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Healthcare affordability in America drops to lowest level since 2021

New research released today from the West Health-Gallup Center on Healthcare in America finds that fewer than half of Americans (49%) are considered "Cost Secure," meaning they can consistently afford healthcare and prescription medications when and where they need them, the lowest level recorded since West Health and Gallup launched its Healthcare Affordability Index in 2021.

18 Jun 2026

Teen sleep quality associated with mental health, BMI, and screen time

A teen's mental health, as well as their body mass index (BMI) and screen time, are significantly associated with their sleep quality, according to a new paper published June 10, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Jianying Li of Shanxi University, China, and colleagues.

18 Jun 2026

Legal system contact increases mental health risks for youth

Youth who have contact with the US legal system may be at increased risk of mental health symptoms including anxiety, depression, hostility, and psychoticism, according to a study published June 17, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Raquel V. Oliveira and Elizabeth Culatta from Augusta University, US.

18 Jun 2026

Robotic exoskeleton system virtually connects stroke patients and therapists

Physical therapists have long walked alongside stroke survivors during recovery. Now, they are walking with them.

18 Jun 2026

Mental health problems common in encephalitis survivors, study finds

A major new study has found that mental health and behavioral changes such as depression, anxiety, and emotional instability are common in people who survive encephalitis - inflammation of the brain that can be caused by infection or autoimmune disease.

18 Jun 2026

Epigenetic drugs improve blood vessel health in obesity and diabetes

People with obesity and type 2 diabetes are at high risk of blood vessel damage. This risk depends not only on the genes a person carries, but also on how they are "read".

18 Jun 2026

PMOS rethink reframes a common hormone disorder as a whole-body disease

A new review reframes PCOS, now proposed as PMOS, as a systemic endocrine and metabolic disorder shaped by genetic, epigenetic, ovarian, metabolic, and neuroendocrine pathways. It highlights why inconsistent diagnosis and symptom-focused care have limited progress, while targeted therapies, biomarkers, machine learning, and organ-on-chip models may support more personalized treatment.

18 Jun 2026

New biological age tools could reveal health risks before symptoms appear

A JCI review traces biological age measurement from functional tests and blood biomarkers to epigenetic, proteomic, imaging, wearable, and AI-based clocks. It finds that these tools can improve risk prediction beyond chronological age, but standardization, interpretability, and prospective validation are needed before routine clinical use.

18 Jun 2026

Aircraft emissions could double air pollution deaths by 2040

Scenario-based modeling projects that aviation-related air pollution could drive a major rise in premature deaths by 2040, mainly through PM2.5 and ozone exposure. The study estimates that aircraft emissions caused 33,900 PM2.5-related deaths and 24,600 ozone-related deaths in 2019, with baseline 2040 deaths projected to more than double.

18 Jun 2026

Gut microbes may help explain why obesity and type 2 diabetes become harder to reverse

This review describes how gut microbial messengers, including SCFAs, microbiota-modified bile acids, neuroactive metabolites, and extracellular vesicles, may shape obesity and type 2 diabetes through the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

17 Jun 2026

Emergency departments could help boost annual flu vaccination rates

A University of California, Riverside-led study of more than 3,200 emergency department (ED) patients across the United States found that while awareness of influenza vaccination is widespread, most adults seen in EDs are not up to date on their annual flu vaccine.

17 Jun 2026

Neurological disorders may raise traumatic brain injury risk in older adults

For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and certain brain diseases, it looks like the risk may go in both directions, according to a study published on June 17, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

17 Jun 2026

Cerebral organoid model offers insights into the mechanisms of Ebola virus persistence

Following infection, Ebola virus can survive unnoticed in the human body for months or even years, hiding in areas with little immune surveillance like the central nervous system.

17 Jun 2026

Microplastics worsen liver damage under high-fat dietary conditions

Microplastics – minuscule pieces of plastic broken down from larger plastic waste – are a growing concern for human health, especially for the liver.

17 Jun 2026

Study reveals gender-based diet inequality in ancient European societies

A new Simon Fraser University study has found men in ancient Europe likely had better access to protein-rich foods than women did.

17 Jun 2026

Preoperative radiation boosts immunotherapy response in brain metastases

A new study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated that pre-operative radiation therapy for brain metastases not only targets tumor cells directly but also can activate immune pathways that can make tumors more receptive to immunotherapy.

17 Jun 2026

Onion-loving gene linked to lower diabetes and blood pressure risk

Imagine if a doctor could look at your DNA and predict not just your disease risk, but also which foods you're drawn to – and whether those cravings are quietly protecting you.

17 Jun 2026

Men's fertility-friendly underwear may be briefs without benefits

A narrative review found that tight-fitting underwear may modestly raise scrotal temperature and is inconsistently linked to lower sperm production measures. However, current evidence does not show that switching to looser underwear improves real-world fertility outcomes.

17 Jun 2026

Trauma-focused therapy safely improves PTSD symptoms in psychosis patients

New research from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London and published in The Lancet Psychiatry has found that people with psychosis experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can benefit from a Trauma-Focused therapy integrated with Cognitive Behavior Therapy for psychosis (CBTp).

17 Jun 2026

Study links commercial cannabis markets to increased addiction

Removing criminal penalties for possessing cannabis for personal use, or introducing tightly controlled legalisation of cannabis, does not appear to increase levels of cannabis use.

17 Jun 2026