Category: Mental Health

Categories : Mental Health NeurologyTags :

Astrocytes Identified as Hidden Culprit Behind PTSD

On By ModernMedia

Excessive astrocytic GABA impairs fear extinction in PTSD, new drug target offers hope for treatment

Figure 1. Astrocyte-Derived GABA and Therapeutic Effects of KDS2010 in PTSD. Brain imaging of PTSD patients revealed unusually high levels of GABA and reduced cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, showing that changes strongly correlated with symptom severity. In animal models, this excess GABA was traced to reactive astrocytes producing it abnormally due to increased MAOB and reduced levels of the GABA-degrading enzyme ABAT. This disrupted normal brain function and impaired the ability to extinguish fear. Treatment with KDS2010, a selective MAOB inhibitor, successfully lowered astrocytic GABA, restored brain activity, and rescued fear extinction, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic option. Credit: Institute for Basic Science

Why do patients with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often struggle to forget traumatic memories, even long after the danger has passed? This failure to extinguish fear memories has long puzzled scientists and posed a major hurdle for treatment, especially since current medications targeting serotonin receptors offer limited relief for only a subset of patients.

In a new discovery, scientists at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) and Ewha Womans University have uncovered a new brain mechanism driving PTSD – and a promising drug that may counteract its effects. The research is reported in Signal Transduction and Target Therapy.

Led by Dr C. Justin Lee at the IBS Center for Cognition and Sociality and Professor Lyoo In Kyoon at Ewha Womans University, the team has shown that excessive GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) produced by astrocytes, which are star-shaped support cells in the brain, impairs the brain’s ability to extinguish fear memories. This deficit is a core feature of PTSD and helps explain why traumatic memories can persist long after the threat has passed.

Crucially, the researchers found that a brain-permeable drug called KDS2010, which selectively blocks the monoamine oxidase B enzyme responsible for this abnormal GABA production, can reverse PTSD-like symptoms in mice. The drug has already passed Phase 1 safety trials in humans, making it a strong candidate for future PTSD treatments.

PTSD remains difficult to treat, with current medications targeting serotonin pathways providing limited relief for many patients. The new study focused on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a region of the brain critical for regulating fear, and found that PTSD patients had unusually high levels of GABA and reduced cerebral blood flow in this area. These findings emerged from brain imaging studies of more than 380 participants. Importantly, GABA levels decreased in patients who showed clinical improvement, pointing to the chemical’s central role in recovery.

To uncover the origin of this excess GABA, the researchers examined postmortem human brain tissue and used PTSD-like mouse models. They discovered that astrocytes, not neurons, were producing abnormal amounts of GABA via the enzyme monoamine oxidase B (MAOB). This astrocyte-derived GABA impaired neural activity, blocking the brain’s ability to forget traumatic memories.

When the researchers administered KDS2010, a highly selective, reversible MAOB inhibitor developed at IBS, the mice showed normalized brain activity and were able to extinguish fear responses. The drug reduced GABA levels, restored blood flow in the mPFC, and re-enabled memory extinction mechanisms. The study thus confirms astrocytic MAOB as a central driver of PTSD symptoms, and MAOB inhibition as a viable therapeutic path.

A major challenge of the study was linking clinical findings in humans with cellular mechanisms in the lab. The researchers addressed this by applying a “reverse translational” strategy: they began with clinical brain scans and moved backward to identify the cellular source of dysfunction, then confirmed the mechanism and tested drug effects in animal models. This approach led to a new understanding of how glial cells – long thought to be passive – actively shape psychiatric symptoms.

“This study is the first to identify astrocyte-derived GABA as a key pathological driver of fear extinction deficit in PTSD,” said Dr Won Woojin, a postdoctoral researcher and co-first author of the study. “Our findings not only uncover a novel astrocyte-based mechanism underlying PTSD, but also provide preclinical evidence for a new therapeutic approach using an MAOB inhibitor.”

Director C. Justin LEE, who led the study, emphasized that “This work represents a successful example of reverse translational research, where clinical findings in human guided the discovery of underlying mechanisms in animal models. By identifying astrocytic GABA as a pathological driver in PTSD and targeting it via MAOB inhibition, the study opens a completely new therapeutic paradigm not only for PTSD but also for other neuropsychiatric disorders such as panic disorder, depression, and schizophrenia.”

