Learn more about homelessness, poverty, addiction, abuse, and related issues by reading the recent headlines below.

Decline in teen pregnancies ends
Following more than a decade of declining numbers, it appears that the U.S. teen pregnancy rate, birth rate, and abortion rates are increasing. A report in BusinessWeek summarizes research by the Guttmacher Institute, which reveals that the teen pregnancy rate increased 3 percent, leading to a 4 percent increase in teen births and a 1 percent increase in teen abortions.

Research links depression and diabetes
A new study the journal Diabetes Care confirms earlier research that depression worsens the complications of diabetes. According to a report by the online news service, Huliq, the latest research showed that 36 percent of those battling depression faced a higher risk of having micro-vascular complications. When risks reach this level, end-stage kidney disease develops, and some diabetes sufferers move to the next stage, which involves potentially life-threatening strokes.

Giving drops after holidays
A drop off in donations and volunteering after the Christmas holidays has left some nonprofit organizations wondering if the spirit of giving got packed away with the Christmas lights and ornaments. The trend is especially worrisome as the numbers of those who need help increases each month as a result of the troubled economy. According to a report in the USA Today, a number of charities realize that generosity typically peaks in November and December and plan accordingly. Still, they note that the need for help carries throughout the year.

Campbell ladles out food pantry donations
As part of an effort to help some 800,000 Canadians who rely on local food banks each month, Campbell Canada has agreed to donate a million pounds of food annually to help those in need. The food includes Campbell’s well-known canned soups, as well as its gluten-free and vegetarian products. According to a report in the Toronto Sun, the company has also agreed to provide Food Banks Canada with research and educational resources, as well as a number of community and awareness-building programs.

Students face greater anxiety than past generations
Five times as many high school and college students are facing anxiety, stress, and other mental health issues as people of the same age who were studied following the Great Depression. A report by MSNBC notes that the findings are based on responses to the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), a questionnaire used as early as 1938. Researchers looked at responses of more than 77,000 students and among other areas noted that 31 percent of students today suffer from “hypomania,” a measure of anxiety and unrealistic optimism, compared to 5 percent of students in 1938; 6 percent of students now battle depression, compared to just 1 percent in 1938.

Many states send fewer to prison
The number of people sent to prisons in the United States continues to grow—but at it’s slowest pace in almost a decade. Rates actually declined in 30 states last year. The number of people incarcerated was down .5 percent, which those being released from prison increased by 2 percent. According to a Washington Post report, the rates might reflect the economic recession, as well as a push by lawmakers to reevaluate sentencing, parole, and drug policies.