The first year of the COVID-19 pandemic brought about extensive changes in people’s everyday lives. Research shows that despite this, people’s mental health in Estonia did not deteriorate on average as much as initially feared.

A groundbreaking study finds that unsupervised screen time – both TV and handheld devices – can intensify behavioral and emotional problems in young children. Unsupervised preschoolers with limited language skills showed the greatest rise in conduct issues in just six months. Often used as a convenient “babysitter,” screens may widen developmental gaps, displacing the interactions children need to build language, social and emotional skills. Not all screen time is harmful – but when it replaces engagement with parents and peers, it can become a barrier rather than a bridge to healthy development.

Leto Tech PBC, an Indiana startup and public benefit corporation (PBC), has launched a software system that allows users to more efficiently connect their clients with community resources. The software enables users to create a customized digital binder that can be searched several ways, including screening questions and key words, searching by name or location, and just scrolling. Users can share resource referrals with clients in a professional document or secure text.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University and Japan System Techniques Co., Ltd. evaluated the 2019 Osaka-Higashi Line station openings using a natural experiment and health insurance claims. While the overall rail-line effect was not significant, Shigino Station, a well-connected transfer hub, showed an estimated cumulative reduction of about JPY 62,500 per medically treated person over four years, highlighting that station connectivity and local context may determinewhether new stations deliver healthcare cost benefits.