The researchers plan to further investigate astrocyte-targeted therapies for various neuropsychiatric disorders. With KDS2010 currently undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials, this discovery may soon lead to new options for patients whose symptoms have not responded to conventional treatments.

Source: Institute for Basic Science

Categories : Mental Health Obstetrics & GynaecologyTags :

Surrogates Have an Increased Risk of a Mental Illness Diagnosis

On By ModernMedia
Source: Pixabay CC0

People who are gestational carriers (or “surrogates”) appear more likely to be diagnosed with a new mental illness during and after pregnancy, according to new research from ICES, McGill University, and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. 

As the number of births by surrogacy increases, this is the first large study using Ontario-based health data to explore the mental health challenges faced by some surrogates. 

Despite guidelines requiring mental health screening, the researchers found that nearly 1 in 5 gestational carriers had a prior mental illness diagnosis before pregnancy—including some with serious conditions that may have made them ineligible to carry a pregnancy for someone else. 

“Our findings underscore the importance of adequate screening and counselling of potential gestational carriers before pregnancy about the possibility of a new-onset mental illness, or exacerbation of a prior mental-illness during or after pregnancy,” says lead author Dr. Maria Velez, an adjunct scientist at ICES, associate professor at McGill University, and scientist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre. 

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, included 767 406 births at more than 20 week’s gestation in Ontario, Canada between 2012 and 2021 among women without known mental illness before pregnancy. Comparison groups included 97.6% (748,732) who were conceived without assistance, 2.3% (17,916) by IVF and 0.1% (758) using gestational carriers. 

Gestational carriers were more likely to have previously given birth, resided in a lower-income area, and had higher rates of obesity and chronic hypertension. 

Adequate mental health support needed 

The incidence rate per 100 person-years of new-onset mental illness was 5.2 among non-gestational carriers with unassisted conception, 5.0 among non-gestational carriers who conceived by IVF, and 6.9 among gestational carriers. 

The findings were even more pronounced for mental illness that was newly diagnosed through an emergency department encounter or a hospitalisation, compared to an outpatient mental illness diagnosis. 

“Unfortunately, fewer than half of those who visit the emergency room for mental health concerns after childbirth receive timely follow-up care which leaves many, especially gestational carriers, at risk during a vulnerable period,” says Velez. 

The authors say that they hope this study will inform future guidelines that ensure adequate mental health support for gestational carriers during and after pregnancy. 

Source: ICES

Categories : Hospitals Mental HealthTags :

Health Ombud’s Findings on Complications and Deaths of Psychiatric Patients in the Northern Cape

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Pretoria – The Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena, has released the findings of an investigation into the treatment, complications, and deaths of psychiatric patients at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital (NCMHH) and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital (RMSH). The investigation revealed that two patients died, and another underwent craniectomy and remains bedridden.

The investigation was initiated following a complaint filed by the Honourable Minister of Health, Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi (MP), regarding the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospitals in October 2024. The reported incidents took place in July and August 2024, during which it was alleged that two patients died at NCMHH, and two others were admitted to RMSH in critical condition.

In response to the Minister’s request, the Health Ombud deployed a team of two investigators in accordance with Section 81(3)(c) of the National Health Amendment Act (NHAA). This investigation report is issued based on Section 81A (11) of the NHAA, 2013 (Act No. 12 of 2013), pertaining to the functions of the Office of Health Standards Compliance and the handling of complaints by the Health Ombud. The report is intended to inform both the complainant and the health establishments as well as the general public of the findings and recommendations derived from the investigation.

ISSUES INVESTIGATED

The investigation was carried out through a detailed analysis and triangulation of information and documentary evidence obtained from the NCMHH and RMSH, as well as through on-site visits. The following issues were identified for investigation based on the analysis of the complaints, allegations, and engagement with both health establishments:

  • The circumstances surrounding Mr. Cyprian Mohoto’s care at NCMHH and his subsequent death at RMSH;
  • The circumstances surrounding Mr. Petrus De Bruins’s care at NCMHH and his admission to RMSH;
  • The circumstances surrounding Mr. Tshepo Mndimbaza’s care and death at NCMHH; and
  • The circumstances surrounding Mr. John Louw’s care at NCMHH and his admission to RMSH.

