LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Public Health Reports Announces Rolling Call for Papers
Public Health Reports is seeking practice-based manuscripts and has issued a rolling call for papers focused on health promotion and identifying the root causes of chronic disease.
The peer-reviewed journal welcomes submissions including case studies, public health evaluations, and methodology articles, with most manuscripts ranging from 2,000 to 2,500 words. Priority topics include childhood obesity, nutrition, mental health, environmental toxins, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, ultra-processed foods, autoimmune disease, and other factors influencing chronic disease prevention.
New Guide Helps Public Health Communicators Share Content with Confidence
“Can I use this?” is a common question that can delay public health communications when uncertainty over permissions, licensing, and ownership prevents proven health messages from being shared and adapted.
Arclet's new, free Public Health Content Sharing Guide provides practical tools to help organizations create, adapt, credit, and share content confidently. The resource includes a three-phase checklist, guidance on sharing practices, English and Spanish photo and video release templates, and customizable terms-of-use and attribution templates.
A live webinar on July 23 will demonstrate how to use the guide and address common content-sharing questions, with recordings available to registrants. Register and learn more here.
New CDC Data Shows Decline in Healthcare-Associated Infections
According to new CDC data, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in U.S. hospitals declined between 2015 and 2023, signaling progress in patient safety while highlighting ongoing risks. In 2023, about 1 in 38 hospitalized patients had at least one HAI, compared with 1 in 31 patients in 2015, though an estimated 518,000 HAIs still occurred nationwide.
Reductions were seen in central line-associated bloodstream infections, catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and Clostridioides difficile infections, while pneumonia and surgical site infections showed limited change.
The new findings underscore the continued need for prevention strategies and infection control efforts to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare settings. See the data from the CDC here.
FEATURED TOPICS
CDC releases 2026 Annual US Cancer Statistics Release
CDC’s latest United States Cancer Statistics release expands access to one of the nation’s most comprehensive cancer datasets, now including complete county-level cancer incidence data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
The new data reveal that rural communities experienced higher cancer incidence rates than urban areas from 2019–2023, with approximately 467 versus 451 new cases per 100,000 people. In 2023, nearly 1.94 million new cancer cases were reported nationwide, and cancer remained the second leading cause of death in 2024, accounting for 619,871 deaths.
The addition of county-level and rural–urban data can help public health professionals better identify disparities, target interventions, and inform cancer control planning and resource allocation. See the full report from the CDC here.
Survey Highlights Persistent Uncertainty on STI Vaccines
A nationally representative Annenberg Public Policy Center survey found that while most U.S. adults understand core STI transmission routes, knowledge gaps persist around less common pathways and vaccine availability.
Majorities correctly identified gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HPV, and genital herpes as sexually transmitted, but far fewer recognized mpox (35%) or Zika (13%) as sexually transmitted infections.
Misconceptions included 20% believing STI transmission can occur via toilet seats and only 33% identifying breastfeeding as a possible HIV transmission route. While 68% recognized an HPV vaccine, only 42% were aware of an mpox vaccine, and most respondents were uncertain about vaccine availability for other STIs. Read the survey here.
Fake References in Medical Papers are Skyrocketing
A reference-integrity audit of 2.5 million biomedical papers and 125.6 million references in PubMed Central identified 4,046 fabricated references across 2,810 papers after multi-database verification and filtering.
Fabrication rates rose markedly, from 1 in 2,828 papers in 2023 to 1 in 458 in 2025, a more than 12-fold increase overall. Most affected papers contained one or two fabricated references, and review articles showed higher fabrication rates than other article types.
Notably, 98.4% of affected papers had received no publisher action at the time of the audit, highlighting gaps in oversight. Read the study in Lancet here.
The Condition PCOS is Now Called PMOS
Researchers and clinicians have renamed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect the condition’s broader hormonal and metabolic impacts and improve patient care.
Affecting an estimated 1 in 8 women worldwide, the condition is associated with irregular menstrual cycles, elevated androgen levels, infertility, and increased risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Experts say the previous name contributed to confusion, missed diagnoses, and limited understanding of the disorder beyond ovarian symptoms.
The updated terminology follows 14 years of collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and patients and is intended to support more comprehensive diagnosis and treatment approaches. Learn more from AP here.
