Women-Focused Sessions at 2011 APA Annual Meeting

Maternal Mental Health and Menopause Myths Addressed Next Month

Research has shown that nearly twice as many women as men are affected by a depressive or anxiety disorder. Sessions and workshops at the 2011 APA Annual Meeting in Honolulu will explore transitions in a woman’s reproductive life cycle linked to mood disorders and uncover ways to optimize overall mental well-being.

Sexuality and aging is one of several topics featured at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2011 Annual Meeting, when presenters examine moods, memory, and menopause. Related sessions look to debunk popular gender myths and identify effective treatments for depression, insomnia, and hot flashes. The APA’s 164th Annual Meeting, the world’s largest psychiatric meeting, will run Saturday, May 14, to Wednesday, May 18, 2011 in Honolulu at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Improving the mental health care of pregnant women and new mothers is another focus. Not always recognized as a mental health concern for women, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is acknowledged by some as an issue new moms can face following a traumatic birth. The presidential symposium on translating neuroscience for advancing PTSD prevention, which is scheduled for Monday, May 16, will include a presentation on treating maternal PTSD. Another Annual Meeting session on optimizing maternal care will present research on treating pregnant women with bipolar disorder.

Reproductive concerns will also be addressed in a series of sessions examining the psychiatric effects of infertility, abortion, miscarriage, and genetics on women’s mental health. Gisele Apter, M.D., Ph.D. will chair a presentation on how to identify and manage antenatal maternal mental health dilemmas. Presentations on prenatal and newborn genetic screening will highlight the ethical and legal challenges surrounding psychiatric and behavioral genetics.

Several sessions focus on women’s mental health and cancer diagnosis, including new research on the psychological impact of cancer diagnosed during pregnancy. David Spiegel, M.D. will lead a presentation on how a woman’s mood can predict her survival rate with metastatic breast cancer. Additional studies showing the link between the mental attitudes of breast cancer patients and their cellular immunity will be discussed.

Online advanced registration for journalists is open. Review the guidelines for press participation in the meeting.

Psychiatry's Role in Trauma, Disaster Response Explored in Honolulu

Sessions Offered on Integrative Treatments for PTSD, Childhood Adverse Experience and Trauma 

Mental health workers who treat victims of mass traumatic events can experience psychological distress similar to those who experienced trauma themselves, according to researchers who will present a discussion at the Annual Meeting in Honolulu.

 

Several sessions promise to be especially relevant in light of the recent disasters in Japan. The presentation on vicarious trauma among mental health providers is one of several sessions addressing trauma and disaster issues in psychiatry. Other sessions look at resilience, risk and protective factors, and the impact of historical trauma.

The course Disaster Psychiatry: Readiness, Evaluation, and Treatment examines systems issues that affect psychiatric practice after a disaster. Copies of the course textbook have been donated to the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology as the APA continues its outreach and support for mental health needs of Japan. 

The APA’s 164th Annual Meeting will run Saturday, May 14 to Wednesday, May 18, at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu.

Early Career Psychiatrists Provided ECP-Focused Sessions, Networking During Next Month's Annual Meeting

Social Media and an Update on Internet, Video Games, and Mental Health Among Highlights

The 2011 Annual Meeting features sessions dedicated to the needs of Early Career Psychiatrists (ECPs) as well as special opportunities for ECPs to connect with their peers and APA leadership.

What Have You Done for Me Lately: Identifying Early Career Psychiatrists ' Needs and Resources within the APA, Responding to the Impact of Suicide on Clinicians, and an update on psychiatry certification and its subspecialties from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology are some of the ECP-specific workshops and sessions offered next month.

On Monday, May 16, the ECP Caucus will host a networking event at the Ala Moana Hotel (1:30 pm - 2:30 pm) for ECPs to meet with their local DB and national representatives.

Visit psych.org for Annual Meeting registration and for the latest news on sessions, special events, and more.

CME at the APA

Continuing Medical Education credit is earned on an hour-for-hour basis by attending scientific sessions. Signing into sessions is not necessary nor is having your attendance verified by the APA. The APA does not keep records of registrants' attendance at individual sessions; physicians are responsible for maintaining their own records. A Log Sheet for recording the individual sessions you attend is located in the Program Book. There are two ways for a physician to receive a CME Certificate.

1. Complete the General Evaluation at the Convention Center, available Saturday-Wednesday, or
2. Complete the online General Evaluation, which will be available at and after the meeting until mid August. This evaluation is identical to the evaluation available at the CME Certificate of Attendance booth.