Health + Medicine – The Conversation

A group of middle-aged women lay and talk on a windy beach

Menopause is a major health milestone, yet health records barely track it - new research

Audrey Hendricks, University of Colorado Anschutz and Nanette Santoro, University of Colorado Anschutz

Closeup of a hand handing a receipt to another hand over a grocery checkout counter

Are there toxic chemicals in your grocery store receipt?

Sean McCann, University of Illinois Chicago

Generous paternal leave policies improve maternal and newborn health, family finances and workplace equality

Megan Kuykendoll, Miami University

a father smiling down at his infant as the infant smiles back

Cholesterol control gets personalized – a cardiologist explains how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk profile

William Cornwell, University of Colorado Anschutz

Two large blocks of butter stacked on top of a butter package with a silver knife on the left side.

Detroit and Flint teens are struggling with their mental health – and worried adults around them feel ‘helpless’

Crystal Cederna, Michigan State University

A teen girl puts her hands on her forehead

Mold and heat closed Pittsburgh-area schools – an expert explains the risks to kids

Rebecca Smullin Dawson, Allegheny College

A fan blows inside an elementary classroom.

Global health

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

John (Eddie) La Marca, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research) and Sarah Diepstraten, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)

Child malnutrition is one of Africa’s biggest health challenges: food aid is only part of the solution

Gabriel Kanuti Ndimbo, University of Dar es Salaam and Chakupewa Joseph Mpambije, University of Dar es Salaam

Bangladesh has lost 900 children to measles – a warning to other countries where vaccine rates have slipped

Vikram Niranjan, University of Limerick and Colum P. Dunne, University of Limerick

A child receives treatment after showing measles-like symptoms at DNCC Dedicated Hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh, 18 September 2026.

Climate crisis is affecting children’s nutrition

Marina Maintinguer Norde, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp); Aline Martins de Carvalho, Universidade de São Paulo (USP); Fernanda Gomes Ferreira Teixeira, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), and Mariana Ceci, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp)

Health Policy

A mother and daughter hike through a desert landscape.

Separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could decrease access for Colorado parents

Jennifer Reich, University of Colorado Denver

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

Katrine L. Wallace, University of Illinois Chicago

A gloved hand holding a vial of red that says Measles Test, a rack of beakers is in the background.

The CDC has a new director – now comes the hard part

Syra S. Madad, Harvard Kennedy School and Nahid Bhadelia, Boston University

What happens when your hospital is also your insurance company? We’re starting to see the effects

Geronimo Bejarano Cardenas, Brown University and Grace Mackleby, University of Southern California

Hospital building with red emergency sign

US government is pushing to gain unprecedented access to your medical records – as data protections are weakening

Jennifer D. Oliva, Indiana University

Two women looking at a chest x-ray one of them is a doctor wearing a white coat and stethoscope.

Healthy lifestyles

Fiber is both diet fad and fixture for good health – a doctor explains why there is no one-size-fits-all way to increase your intake

Jean Liew, Boston University

Wooden cutting board with the word 'FIBER' written in flour, surrounded by various high-fiber fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, grains

Noise pollution is a serious but often forgotten public health problem

Laura Coco, San Diego State University

woman wearing ear protection works with drill press

The higher your body fat percentage, the less accurate your smartwatch is at measuring calories you burn when exercising – new study

Jason Kostrna, Florida International University

two men putting smartwatches on a man wearing mask sitting on a bike

Stop trying to maintain constant productivity: Your ability to cope with stress changes with the seasons and your own biological clocks

Masha Remskar, Arizona State University

stressed out mother on a Zoom call as her young child sits next to her

Reproductive health

A handmade sign saying ICE stop separating families held up in front of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building

US immigration policies interfere with prenatal care and parenting choices, hurting people and communities

Jallicia Jolly, Amherst College

I’m a doctor who helped rename PCOS to PMOS – a 10-year process of listening to 14,000 patients and health professionals speak on how to improve care

Melanie Cree, University of Colorado Anschutz

Hand holding magnifying glass over icon of uterus, icons of the heart, lungs, kidney, liver and intestines surrounding it

Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth

Yenupini Joyce Adams, University of Notre Dame

A Black mother kisses her newborn on its head.

Reduced health insurance payments for hospital births had a bigger impact on sterilization rates than correcting an injustice

Liana Woskie, Tufts University and Kimberly Turner, University of Pittsburgh

People with premenstrual dysphoric disorder have higher rates of suicidal thinking, planning and attempts

Eliza Zhitnik, UMass Amherst and Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, UMass Amherst

A woman sits on the floor with her hands clasped around her abdomen as if uncomfortable, as she leans against a couch with her head back.

