Around 1 in 5 young people use AI chatbots for mental health advice, survey finds
A survey asked people ages 12 to 21 whether they had used a service like ChatGPT or GoogleGemini for mental health advice. Around 19% of respondents said yes. Experts worry that some young people are turning to AI bots during mental health crises, which the tech is not made to handle. An author of the […]
About 8% of the country lacked health insurance in 2025, new data shows. That could rise next year
(Patrick Sison/AP Photo/Patrick Sison) By MIKE STOBBE and ALI SWENSON May 28, 2026 at 4:08 pm EDT NEW YORK — The proportion of Americans without health insurance held steady at around 8% of the population in 2025, according to new findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national survey results, released Thursday, show the […]
Moving to music offers all kinds of mental and physical benefits as you age
Moving to music is a great way to boost physical and mental health. Medical professionals say that dancing is a great way for older adults to stay healthy as they age because it engages the brain and the body By Anita Snow | The Associated Press • Published May 26, 2026 • Updated on May 26, 2026 at 12:36 pm Carol Ross […]
Weapons-grade chemical carfentanil surges as dangerous substitute for fentanyl
(Rich Pedroncelli/AP) By HALLIE GOLDEN and JIM MUSTIAN; April 17, 2026 at 11:57 pm EDT Nearly two decades after drug addiction sent him to rehab as a teenager, 36-year-old Michael Nalewaja had settled into a quiet life in Alaska where he worked as an electrician. That all came crashing down days before Thanksgiving 2025, when he and a […]
Younger adult colon cancer deaths are concentrated in people with less education, study says
(Mary Altaffer/AP) By MIKE STOBBE; April 16, 2026 at 12:07 pm EDT NEW YORK — The worrisome rise in colorectal cancer deaths in younger adults is concentrated in people with less education, suggesting socioeconomic factors could be driving the escalation, according to a new study. Celebrity deaths — including Chadwick Boseman in 2020 and James Van Der Beek earlier this […]
Medigap premiums leap, and consumers have few alternatives
By Julie Appleby; April 22, 2026 / 5:00 AM EDT / KFF Health News After decades of selling insurance, Illinois-based broker John Jaggi had never seen anything like it. More than 80 of his customers who were enrolled in the same Medicare supplemental plan from the insurer Chubb got hit last August with a 45% increase. “In […]
First Black Life Expectancy Report and Efforts to Address Longstanding Health Inequities Announced
The City and partners are investing $2 million to address health disparities faced by Boston’s Black communities. Mayor Michelle Wu today announced the first-ever report analyzing life expectancy among Black residents in Boston as a part of the Boston Public Health Commission’s (BPHC) Live Long and Well Agenda. This will be the first in a series of […]
Colorectal Cancer Drops in Older Adults and Rises in Younger Ones
Colorectal Cancer Incidence Rates by Age and Sex, 1998-2022, United States This graph shows incidence rates (vertical axis) by sex for three age-groups (20 to 49; 50 to 64; 65 and over) from 1998 to 2022 (horizontal axis). Incidence rates are increasing among younger men and women (<65) and decreasing among older adults (65+). Source: Colorectal […]
Mayor Michelle Wu Announces Summer Swim Safe Grant Applications Are Now Open
Mayor Michelle Wu and the Human Services Cabinet, in partnership with Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF), announced the opening of applications for the Swim Safe Boston Summer Grant. This grant will provide $150,000 to support organizations working to expand access to swim lessons during the summer months. The funding comes from the BCYF and […]
The Surprising Thing Your Mammogram Can Tell You About Your Heart Health
Tom Werner//Getty Images If you’ve been putting off your mammogram, here’s one more reason to schedule it By Michelle FalciPublished: Feb 25, 2026 If you’re over 40, you probably don’t need another reason to make sure you’re up to date with your mammograms. After all, they’re the gold standard for breast cancer screening. But new research shows that your mammogram can tell […]
Heart disease and stroke projected to rise significantly in women in the next 25 years
A patient’s blood pressure is monitored.andreswd / Getty Images Obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure are fueling increases in cardiovascular disease, even among much younger women, the American Heart Association said. Feb. 25, 2026, 5:49 AM EST; By Barbara Mantel Without better prevention and early detection, the number of women living with cardiovascular disease will increase substantially in […]
Early prenatal care, considered best for moms and babies, is on the decline in the US, data shows
FILE – A doctor performs an ultrasound scan on a pregnant woman at a hospital in Chicago on Aug. 7, 2018. (AP Photo/Teresa Crawford, File); SOURCE: Teresa Crawford Updated: 1:45 AM EST Feb 19, 2026; Editorial Standards ⓘ LAURA UNGAR Early prenatal care improves the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby. But a new federal […]
Flu cases are surging across Massachusetts. Have you gotten sick?
A man receives a COVID and flu vaccine shot at Boston City Hall on Jan. 7, 2026. (Suzanne Kreiter/Globe staff) As hospitalizations climb and Boston opens free vaccination clinics, we want to hear how this flu season is affecting you. By Annie Jonas January 13, 2026 | 9:33 AM Flu cases are surging across Massachusetts — and […]
5 things for parents to know about changes to kids’ vaccine schedule
Stock photo of a child receiving a shot. Jackyenjoyphotography/STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images By Dr. Jade Cobern and Yi-Jin Yu; January 06, 2026, 3:01 PM Amid a record-breaking flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that multiple vaccinations, including for flu, RSV, and COVID, are no longer universally recommended for all children, a departure from previous, long-standing guidance […]
RFK Jr. releases new dietary guidelines with emphasis on protein and full-fat dairy, less processed foods
By Mary Kekatos; January 07, 2026, 2:40 PM Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new federal dietary guidelines on Wednesday, encouraging Americans to limit highly processed food and reduce refined carbohydrates. The guidelines also encourage Americans to eat whole foods like fruits and vegetables, incorporate healthy fats, prioritize protein-rich meals including red meat, […]
Pediatrics group sues HHS for cutting funds for children’s health programs
President Donald Trump listens as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, Oct. 16, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) By LAURA UNGAR Updated 4:03 PM EST, December 24, 2025 The American Academy of Pediatrics sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on […]
