Health Policy News

June 3, 2025

Top Headlines

When Climate Disasters Hit, They Often Leave Long-Term Health Care Access Shortages

May 29, 2025 — Immediate recovery efforts receive the most attention after severe natural disasters, yet new data from researchers at Drexel University and the University of Maryland suggests these climate events ...

Significant Declines in Maternal Mental Health Across US

May 27, 2025 — A new study reveals a concerning decline in self-reported mental health among mothers in the United States between 2016 and 2023. The study also found modest but measurable declines in self-reported physical health during the same ...

Unconditional Cash Transfers Following Childbirth Increases Breastfeeding

May 27, 2025 — The U.S. is facing a maternal health crisis with higher rates of maternal mortality than any other high-income country. Social and economic factors, including income, are recognized determinants of maternal morbidity and mortality. In addition, more ...

Exercise and Eat Your Veggies: Privileged Prescriptions Like These Don't Always Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

May 22, 2025 — A leading cardiovascular disease researcher is ringing the alarm on universal recommendations intended to improve heart health around the globe. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of ...

Latest Headlines

updated 10:44pm EDT

Social Connection Is Still Underappreciated as a Medically Relevant Health Factor

May 22, 2025 — New studies reveal that both the public and healthcare providers often overlook social connection as a key factor in physical health, even though ...

Male Bodybuilders Face High Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death, Especially Those Who Compete Professionally

May 20, 2025 — Sudden cardiac death is responsible for an unusually high proportion of deaths in male bodybuilders worldwide with the highest risk among ...

New Study Shows AI Can Predict Child Malnutrition, Support Prevention Efforts

May 14, 2025 — A multidisciplinary team of researchers has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can predict acute child malnutrition in Kenya up to ...

Measles Virus Detected in Houston Wastewater Before Cases Were Reported

May 12, 2025 — An innovative outbreak detection program that tracks disease-causing viruses in wastewater identified the measles virus in Houston samples collected in early January 2025, before cases were ...

Health Care Workers, Firefighters Have Increased PFAS Levels, Study Finds

May 8, 2025 — Researchers looked at PFAS serum concentrations in health care workers for the first time and were surprised by what they ...

Why People Reject New Rules -- But Only Until They Take Effect

May 8, 2025 — From seatbelt laws to new speed limits -- many people soon stop resisting policy changes that restrict their personal freedom once the new rules come into force. Researchers also identified the ...

What's a Healthy Amount of Sleep? It Differs from One Country to Another

May 6, 2025 — Your optimal amount of sleep may depend on where you live, new research has found. An analysis of sleep data and health outcomes for nearly 5,000 people in 20 countries revealed that the hours of ...

Teens Driving Older Vehicles Have Increased Risk for Fatal Crashes

May 7, 2025 — Researchers reviewed US national fatal crash data (2016-2021) and examined the vehicle age and driver assistance technologies of vehicles driven by teen and middle-aged drivers, and their ...

Nursing 2025: No Relief in Sight as Burnout, Stress and Short Staffing Persist

Apr. 30, 2025 — A national survey of 2,600 nurses and nursing students reveals a profession under severe strain, with widespread stress, burnout, and staffing ...

Broader Antibiotic Use Could Change the Course of Cholera Outbreaks, Research Suggests

Apr. 30, 2025 — Recent disease modeling research challenges public health guidelines recommending conservative antibiotic use for cholera, suggesting that for some ...

AI-Human Task-Sharing Could Cut Mammography Screening Costs by Up to 30%

May 7, 2025 — The most effective way to harness the power of artificial intelligence when screening for breast cancer may be through collaboration with human radiologists -- not by wholesale replacing them, says ...

Hospital-Based Outbreak Detection System Saves Lives

Apr. 28, 2025 — An infectious diseases detection platform demonstrated over a two-year trial that it stops outbreaks, saves lives and cuts costs, making the case for development of a national early outbreak ...

Data Collection Changes Key to Understanding Maternal Mortality Trends in the US, New Study Shows

Apr. 28, 2025 — A new study offers fresh insight into trends in maternal mortality in the United States. For the first time, the study disentangles genuine changes in health outcomes from shifts caused by how deaths ...

