closer look
Prozac prescriptions for dogs are on the rise
Vadim Ghirda / AP
We all know there's a mental health crisis percolating across the U.S., but do we have to be worried about our dogs now, too? Veterinarians across the country acknowledge that Prozac prescriptions for dogs are on the rise, along with a myriad of cheaper generic mood stabilizers for pets' separation anxiety, socialization fears, biting habits, or other problematic behaviors.
That increase, experts told STAT's Sarah Owermohle, says more about the human mental health crisis in America — and the ready availability of inexpensive generic medicines. "The human world has become more attuned to mental health," said veterinarian Melissa Bain "When we start to recognize things in humans, we recognize it in our dogs too."
And if you think we're barking up the wrong tree on this story, here's a telling stat: Analysts expect the global market for these medicines to continue growing from roughly $11.6 billion in 2019 to more than $18 billion by 2027. Read more from Sarah on how pet psychiatry mirrors human trends.
covid-19
Study suggests a cautious approach to exercise for people with long Covid
STAT's expert on all things running, Liz Cooney, brings us this report. Exercise for people with long Covid has been a third rail in patient advocacy groups. When the federally funded Recover initiative proposed a trial of physical activity, the backlash was strong from people who say exercise deepens fatigue, making symptoms worse. A new study in JAMA Network Open notes that physical inactivity hurts, too, impairing strength and raising cardiometabolic risk. The recent study showed that exercise did no harm.
Scientists isolated the effects of long Covid by comparing 31 non-hospitalized people with long Covid (but without comorbidities) to 31 healthy participants. After high-intensity, moderate-intensity, and strength workouts with two- to four-week breaks in between the three types, participants were evaluated 48 hours after exercise. People with long Covid tolerated the sessions as well as those without, but their aerobic capacity and muscle strength were lower. Some people with long Covid had more trouble concentrating.
research
Suicide has doubled among college athletes in the past 20 years
A distressing study on suicide among college athletes published yesterday, on the eve of today's women's basketball NCAA Final Four games. The rate of suicide among U.S. college athletes rose so much over the past 20 years that it is now the second-most common cause of death in this population after accidents, according to research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Researchers analyzed data on the deaths of NCAA athletes between 2002 and 2022, finding that the suicide rate doubled from 7.6% to 15.3% between the first and second span of ten years. Division I and II athletes died by suicide at higher rates than those in Division III. Otherwise, the researchers did not identify significant differences in suicide rates by sex, race, or sport. The study authors called for more mental health resources, including training on awareness and intervention for coaches and support staff.
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