A peer-reviewed Ho, Ho, Ho: Highlights from the BMJ’s Christmas issue
After another tough year of news, we wanted to wrap up the year for journalists with a fun feature, courtesy of studies in this year’s BMJ Christmas issue.
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Five years after Flint water crisis, mental health problems persist
A study based on survey of Flint, Michigan, residents finds 1 in 5 Flint residents met the criteria for depression, 1 in 4 for PTSD and 1 in 10 for both depression and PTSD, estimates that exceed regional, national and global averages.
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The 2022 Lancet climate change and health report: Dire warnings and glimmers of hope
The seventh annual report finds climate change is increasingly undermining every pillar of good health and compounding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing conflicts. While mitigation efforts remain inadequate, the report does offer some hope.
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Instagram eye-tracking study sheds light on how women view images of other women
The young female participants in the study paid more attention to Instagram posts that included bodies rather than just faces, and they preferred looking at underweight and average weight images to the images of overweight people.
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Covering marijuana: Research roundup and 7 tips for journalists
As more states consider legalizing marijuana, consider these studies and tips on what’s known and unknown about the health effects of cannabis products.
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Food insecurity and food deserts in the US: A research roundup and explainer
The food landscape in the U.S. has changed since the first White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health was held 53 years ago. We summarize several studies that show the link between food insecurity and health and include resources for journalists.
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Maternal mortality: An explainer and research roundup
The rate of maternal deaths in the U.S. has been increasing in recent years. Black people continue to be more than three times as likely as white people to die from pregnancy-related causes. We highlight research studies and resources about maternal mortality.
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988 and suicide prevention hotlines: A research roundup
For journalists covering the launch of 988, it helps to be familiar with the research on suicide prevention hotlines. We have complied several peer-reviewed research studies on the topic, including text and online chats.
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Racial disparities in pulse oximeter readings: Research roundup
A series of recent studies has found that pulse oximeters are more likely to give inaccurate readings for people with darker skin, especially Black people, by overestimating their blood oxygen levels. This is particularly important for critically ill patients, where doctors constantly rely on pulse oximeter readings to decide how much oxygen to give patients.
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Google searches for abortion pills spiked after the May leak of SCOTUS draft opinion on Roe v. Wade
The surge in searches highlights the importance of providing women with information on where they can legally and safely obtain abortion medications, including telemedicine consultations with health care professionals, note the authors of a new study.
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