Public Health News and Research

RSS

Social media linked to worse mental health in Canadian seniors

Different digital communication tools are associated with mental health in different ways among older adults in Canada, according to a new study published June 24, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS Global Public Health by Hossam Ali-Hassan of York University, Canada, and colleagues.

24 Jun 2026

Scientists identify genes linking air pollution to severe asthma

For many people with asthma, air-quality advisories are harbingers of worsening symptoms. But for reasons science has struggled to explain, the extent to which pollution exacerbates asthma varies widely from person to person.

24 Jun 2026

AACR report highlights unequal burden of cancer in the United States

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today released its Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026, a comprehensive analysis of the unequal burden of cancer in the United States.

24 Jun 2026

Hourly movement breaks effectively counter harms of prolonged sitting

Hourly movement breaks of just 5 minutes each seem to offer the best balance between feasibility and effectiveness for mitigating the health harms of prolonged sitting, suggests a large study carried out under real world conditions and published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

24 Jun 2026

Microbes trigger cell death to boost cancer immunotherapy effectiveness

Traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy can induce immunogenic cell death (ICD), but their efficacy is often limited by drug resistance, severe off-target toxicity, and immune-related adverse events.

24 Jun 2026

Hidden costs push United States dementia toll to historic high

A new USC-led study finds Alzheimer's disease and related dementias will cost the United States an estimated $818 billion this year, driven largely by often-overlooked costs to persons living with dementia and family and friends providing their care.

24 Jun 2026

Plant-based Mediterranean-style diet cuts heart disease risk by 26%

A 20-year study links plant-based Mediterranean diets to lower heart disease risk, highlighting the importance of sustainable eating for cardiovascular health.

24 Jun 2026

Keck School of Medicine of USC and Novartis collaborate to eliminate breast cancer screening barriers

Compelled by disparities in breast cancer outcomes, the Keck School of Medicine of USC's Department of Population and Public Health Sciences and Novartis have joined forces in a pioneering collaboration to support medically underserved communities in Los Angeles County with the goal of eliminating barriers to screening and access.

23 Jun 2026

Fertility preservation access remains unequal for young female cancer patients

A new Columbia University School of Nursing systematic review reveals access to fertility preservation (FP) care remains limited and unequal for girls and young women with cancer.

23 Jun 2026

Parental genes rather than pregnancy weight influence childhood body mass index

The link between parents' body mass index (BMI) and their children's BMI in childhood is driven largely by genetic inheritance, rather than by any direct biological effects of parental weight during pregnancy, a new study suggests.

23 Jun 2026

Americans favor information and school restrictions for ultra processed foods

If your social media feed has suddenly filled with content about ultra-processed foods (UPFs), you're far from alone. Since Health and Human Services tasked federal agencies last year with developing UPF guidelines, the buzz has been hard to miss.

23 Jun 2026

Lifetime estrogen exposure linked to improved brain health in women

Researchers from the University of Kansas have shown a link between reproductive hormone exposure throughout life and brain health in 459 women aged 65 to 80.

23 Jun 2026

Researchers trace soaring poison control calls to semaglutide approval for weight loss

When semaglutide's popularity exploded following FDA approval for weight management in 2021, so too did a wave of calls to poison control centers.

23 Jun 2026

NIH funding supports development of AI tools to prevent HIV, hepatitis C and overdose

Natasha Martin, DPhil, professor and vice chief of Global Public Health in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health at UC San Diego School of Medicine, has been awarded a five-year, $5.6 million Avant-Garde Award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of the most prestigious and competitive NIH research awards.

23 Jun 2026

50-year review shows global Ebola spread remains rare despite outbreak fears

Researchers reviewed Ebola disease cases outside Africa from 1976 to May 2026 and found only 28 confirmed epidemic-linked cases, most involving medical evacuation or occupational exposure. Only four latent travelers were diagnosed after border screening, suggesting that undetected intercontinental spread remains rare when outbreaks are controlled at source.

23 Jun 2026

Andes virus cases on MV Hondius highlight hidden risks of confined travel

A Eurosurveillance report describes a multi-country response to an Andes virus outbreak linked to the Dutch-flagged expedition cruise ship MV Hondius, with 13 cases and three deaths reported as of June 18, 2026. Investigators found evidence consistent with an initial zoonotic infection before embarkation, followed by likely person-to-person transmission among passengers and crew in a confined ship setting.

23 Jun 2026

Study identifies risk factors for early-onset colorectal cancer

A recent study found that factors such as a person's birthweight, sex, ethnicity, and father's age may affect the risk of being diagnosed with colorectal cancer at a young age.

22 Jun 2026

Early screen time may impact subsequent academic performance and working memory

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend no screen time before 18-24 months and less than one hour per day for children ages 2 to 5.

22 Jun 2026

Sugary drinks from childhood linked to adult hypertension risk

Drinking fruit juice and sugar-sweetened beverages from childhood through adulthood may be linked to an increased risk of developing high blood pressure as an adult, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association's flagship journal Circulation.

22 Jun 2026

How clinicians can identify and manage Ebola, hantavirus

Two deadly infectious diseases, Ebola https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.260834 and hantavirus https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.260789, have made headlines in recent weeks as they pose serious threats to public health.

22 Jun 2026