The investigation revealed that, at the time of the incidents, NCMHH and several neighbouring health facilities were facing challenges with their electricity supply due to cable theft and vandalism at their power substation. This power loss impacted the communication infrastructure, leaving the hospital without telephone lines.

Electricity supply was restored within days at two of the neighbouring hospitals; however, it took an entire year for the electricity to be restored at NCMHH. The investigation found that the delay in repairing the electricity supply to NCMHH was due to dysfunctional Supply Chain Management processes within the Provincial Department of Health. This delay rendered the hospital’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system nonfunctional, exposing patients and staff to extreme weather conditions during the summer and winter. Additionally, because of the lack of electricity, the available resuscitation equipment was not operational, as it could not be charged, and other necessary equipment was unavailable for use. NCMHH procured poor quality pyjamas and blankets which were inadequate to provide warmth to patients during the severe winter’s cold, especially at night.

It was established that the Clinical Manager at NCMHH had written a complaint letter to the Acting Head of the Provincial Department of Health, detailing the adverse conditions which patients at NCMHH were being subjected to. These circumstances negatively impacted their health and violated their human rights.

FINDINGS

The investigation uncovered several findings regarding the medical care of four patients:

  1. Circumstances surrounding Mr. Cyprian Mohoto’s care and admission to RMSH: The investigation revealed gross mismanagement surrounding Mr. Mohoto’s care, which ultimately led to his death. He was admitted to RMSH on 13 July 2024, with a suspected abdominal or bowel obstruction following complications at NCMHH on 12 July 2024. Admission abdominal X-rays ruled out bowel obstruction while the chest X-ray revealed multi-lobar pneumonia. The pneumonia was never treated during the 3 days that the patient stayed in the Surgical Recovery Unit until his death. His deteriorating clinical status was never attended to by either the nursing personnel nor the doctors. Mr. Mohoto died on 16 July 2024, in the Emergency Centre at the Surgical Recovery Unit at RMSH.
  2. Mr. De Bruin was transferred from NCMHH to the Emergency Centre at RMSH on 30 July 2024, after collapsing and being unresponsive in Ward M2 at NCMHH. He was stabilised and later admitted to the RMSH Medical Recovery Unit for hypoglycaemia, the medical care and investigations conducted in the Emergency Centre were appropriate. However, the monitoring by nursing personnel was found to be inadequate.
  3. The Circumstances Surrounding Mr. Tshepo Mdimbaza’s Death: Mr. Mdimbaza was discovered unresponsive in his bed on 3 August 2024, at NCMHH. The resuscitation process was delayed due to the unavailability, malfunction, or unpreparedness of resuscitation equipment. There was also a lack of monitoring of the patient’s vital signs before and during resuscitation by medical or nursing personnel. Mr. Mdimbaza did not survive the resuscitation attempt. The post-mortem report indicated that he died due to “exposure to the elements” at NCMHH.
  4. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the care and admission of Mr. John Louw to RMSH revealed that he had an acute subdural haemorrhage. An emergency craniotomy and craniectomy were successfully performed on 07 July 2024 and 23 July 2024, respectively, and he was discharged back to NCMHH on 28 October 2024. Mr. Louw remains bedridden.
  5. The investigation also established additional findings, including leadership instability in the Northern Cape Provincial Department of Health, which negatively affected service delivery, safety, and the quality of patient care at NCMHH and RMSH.
  6. Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital was found to have poor governance and systemic lack of leadership and poor management at all levels, unpreparedness for emergency cases, crumbling infrastructure, poor pharmacy and medicine control management, shortage of staff, poor quality assurance management, non-compliance with patient record keeping, and poor laundry services.
  7. Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital was found to be experiencing critical staff shortage across the board; lack of oversight with nursing supervision; communication breakdown of reporting systems, non-compliance with guidelines on principles of good record keeping and overcrowding at the hospital emergency centre, aggravated by the absence of a district or regional hospital.
  8. The investigation concluded that the general care provided at the Northern Cape Mental Health Hospital and the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital to the patients was substandard, and patients were not attended to in a manner consistent with the nature and severity of their health condition, as required by Regulation 5 (1) of the Norms and Standards Regulations Applicable to Different Categories of Health Establishments, 2018 (Norms and Standards Regulations).