AI Model for Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis, With Over 90% Accuracy and Reduced Consultation Preparation Time

Apr. 25, 2025 — An interdisciplinary research team has unveiled the world's first artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to classify both the cancer stage and risk category of thyroid cancer, achieving ...

Breakthrough Approach for Diagnosing TB Could Significantly Improve Detection

Apr. 23, 2025 — A new strategy for tuberculosis (TB) screening provides a solution to problems with current TB screening, which does not always accurately detect disease. Simultaneously screening for both active and ...

London's Low Emission Zones Save Lives and Money

Apr. 23, 2025 — Study finds a 18.5% reduction in sick leave following LEZ implementation in Greater London compared to areas in England without low emission ...

Telemedicine Had an Impact on Carbon Emissions Equivalent to Reducing Up to 130,000 Car Trips Each Month in 2023

Apr. 22, 2025 — Telemedicine use in 2023 reduced monthly carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of up to 130,000 gas operated vehicles or recycling up to 4 million trash ...

More Americans Are Using Psilocybin -- Especially Those With Mental Health Conditions, Study Shows

Apr. 21, 2025 — Use of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic chemical found in what is known as 'magic mushrooms,' has increased significantly nationwide since 2019, according to a new ...

New Analytics-Driven Framework Aims to Improve Care of Chronic Disease

Apr. 21, 2025 — A data-informed approach to scheduling patient encounters with clinicians can reduce risks associated with diabetes management by up to 19.4%, especially for underserved populations, says new ...

Americans Don't Think Bird Flu Is a Threat, Study Suggests

Apr. 18, 2025 — A team led by researchers say public ignorance and apathy towards bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI) could pose a serious obstacle to containing the virus and preventing a ...

Nature-Based Activity Is Effective Therapy for Anxiety and Depression, Study Shows

Apr. 16, 2025 — Researchers evaluating a nature-based program of activities for patients with mild to moderate mental health conditions have shown that improvements in mood and anxiety levels can be seen in as ...

School-Based Asthma Therapy Improves Student Health, Lowers Medical Costs

Apr. 11, 2025 — Millions of U.S. children have asthma and benefit from taking anti-inflammatory medications at least once a day as prescribed by their health care provider. This school-based asthma therapy program ...

Multi-Virus Wastewater Surveillance Shows Promise at Smaller, Site-Specific Scales

Apr. 9, 2025 — In a new study, wastewater surveillance for multiple pathogens at five different sites identified local trends that were not captured in larger surveillance programs, and some sites used the data to ...

A New Smartphone-Sized Device Can Test for Tuberculosis: Here's Why That Matters for Children

Apr. 9, 2025 — This handheld device is the first that can detect tuberculosis in saliva, in addition to blood and sputum samples, an important breakthrough for testing children and HIV patients, who struggle to ...

Wildfire Recovery: What Victims Say They Need Most

Apr. 9, 2025 — Wildfire victims have a range of needs, including mental health support and information about wildfire smoke, according to a new ...

Tech-Assisted Peer Therapy Effective for Perinatal Depression in Lower Income Countries

Apr. 8, 2025 — A study has demonstrated the effectiveness of a technology-assisted intervention for perinatal ...

Climate and Health Litigation Mounting in Australia as Exposure to Heatwaves Grows

Apr. 7, 2025 — Australia has experienced a 37 per cent rise in dangerous heat exposure over the past two decades, while becoming the world's second-highest hotspot for climate litigation, a new report ...

Artificial Intelligence Has Potential to Aid Physician Decisions During Virtual Urgent Care

Apr. 4, 2025 — Do physicians or artificial intelligence (AI) offer better treatment recommendations for patients examined through a virtual urgent care setting? A new study shows physicians and AI models have ...

Exposure to Wildfire Smoke Linked With Worsening Mental Health Conditions

Apr. 4, 2025 — Exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) from wildfire smoke was associated with increased visits to emergency departments (ED) for mental health conditions, according to a new ...

Antibiotic Resistance Among Key Bacterial Species Plateaus Over Time

Apr. 3, 2025 — Antibiotic resistance tends to stabilize over time, according to a new ...