epidemiology

It took the better part of a century for maternal mortality to be recognized, forgotten and finally recognized again as an urgent public health crisis in the United States.

A cross-sectional analysis estimated national and regional changes in amputation rates among opioid-related hospitalizations in adults.

Public health experts estimate that more than 200 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic through contaminated drinking water. Scientists know long-term exposure to arsenic is associated with increased risk of chronic illnesses like cancer and cardiovascular disease, but there hasn't been a reliable way to track these exposures and fully understand their effects on the body and the mechan…

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States. Approximately 10 percent of people with SCD in the US live in New York State, with the majority residing in New York City.

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.

Heart health, diet, exercise and sleep will be targeted under a multi-pronged strategy by child health experts to address Australia's obesity crisis.

Poststroke anxiety and depression (PSAD/PSAnx) are common and heterogeneous emotional disorders among stroke survivors, significantly impacting functional recovery, quality of life, and long term prognosis. Their pathogenesis is complex and multifactorial, involving neurobiological alterations, cognitive dysfunction, behavioral responses, and social environmental factors. Cognitive impairments, f…

It’s not often that a pair of studies completely challenges our assumptions in cardiology, but new data presented at HRS 2026 suggests myocardial infarction might not be the main cause of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Despite how far cardiology has come in treating the heart, annual SCD incidence remains high. This prompted researchers to continuously […] The post The True Cause of Sudden Cardiac D…

A new study suggests that where a child lives—even from birth—may influence their risk of developing cancer. Researchers from Université de Montréal found that children who grow up near gas stations may face a higher risk of certain cancers, especially leukemia. Childhood cancer is rare, but its impact can be severe. Even when children survive, […] The post Living close to a gas station may incre…

Kratom exposures and severe cases are rapidly increasing in the US, with stricter regulations linked to better outcomes. Significant health risks and limited research complicate policy decisions. Kratom has quietly moved from a niche herbal product to a widely used substance in the United States, drawing increasing scrutiny from scientists and regulators. Derived from a [...]

Many people in the United States feel worried about the cost of health care. Whether it is paying for insurance, visiting a doctor, or buying medicine, expenses seem to keep increasing. A new advisory from the American Heart Association explains that this issue has become a national crisis. Health care spending in the country is […] The post Why healthcare is getting so expensive in the U.S. appe…

Many people know that exercise is good for the body, but scientists are now learning more about how it also supports the mind. A new large study suggests that having better physical fitness, especially heart and lung fitness, may lower the risk of several serious mental health conditions later in life. Researchers from the University […] The post High fitness may cut dementia, depression and psyc…

Anemia is often seen as a simple health problem that causes tiredness and low energy. It happens when the body does not have enough hemoglobin to carry oxygen in the blood. This means that important organs, including the brain, may not get the oxygen they need. A new long-term study suggests that anemia may have […] The post Anemia linked to 66% higher dementia risk in older people appeared first…

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. It happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage or a burst blood vessel. When this happens, brain cells begin to die within minutes. Many people know about common risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, and […] The post Heat, pollution, and a changing climate are raising stroke risk arou…

This quantitative study examined the association between racial discrimination and pregnancy-related hypertension among women age 18–40 in the United States, and how this relationship is modified by age and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regions (states). Guided by the social ecological model, this research measured whether race, place, and lived experiences of discrimination c…

Alcohol-impaired driving remains a persistent public health and safety problem in the United States, resulting in thousands of preventable deaths each year and substantial societal costs. Policymakers frequently rely on alcohol excise taxes as a deterrence strategy; however, evidence regarding the effectiveness of taxation alone in reducing alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities remains mixed. The p…

Depression remains a significant public health burden in the United States, contributing to disability, healthcare utilization, and economic cost. Internal 2024 audits at the project site identified variability in Patient Health Questionnaire 9 PHQ 9 screening and follow up processes, with 68% of screenings completed, 55% of follow ups timely, and disparities among patients with limited English p…

Maternal health disparities affecting Black women in the United States remain a persistent public health concern due to inequities in prenatal care access and adverse birth outcomes. Prior research has shown that socioeconomic conditions, insurance coverage, and systemic barriers influence prenatal care utilization and maternal outcomes; however, limited research has examined how Medicaid coverag…

Immigrant populations experience persistent challenges within the U.S. healthcare system, including marginalization, discrimination, and limited access to understandable health information, which contribute to health disparities. Factors such as low income, cultural differences, and intersecting identities related to gender and race further compound these challenges. This qualitative phenomenolog…

Diabetes remains disproportionately prevalent in Appalachia, and macroenvironmental contributors remain poorly understood. Guided by spatial epidemiology, this quantitative, cross-sectional ecological study examined whether county-level environmental factors including distance to mine, distance to landfill, distance to water, mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, forest classificati…