Infectious disease

Three elementary-aged children working at a table in school, the one in the middle is blowing her nose

Does my kid have COVID-19 or just a cold? A pediatric nurse explains how to tell – and why it matters

Ann Sheehan, Michigan State University

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Rebecca Smullin Dawson, Allegheny College

A clipboard holds an info sheet titled 'Measles.'

Shingles can cause severe chronic pain – new research on how exosomes alter neurons offers pathways to treatment

Andrew Bubak, University of Colorado Anschutz

Microscopy image of a blob composed of concentric circles, the innermost a vivid red

How does Salmonella contaminate everything under the sun? A food safety specialist explains how you can stop its spread

Kimberly Baker, Clemson University

Illustration of cylindrical bacteria floating all around a carton of eggs, with the egg in the center cracked and leaking

Can an ancient virus be brought back to life? What 500-year-old smallpox DNA reveals

Aris Katzourakis, University of Oxford

Blue gloved hand holding a vial of smallpox vaccine in front of the monkeypox virus graphic on a monitor

Caregiving

Dementia caregiving can expose hidden family tensions – but early planning can ease the strain

Sarah E. Patterson, University of Michigan

An older man sits on a couch with a younger woman, looking at a photo album together.

Dementia care navigators help Latino Coloradans get the support they need

Hillary Lum, University of Colorado Anschutz

A man wearing a yellow shirt and a white medical tag around his neck sits in bed and clasps hands with someone who is not pictured.

If you think someone has an eating disorder, should you say something? A dietitian explains how to express concern without body shaming

Miranda Roberts, University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic

Close-up of a person's hand wrapped around another person's hand

In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain-related healthcare

Rasheera Dopson, Northern Arizona University; Eric Cerino, Northern Arizona University; Megan McCoy, Northern Arizona University, and Paulina German, Northern Arizona University

Two smiling older people tend potted plants on a table, with others in the foreground helping out.

Mental health

Parent holding child's head against chest with hand threaded through hair.

When your child asks if they’ll be harmed like the people on the news, what do you say? Psychologists provide tips on how to talk about identity

Anahi Collado, University of Colorado Boulder and Colleen Cummings, Georgetown University

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, University of North Dakota

An older couple, woman and man, sit arguing on a therapists's couch during their session.

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Andrew McLean, University of North Dakota

Young woman with troubled expression holds a pull to her lips in one hand and a glass of water in the other

Online mental healthcare is here to stay: Here’s how to navigate your options and find the right clinician

Shari Harding, UMass Chan Medical School

Illustration of woman with a clipboard emerging from a computer, talking with a woman sitting at her desk

I’m part of the team writing the next bible of psychiatry – for the first time, the DSM will use biology to understand mental disorders

Anand Kumar, University of Illinois Chicago

Mind and body

More than a dozen white smokeless tobacco pouches scattered on a reflective black surface next to an open round container in indoor lighting.

How the pro-nicotine ‘wellness’ movement rebranded an addictive drug

Hasmeena Kathuria, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Psilocybin may help the brain recover from concussion, new study shows

Argel Aguilar Valles, Carleton University

Three dried mushrooms with yellowish heads and grey stems.

Decades after 9/11, toxic dust and PTSD may be accelerating brain aging among first responders

Roberto Lucchini, Florida International University

Silhouettes of people in uniform from behind at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, buildings rising into the sky

People with Tourette syndrome, like Billie Eilish, use everything in their power to suppress tics – this exhausting process is key to treatment

Michael Okun, University of Florida

A young person with eyes closed makes a face in front of a maroon background

What we remember when we remember 9/11

Jennifer Talarico, Lafayette College

A man in suit and tie speaks into the ear of a man in suit in tie sitting on a chair.

Technology in health care

Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult

Rachel F. Adler, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Devorah Kletenik, Brooklyn College

A older woman with a scarf on her head sitting on a couch.

What Pennsylvania’s AI chatbot lawsuit teaches us about the psychology behind medical trust

Gretchen Chapman, Carnegie Mellon University

A man in glasses and a navy blue suit stands behind a microphone.

Reddit and TikTok - with the help of AI - are reshaping how researchers understand substance use

Layla Bouzoubaa, Drexel University

Detail of male drug user''s hands using a smart phone

Focused sound energy holds promise for treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Richard J. Price, University of Virginia

Illustration of glowing circles entering a tunnel of concentric circles

Research insights

Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows

Robert Applebaum, Miami University

woman standing at a microphone in front of a sign that reads, Affordable Care Act premiums will rise more than 75%

US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad

Holly Jarman, University of Michigan; Claire L. Ma, University of Michigan, and Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, UMass Amherst

Smoke-free campus sign posted on a school fence

The typical gig worker is changing – and struggling more than ever to make ends meet

Jacob Lederman, University of Michigan Flint

A Doordash worker with a face mask rides his bicycle along a path on the West Side Highway in New York City during the COVID pandemic.