RECOMMENDATIONS

The Health Ombud made clear, actionable recommendations to address the systemic failures observed at both health establishments to improve the overall safety and quality of patient care. Key recommendations include; the Provincial Head of Department of Health must immediately appoint a Task Team to monitor the implementation of the recommendations as outlined in the report, hold accountable officials found to be in breach through formal disciplinary processes, the National Department of Health should initiate a forensic investigation into the procurement processes for the NCMHH, priority should be given to the development, reinstatement, and implementation of an effective and efficient reporting system for continuity of care and effective communication, and the development of comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/Protocols/Guidelines to guide healthcare personnel in providing healthcare services. The complete set of recommendations is included in the report.

A detailed report is available on the Health Ombud’s website at www.healthombud.org.za.

Categories : Mental HealthTags :

New Study Shows Increased Suicide Risk among Healthcare Workers

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Mulyadi on Unsplash

A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that healthcare workers in Sweden have a higher risk of suicide compared to other occupational groups with similar professional levels. The study highlights the risks for physicians, registered nurses, and assistant nurses in particular.

The study, published in Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, shows that healthcare workers, especially those working in patient care, have a significantly higher risk of suicide compared to other professions with similar professional qualifications.

Registered nurses had a 61% higher risk of suicide compared to non-healthcare workers. 

Physicians had a 57% higher risk, and among them, psychiatrists stood out with an almost threefold increase in risk.

”Previous studies have mostly focused on physicians and often compared them to the general population, which may have underestimated their risk due to socio-economic differences. This study compared individuals with similar professional levels, which showed that physicians have a significantly higher risk of suicide,” says first author Alicia Nevriana, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet.

The study included many different occupational roles within healthcare, including administrative staff. The study also highlights that administrative staff in healthcare do not have a higher risk of suicide.

Source: Karolinska Institutet

Categories : Addiction Mental HealthTags :

Teen Smokers and Vapers Have Higher Rates of Depression and Anxiety, Study Finds

On By ModernMedia

Study analysed data from the US National Youth Tobacco Survey on more than 60 000 middle and high school students.

Photo by Nery Zarate on Unsplash

Adolescents who use either e-cigarettes or conventional tobacco products (CTP) – like cigarettes, cigars, hookah and pipes – are significantly more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety than teens who don’t use tobacco products at all, according to a study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Noor Abdulhay of West Virginia University, USA, and colleagues.

Tobacco use and mental health challenges are known to have a complex, bidirectional relationship. Understanding the interplay between adolescent tobacco use and mental health is particularly important, since adolescence is a critical developmental period during which many health-related risk-taking behaviors begin. Moreover, there are increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide among adolescents in the U.S. as well as shifting patterns of tobacco use.

A white screen with black dotsAI-generated content may be incorrect.

In the new study, researchers used data on tobacco use, depression and anxiety symptoms, among different demographics, from the 2021-2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey. Among the 60,072 middle and high school students who had completed all questionnaires in full, 21.37% had used tobacco products, with 9.94% using only e-cigarettes, 3.61% using only CTPs, and 7.80% using both.

Overall, 25.21% of respondents reported symptoms associated with depression and 29.55% reported anxiety symptoms. Compared to adolescents who had not used any tobacco products, users of e-cigarettes or CTPs displayed a potentially heightened risk of depression and anxiety, whilst those who used both CTPs and e-cigarettes had the highest odds of reporting mental health struggles

The authors conclude that “while causality cannot be determined, the results from this study showed that all forms of tobacco use were significantly associated with mental health issues. There is a need to continue promoting mental health support and implementing tailored interventions to combat all forms of tobacco use among adolescents”.

Provided by PLOS

Categories : Ageing Mental HealthTags :

Music May Reduce Distress for Dementia Patients

On By ModernMedia

Research finds music therapy could be used on NHS wards as an alternative to medication

Photo by Sergio Capuzzimati on Unsplash

A new treatment that uses music therapy on dementia wards could improve care and support for some of the NHS’s most vulnerable patients.

Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust have piloted a music therapy approach called MELODIC, across two NHS dementia wards.

