DorlandHealth

A year after the passage of the Veterans Mental Health Act, a law intended to expand the capacity and the scope of services offered to returning military personnel, some veterans are still struggling to access care. According to a survey of members of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, roughly two-thirds of respondents identified delays in the care provided in crisis situations as well as long waiting periods between visits. Stigma and long traveling distance also counted as factors decreasing treatment prevalence. Through the Veterans Mental Health Act, the VA is responsible for partnering with community behavioral centers to improve access.

What is the best medicine for recovering from one of those nasty winter colds? How about exercise. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, individuals who exercise four or more times per week require 25 to 50 percent fewer sick days due to illness. If symptoms of a cold have not reached your chest, a brisk walk can help. Furthermore, exercise has shown to boost immunity to the flu and is recommended prior to receiving a vaccination.

Care management provided over the telephone for patients with depression provides huge benefits,according to a recent study in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The research divided 600 people into three groups for depression treatment. One received telephonic care management with five calls for support and care coordination. A second received psychotherapy in addition to care management. A third received standard care. While both care management and care management plus psychotherapy added outpatient health costs, they led to an average gain of 29 and 46 symptom-free days, respectively.

An analysis of dozens of workplace exercise programs found a wide range of benefits for workers and employers alike. Benefits include improved overall fitness, lower cholesterol, and reduced job stress and absenteeism. Tracking more than 38,000 individuals at dozens of organizations, researchers from the University of Missouri identified a pattern of traits that tend to make a program successful: an onsite exercise facility; a program developed in coordination with the company; and the ability to work out during the work day. A reduction in job stress and lost work days, implies the study, which appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, holds the potential to boost a company’s bottom line.