What makes muscles contract? A physiologist explains how muscles move

Kiki Crawford, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

young girl flexing her right arm at the beach

Health + Medicine – The Conversation

Top stories

Menopause is a major health milestone, yet health records barely track it - new research

Are there toxic chemicals in your grocery store receipt?

Generous paternal leave policies improve maternal and newborn health, family finances and workplace equality

Cholesterol control gets personalized – a cardiologist explains how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk profile

Detroit and Flint teens are struggling with their mental health – and worried adults around them feel ‘helpless’

Mold and heat closed Pittsburgh-area schools – an expert explains the risks to kids

Global health

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

Child malnutrition is one of Africa’s biggest health challenges: food aid is only part of the solution

Bangladesh has lost 900 children to measles – a warning to other countries where vaccine rates have slipped

Climate crisis is affecting children’s nutrition

Health Policy

Separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine could decrease access for Colorado parents

CDC vs. Pennsylvania: Why conflicting public health messages jeopardize public safety

The CDC has a new director – now comes the hard part

What happens when your hospital is also your insurance company? We’re starting to see the effects

US government is pushing to gain unprecedented access to your medical records – as data protections are weakening

Healthy lifestyles

Fiber is both diet fad and fixture for good health – a doctor explains why there is no one-size-fits-all way to increase your intake

Noise pollution is a serious but often forgotten public health problem

The higher your body fat percentage, the less accurate your smartwatch is at measuring calories you burn when exercising – new study

Stop trying to maintain constant productivity: Your ability to cope with stress changes with the seasons and your own biological clocks

Reproductive health

US immigration policies interfere with prenatal care and parenting choices, hurting people and communities

I’m a doctor who helped rename PCOS to PMOS – a 10-year process of listening to 14,000 patients and health professionals speak on how to improve care

Nearly half of maternal deaths in Pennsylvania occur more than 6 weeks after giving birth

Reduced health insurance payments for hospital births had a bigger impact on sterilization rates than correcting an injustice

People with premenstrual dysphoric disorder have higher rates of suicidal thinking, planning and attempts

Infectious disease

Does my kid have COVID-19 or just a cold? A pediatric nurse explains how to tell – and why it matters

Pittsburgh’s kindergartners fall below the measles safety threshold, testing the city’s vaccine legacy

Shingles can cause severe chronic pain – new research on how exosomes alter neurons offers pathways to treatment

How does Salmonella contaminate everything under the sun? A food safety specialist explains how you can stop its spread

Can an ancient virus be brought back to life? What 500-year-old smallpox DNA reveals

Caregiving

Dementia caregiving can expose hidden family tensions – but early planning can ease the strain

Dementia care navigators help Latino Coloradans get the support they need

If you think someone has an eating disorder, should you say something? A dietitian explains how to express concern without body shaming

In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain-related healthcare

Mental health

When your child asks if they’ll be harmed like the people on the news, what do you say? Psychologists provide tips on how to talk about identity

Why so few older Americans get counseling – and how it could help

Are too many Americans taking antidepressants?

Online mental healthcare is here to stay: Here’s how to navigate your options and find the right clinician

I’m part of the team writing the next bible of psychiatry – for the first time, the DSM will use biology to understand mental disorders

Mind and body

How the pro-nicotine ‘wellness’ movement rebranded an addictive drug

Psilocybin may help the brain recover from concussion, new study shows

Decades after 9/11, toxic dust and PTSD may be accelerating brain aging among first responders

People with Tourette syndrome, like Billie Eilish, use everything in their power to suppress tics – this exhausting process is key to treatment

What we remember when we remember 9/11

Technology in health care

Many cancer survivors have impairments that make using mobile devices and websites difficult

What Pennsylvania’s AI chatbot lawsuit teaches us about the psychology behind medical trust

Reddit and TikTok - with the help of AI - are reshaping how researchers understand substance use

Focused sound energy holds promise for treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Research insights

Florida lost 450,000 ACA enrollees in 2026 as premiums rose an average of 37% nationally, new data shows

US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad

The typical gig worker is changing – and struggling more than ever to make ends meet

What makes muscles contract? A physiologist explains how muscles move

Cholesterol control gets personalized – a cardiologist explains how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk profile

One in eight cancers are likely caused by an infection worldwide – new study

Psilocybin may help the brain recover from concussion, new study shows

How the pro-nicotine ‘wellness’ movement rebranded an addictive drug

Vagus nerve stimulation shows promise as a way to counter Alzheimer’s disease- and age-related memory loss

Fiber is both diet fad and fixture for good health – a doctor explains why there is no one-size-fits-all way to increase your intake