More alternatives to psychotropic medication are needed to support dementia patients who experience severe distress.

The pilot study involved a music therapist being embedded on hospital wards, the delivery of clinical music sessions and the implementation of musical care plans for each patient, and results from the research have been published in Frontiers of Psychiatry.

Music therapy, delivered by trained therapists, can include singing, playing or listening to music. The therapist can also identify specific ways that music can be used by families and carers in an individual’s daily care routine.

During the study, patient data suggested a slight improvement in quality-of-life scores among patients and a reduction in the severity of distress symptoms and disruptiveness, although agitation scores increased slightly.

There were no increases in routinely reported incidents, and no adverse events related to music therapy interventions were reported. This is relevant for future research on mental health dementia wards where limited studies have been conducted to date.

“People with dementia on inpatient mental health wards are often experiencing very high levels of distress, and staff are under immense pressure to manage this in ways that are safe and compassionate.

“Our study yielded promising results and importantly showed that the MELODIC tool can be used effectively in these highly complex settings, giving an alternative option to current ways of managing severe distress, such as psychotropic medication.”Lead author Naomi Thompson, a researcher at ARU’s Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research

The approach was shaped by interviews with 49 healthcare professionals, patients, and their families about their experiences managing distress on dementia wards and using music in everyday care and life to help develop the intervention. Results were published in the Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Importantly, the intervention, co-designed by clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience, cost just £2025 per month for the therapist and £400 initial outlay for equipment, suggesting a low-cost, scalable model.

“Some people with dementia can get so confused and distressed that we need to admit them to hospital to keep them safe. It can be difficult to manage distress in a ward environment and hard for patients, families and staff.

“I am very excited that it may now be possible for NHS staff to improve their experience on dementia wards using the power of music, and we look forward to working with ARU to develop this further.”

Dr Ben Underwood, Research and Development Director and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at CPFT

Source: Anglia Ruskin University

Categories : Diet and Nutrition Mental HealthTags :

Food Insecurity is Associated with Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

Changes in food insecurity go hand in hand with symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to research published in the open access journal PLOS Mental Health. Melissa Bateson of Newcastle University, UK, and colleagues at École Normale Supérieure, Northumbria University and York University, collected monthly data from adults in the UK and France and found that changes in food insecurity one month went hand-in-hand with changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression the next. The authors propose that interventions to reduce food insecurity might have immediate positive impacts on mental health.

Social determinants play a role in the development of poor mental health, and food insecurity has been associated with increased anxiety and depression, though it has been unclear whether this effect is causal and the timescale over which it occurs. The authors collected monthly data between September 2022 and August 2023 from almost 500  adults in the UK and France. They assessed food insecurity for the previous week and measured anxiety and depression with two commonly used questionnaires — GAD-7 and PHQ-8.

The team found a surprisingly high prevalence of food insecurity, with 39.5% of participants experiencing it in at least one month of the study. For those individuals, fluctuations between food insecurity and security were associated with changes in anxiety and depression, with deteriorations in mental health occurring when they experienced food insecurity and improvements when food security improved. The authors were able to predict mental health variations based on food security changes during the previous month. Such rapid changes in mental health suggest that the effects could be related to food security rather than longer-term nutritional changes which would take longer to manifest in mood alterations.

The authors state their results support the hypothesis that food insecurity could rapidly cause symptoms of anxiety and depression, such that interventions to prevent food insecurity might be likely to  quickly and effectively reduce prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms in populations currently experiencing periodic food insecurity.  

The authors note: “What really impressed us was how rapidly symptoms of anxiety and depression responded to changes in participants’ food insecurity status and the large size of the effects”.

They add: “Our results suggest that eliminating periodic food insecurity in those currently experiencing it could reduce the number of people with clinically concerning symptoms of anxiety and depression by 20 percentage points.”

Provided by PLOS

Categories : Mental Health Neurodegenerative DiseasesTags :

Parkinson’s Drug Effective in Treating Persistent Depression

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash

In the largest clinical trial to date, pramipexole was found to be substantially more effective than a placebo at reducing the symptoms of treatment resistant depression (TRD) over the course of nearly a year, when added to ongoing antidepressant medication.

