behavioral Health,
HealthMedia, Inc.

J. Todd Arnedt, Ph.D., C.B.S.M.
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology
Director, Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program,
University of Michigan

Sona Dimidjian, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychology,
University of Colorado

Michael Golinkoff, Ph.D., MBA
Chief Clinical Officer,
Aetna Behavioral Health

Steven Hollon, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University

Marvin D. Seppala, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer, Hazelden

Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D., Professor
Department of Health Care Policy,
Harvard Medical School

Stuart Koman, Ph.D.
President and CEO,
Walden Behavioral Care, Inc.

Lisa M. Najavits, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University
Lecturer, Harvard Medical School
Clinical psychologist at the National Center for PTSD

HealthMedia

Call Us: 734.623.0000 x300