Primary Care News and Research

Latest Primary Care News and Research

Ibasho concept offers a community-led approach to disaster psychiatry

As disasters increasingly disrupt lives through displacement, conflict, and climate-related emergencies, addressing long-term mental health recovery remains a major challenge.

11 May 2026

Endometriosis linked to slightly higher birth defect risk in infants

For babies born to people with endometriosis, there is a small but significant increased risk of congenital anomalies, often called birth defects, according to new research in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.250439.

11 May 2026

Could a fingerprick at home flag your Alzheimer's risk? New study says yes

Researchers demonstrated that self-administered fingerprick blood tests measuring p-tau217 and GFAP, returned by post, correlate strongly with venous blood biomarkers and cognitive performance across the Alzheimer's disease continuum. Combined with computerized cognitive testing, this at-home approach offers a scalable, patient-friendly tool for triaging individuals at risk of AD-related impairment.

10 May 2026

Study warns of rising severe malaria risk due to testing delays

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), in collaboration with colleagues across the country, found that more than one in four pediatric patients treated for malaria in the United States had a delay in their initial diagnosis, increasing the risk of more severe infection.

8 May 2026

Heart disease risk prediction tool proves effective across global populations

A tool developed by the American Heart Association (AHA), proven to accurately predict heart disease risk for Americans, can be applied to the global population, a new study led by NYU Langone Health shows.

7 May 2026

Advancing Menopause Care: Non-Hormonal Treatments for Vasomotor Symptoms

Menopause symptoms like hot flushes can be debilitating. Dr. Katie Barber highlights new treatments, including fezolinetant, for improved patient care.

7 May 2026

Virtual reality training improves police interactions for autistic individuals

A new study led by researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and St. Joseph's University found that an innovative virtual reality intervention was helpful for improving interactions between autistic teens and adults and law enforcement officers.

5 May 2026

Stroke incidence rises again with widening ethnic health inequalities

A new study presented today at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2026 shows that after decades of decline, stroke incidence is rising again, driven by higher rates in some ethnic minority populations and concentrated among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

5 May 2026

Study reveals gaps in dementia care services across Mississippi counties

Some 80% of Mississippi counties have no adult day service centers, and even counties that do have centers cannot meet the needs of people with dementia and their caregivers, a new University of Mississippi-led study indicates.

4 May 2026

New Canadian guidelines streamline screening for high-risk drinking

An update to Canadian guidance on screening for high-risk drinking and alcohol use provides streamlined recommendations in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) that authors hope will make it easier for health care professionals to talk to patients about alcohol use.

4 May 2026

AI scribes save clinicians time but fail to reduce overtime work

While AI scribes reduce documentation time, their effect on after-hours work is minimal, highlighting the need for further studies on clinician productivity.

1 May 2026

American Heart Association warns of growing health care cost crisis

With health care costs constituting a major source of concern across the U.S., the American Heart Association, a relentless force changing the future of health for everyone, everywhere, today released a Presidential Advisory warning that health care affordability in this country has reached crisis levels and outlining key principles to address the problem.

30 Apr 2026

Mailed DNA-based test for colorectal cancer screening

The use of mailed FIT-DNA kits in community health centers significantly increases colorectal cancer screening, though follow-up colonoscopy rates remain low.

30 Apr 2026

Survey shows women are confused about when to start mammograms

A new national survey reveals many women are unsure about when to start mammogram screening for breast cancer and believe they should start later than doctors recommend.

29 Apr 2026

AI eye screening shows promise for detecting six metabolic diseases

Researchers developed Reti-Pioneer, an AI retinal imaging framework that screened for six endocrine and metabolic diseases using color fundus photographs and clinical metadata. The system showed moderate-to-strong performance across cohorts, improved specialist decision-making, and demonstrated promising, though still preliminary, potential for faster, scalable disease screening.

29 Apr 2026

PCORI announces new funding for patient-centered clinical effectiveness research

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) today announced new funding to support patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER) across a range of health conditions experienced by Americans, along with projects designed to help bring practice-changing CER results into real-world care settings.

28 Apr 2026

WHO report shows measurable progress in reducing global hepatitis infections

Global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are delivering measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease remains a major global health challenge, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report released today at the World Hepatitis Summit.

28 Apr 2026

NCCN publishes new patient guide for prostate cancer screening

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)-an alliance of leading cancer centers-has published a new book explaining the latest evidence and expert recommendations around prostate cancer screening.

28 Apr 2026

New scientific statement defines brain health across life

Brain health isn't determined only by genetics or what happens later in life. A growing body of research shows that a range of factors-from mental health and sleep to environment, lifestyle and social conditions-play a powerful role in shaping how the brain functions and ages.

28 Apr 2026

AI tools can predict ADHD risk years before a formal diagnosis

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects millions of children, yet many go years without a diagnosis, missing the chance for early support that can change long-term outcomes even when early signs are present.

27 Apr 2026