EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 9-Sep-2025 20:11 ET (10-Sep-2025 00:11 GMT/UTC)

Taking taiga’s temperature

University of Ottawa
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study has introduced a powerful tool for analyzing satellite imagery of boreal forests (also known as “Taiga” in North America), offering unprecedented insights into the health and dynamics of these crucial ecosystems.

Journal: npj Natural Hazards

Measles on the rise again in Europe: Time to check your vaccination status

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
Reports and Proceedings

Data on measles cases in the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) for the last twelve months show a considerable rise in notifications compared to 2023. This indicates that the virus is circulating in the region and the number of cases will probably increase during the spring of 2025. Immunisation with two doses of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the safest and most effective way to protect against this highly contagious disease. However, eight out of ten people who were diagnosed with measles in the EU/EEA in the last year were not vaccinated. Adults and parents are encouraged to check their vaccination history and, if in doubt, consult a healthcare professional.

Cardiovascular health and biomarkers of neurodegenerative disease in older adults

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that promoting cardiovascular health in older adults may help alleviate the burden of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly among Black adults, who are known to experience a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Ethics in patient preferences for AI–drafted responses to electronic messages

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this survey study, participants expressed a mild preference for messages written by artificial intelligence (AI) but had a slightly decreased satisfaction when told AI was involved. Patient experience must be considered along with ethical implementation of AI. Although AI disclosure may slightly reduce satisfaction, disclosure should be maintained to uphold patient autonomy and empowerment.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Patients’ affinity for AI messages drops if they know the technology was used

Duke University Medical Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a Duke Health-led survey, patients who were shown messages written either by artificial intelligence (AI) or human clinicians indicated a preference for responses drafted by AI over a human. That preference was diminished, though not erased, when told AI was involved.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

New ACS led study finds wildfires pose challenges to cancer care

American Cancer Society
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new national study led by American Cancer Society (ACS) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researchers finds patients whose facility was impacted by a wildfire disaster during recovery from lung cancer surgery had longer length of stay (LOS) than similar patients treated at the same facility, but at times when no disaster occurred.

Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute

USPSTF statement on screening for food insecurity

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Bottom Line: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for food insecurity on health outcomes in the primary care setting. According to survey data, 12.8% of households experienced food insecurity in 2022, with 7.7% of households experiencing low food security and 5.1% experiencing very low food security. Nearly one-third of households with incomes below the federal poverty threshold are food insecure. Food insecurity is one among a multitude of medical, psychological, and social conditions common among economically disadvantaged households. The USPSTF routinely makes recommendations about the effectiveness of preventive care services. This is a new USPSTF topic.

Journal: JAMA