The trial, supported by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and published in The Lancet Psychiatry, included 150 patients with treatment resistant depression, with equal numbers receiving 48 weeks of pramipexole or a placebo, alongside ongoing antidepressant medication.

Overall, the group taking pramipexole experienced a significant and substantial reduction in symptoms by week twelve of treatment, with the benefits persisting over the course of a year. However, there were also significant side effects, such as nausea, sleep disturbance and dizziness, with around one in five people on pramipexole dropping out of the trial as a result.

Professor Michael Browning, from the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, and workstream lead in Mood Disorders for the NIHR Mental Health-Translational Research Collaboration (MH-TRC) Mission, who led the trial, said: ‘Effectively treating people who have not responded to first-line interventions for depression is a pressing clinical problem and there has long been an urgent need to find new treatments.

‘These findings on pramipexole are a significant breakthrough for patients for whom antidepressants and other treatments and therapies have not worked.

‘Pramipexole is a medicine licensed for Parkinson’s disease and works by boosting the brain chemical dopamine. This differs from the majority of other antidepressant medications which act on brain serotonin and may explain why pramipexole was so helpful in this study.

‘We now need more research focusing on reducing the side effects of pramipexole, evaluating its cost-effectiveness, and comparing it with other add-on treatments.’

Previous research into using the drug for depression had shown promise, but there had been limited data on its long-term outcomes and side effects until now.

Current guidelines for people with treatment resistant depression recommend adding new treatments, such as lithium or antipsychotics, to ongoing antidepressant treatment, but these have limited effectiveness and do not work for everyone.

Phil Harvey, 72, from Oxfordshire, was diagnosed with depression 20 years ago and tried different tablets and counselling but nothing worked. Eventually he had to take a year off work before retiring. He started on the trial in 2022.

He said: ‘Within a few weeks I felt the effects, it was amazing. I kept a diary which they gave us on how my mood was, motivation and how it improved. It was dragging me out of this dark black hole that I’ve been in for years.’

Participants were recruited from across the country, including as part of the NIHR-funded MH-TRC Mission mood disorder clinics, which are hosted at Oxford but located across the country. The clinics efficiently, and largely remotely, assess patients with difficult to treat mood disorders and offer them enrolment in research studies. The network can also support primary care services by providing assessment and treatment advice for patients who have not responded to initial treatment.

Source: University of Oxford

Categories : Mental HealthTags :

Strength Through Struggles – Why Men’s Mental Health Matters

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Elizeu Dias on Unsplash

In South Africa, men are four to five times more likely to die by suicide than women. The silence around men’s mental health has become a national crisis. Momentum Health is confronting the uncomfortable truth: traditional ideas of masculinity are costing South African men their lives. The need for a more inclusive and proactive approach to men’s health is urgent.

With men accounting for a staggering 37.6 suicides per 100 000 people2 and depression affecting over 27% of South Africans3, the economic and human cost of ignoring men’s overall wellbeing has reached a breaking point. Mental health-related absenteeism alone costs the economy billions every year, a price tag that extends far beyond financial metrics into affected families and communities.

“We’ve long lived in a society that praises men for physical strength but punishes them for emotional vulnerability. While this is slowly changing, it’s not happening fast enough to make real impact,” says Damian McHugh, Chief Marketing Officer at Momentum Health. “This is why we’re challenging South Africa to redefine what strength really means. True strength is not silently suffering; it’s having the courage to reach out before crisis hits.”

A New Narrative for Men’s Health

In many communities across South Africa, men delay seeking medical help until conditions become critical and avoid mental health services despite growing internal struggles.

“When we tell boys to ‘man up’ we’re essentially telling them to disconnect from their emotional and mental wellbeing,” McHugh explains. “At Momentum Health, we believe real strength lies in connection to yourself, to professional support and to your community. That is why our approach integrates physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing, rather than treating them as separate issues.”

This holistic approach sets Momentum Health apart from conventional healthcare models that focus only on symptoms instead of the whole person.

The New Frontline for Men’s Mental Health

According to the 2025 Digital Report for South Africa5, 78.9% of the population are now online, with mobile connectivity exceeding 193% due to multiple device ownership. Recognising that many men would rather engage privately through an app than visit a therapist’s office, Momentum Health has deployed technology to meet men where they are.

