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Language skills are essential to a child’s ability to communicate and develop. These skills enable children to engage with other people and learn from their surroundings and in the classroom.

Self-help program improves mental health among displaced refugees

A simple self-help workbook paired with brief phone support can make a measurable difference to the mental health of displaced refugees, a new study has found.

11 Jun 2026

Leading AI models ace many vaccine questions but falter on clinical rules

A multilingual benchmark of 1,886 vaccine-related questions found that large language models answered most items accurately across English, Spanish, and Chinese. However, performance varied by vaccine type, language, and prompting method, with persistent errors in dosing, contraindications, age eligibility, and other clinically sensitive guidance.

11 Jun 2026

ChatGPT fills gaps like a confabulator, not a hallucinating mind

A Perspective article argues that large language model errors more closely resemble confabulations, while speech recognition errors, such as unsupported Whisper transcriptions, are functionally closer to hallucinations. The authors stress that these parallels are behavioral and provisional, not evidence of shared consciousness, and suggest that psychiatric concepts could help improve AI reliability.

11 Jun 2026

Genetic screening of LOXHD1 variants guides early hearing loss intervention

Hearing loss is a common cause of disability worldwide, with anywhere between 30-60% of cases being caused by genetic factors. LOXHD1 is a gene integral to essential protein interactions responsible for maintaining normal hair cell function.

11 Jun 2026

Many middle-aged Americans lack basic health literacy

OK, Boomers, it turns out Millennials and Gen X also struggle navigating the often-confusing and overwhelming world of health care.

10 Jun 2026

Aggressive healthcare chatbots push away cervical screening patients

Patients booking cervical screening appointments through an AI chatbot respond positively to friendliness and choice-oriented language, but are put off by over-messaging, pushy reminders and blurred human-AI boundaries, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

10 Jun 2026

Public health messaging still beats AI chatbots for HPV vaccine promotion

The study finds that AI chatbots boost HPV vaccination intent temporarily, but public health resources are crucial for lasting impact on vaccination decisions.

10 Jun 2026

Women without health insurance are far less likely to take folic acid supplement

A study reveals healthcare access, particularly insurance coverage, significantly impacts folic acid supplement use among U.S. women of reproductive age.

10 Jun 2026

AI digital twins may improve bilingual aphasia rehabilitation

According to the National Aphasia Association, about 2 million U.S. citizens live with aphasia, but only two-thirds of Americans are aware of the condition, which is a communication disorder that often occurs after a stroke.

9 Jun 2026

Food security review shows how countries can protect staple crops from global shocks

A systematic review of 105 studies found that climate change, water scarcity, land-use change, biofuel demand, trade disruptions, pandemics and conflict are major threats to maize, rice and wheat supplies. The authors identify international trade, agricultural innovation, virtual water trading and well-managed food stockpiles as practical ways to strengthen food security.

9 Jun 2026

Excess weight identified as key driver for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome

The first-ever clinical guideline for cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome, or CKM syndrome, identifies excess weight, especially in the abdomen, as a key driver for the syndrome. T

9 Jun 2026

AI-powered chatbots no better than written public health materials for vaccine promotion

A new Penn-led randomized controlled trial has found that AI-powered chatbots can make vaccine-hesitant parents more likely to say they will immunize their children against human papillomavirus (HPV), but no more than standard written public health materials.

9 Jun 2026

AI-designed molecular switch uses caffeine to control engineered cells

For many of us, a warm cup of coffee is how we start our day. For Texas A&M Health researchers, it may also offer a new way to control engineered cells in future medicines.

8 Jun 2026

Online tool transforms patient experience in national cancer trials

In a step forward for patient-centered cancer research, a new pilot project reveals that 84% of participants had a positive experience using a newly developed online tool created by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology called the Participant Engagement Portal (PEP).

8 Jun 2026