“Technology is a powerful equaliser,” says McHugh. “It breaks down barriers of stigma, geography, and access. By meeting men in the digital spaces, they already inhabit, we’re not just offering support, we are changing the way mental health care is delivered.”

The Hello Doctor platform lets men chat privately with health experts right on their phones. It gives them a safe, non-judgmental space to talk about their mental health without feeling embarrassed. This service isn’t just offering help; it’s changing the way mental health care works in South Africa.

Health and Wealth: Two Sides of the Same Coin

The link between health and financial wellbeing is clear. Poor health can derail financial goals, while financial stress can strain mental and emotional resilience. Momentum Health’s integration of financial and health services addresses a critical reality: mental health struggles and financial problems can create a devastating downward spiral.

“You cannot separate these aspects of wellbeing and expect sustainable outcomes. When we say, ‘your health is your wealth,’ we are talking about a fundamental truth: without mental and physical resilience, financial success becomes meaningless,” says McHugh.

Creating a Culture of Support

South African men must take a proactive stance, not just for themselves, but for their families, their communities and future generations.

“This is not about perfection. It is about progress,” says McHugh. “And this is not just about saving lives, though that alone would be enough, it is about transforming what it means to be a man in today’s society.”

Categories : Hospitals Mental HealthTags :

Professional Coaching in Small Groups Reduces Rates of Physician Burnout by Nearly 30%

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Mulyadi on Unsplash

New UCLA research finds that small group professional coaching can reduce physician burnout rates by up to 30%, suggesting that it is more effective than the traditional, and more expensive, one-on-one coaching method.

Nearly half of physicians in the US suffer from burnout, which is marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and decreased personal accomplishment. These can lead to medical errors and other harmful consequences to the healthcare system and patient outcomes, said lead author Dr Joshua Khalili, director of physician wellness in the UCLA Department of Medicine and assistant clinical professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“Most current evidence related to professional coaching is related to individual coaching and its impact on reducing burnout,” Khalili said. “But individual coaching can be quite costly, which is a barrier to broad implementation.”

The study is out now in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

Physician burnout is estimated to cost the US healthcare system about $4.6 billion annually, mostly due to costs associated with physician turnover and fewer clinical hours. 

The researchers conducted a randomised, wait-list controlled trial with 79 UCLA attending internal medicine physicians for just over a year starting in March 2023. The intervention consisted of six one-hour coaching sessions, with one-third of the group receiving one-on-one coaching via Zoom while another third were coached in small groups consisting of three physicians and one coach. The final third acted as control group, receiving no coaching during the first few months of the trial, and subsequently received six, one-on-one coaching sessions.

The primary outcome the researchers measured was overall burnout. They also examined areas of work life such as workload, control rewards, community, fairness, and values; work engagement such as vigour, dedication, and absorption; self-efficacy, and social support. They measured each of these outcomes before and after the intervention and again six months afterwards.

They found that small group intervention participants experienced a nearly 30% reduction in burnout rate. The burnout rate for the one-on-one coaching fell by 13.5%. By contrast, the control group experienced an 11% increase in burnout rates. Burnout remained stable among the small group participants and continued to fall in the one-on-one group six months after the initial intervention.

Coaching for the one-on-one sessions cost $1000 per participant, compared with $400 for the small group coaching sessions.

“This new, small-group model of professional coaching can make a significant impact in physician burnout and costs much less than the one-on-one model,” Khalili said.

Study limitations include potential selection bias among participants who would most likely benefit from the intervention. The baseline overall burnout rate was higher in the small group coaching arm (70.4%) compared to the one-on-one group (40.0%); however, relative reductions in burnout were similar: 42% in the small group intervention compared to 34% the one-on-one group. In addition, the study was conducted at a large academic centre whose physicians may not be comparable to those in other healthcare institutions. 

The researchers are now providing coaching to physicians in the UCLA Department of Medicine and hope that this research encourages other health care institutions and organisations to implement professional coaching, Khalili said.

“By improving physicians’ well-being, engagement, and sense of support, interventions like coaching can enhance the quality of care patients receive, making this a public health priority, not just a workplace issue,” he said.

Source: University of California Los Angeles