A new CDC report published finds that more than 72,000 violent deaths occurred across the 50 states and District of Columbia in 2023, with suicides accounting for 62.4% and homicides for 28.5%. Data from the National Violent Death Reporting System showed substantial disparities: American Indian or Alaska Native people had the highest suicide rate, while Black males had the highest homicide ra…

New 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey data show that 5.2% of U.S. middle and high school students currently use e-cigarettes, while 1.7% use nicotine pouches. The analysis, published October 5 in Public Health Alerts, estimates 1.4 million youth currently vape and 3.7 million have ever used e-cigarettes. Use was higher among high school students, with 7.1% currently vaping. Among current use…

A new KFF Health News report highlights the risks of medication overload among older adults, with experts urging regular reviews to determine whether prescriptions remain necessary. Geriatrician K. Eric De Jonge says people taking six or seven prescription medications face a nearly 100% chance of experiencing some type of side effect or intolerance. The report notes that medications can accum…

The de Beaumont Foundation has launched a free, self-paced Talking Health On-Demand Training to strengthen communication skills among public health professionals.   Recently launched, the approximately six-hour course addresses a recognized skills gap through five interactive modules covering effective communication, research-based messaging strategies, audience tailoring, storytelling w…

For Health Literacy Month this October, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is highlighting free health literacy resources through its Information Literacy Initiative, which helps people build skills to find, evaluate, and use information. InformationLiteracy.gov offers educators and museum and library professionals ready-to-use lesson plans, activities, teaching strategies, and othe…

New data from Trust for America’s Health’s 2026 State of Obesity report show that adult obesity raState of Obesity Report 2026: Better Policies for a Healthier Americates remained stable nationally in 2025, but the number of states with rates at or above 35% increased to 21, up from 19 in 2024. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults have obesity, while more than 21% of children and adolescents ages 2 to 1…

The Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) has released new ready-to-share resources to help communities prepare for respiratory virus season and communicate about flu, RSV and COVID-19 vaccination. The materials include quick guides for children and adults, explanations of respiratory vaccine recommendations, a step-by-step vaccination guide and an overview of respiratory virus se…

Sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) rates have increased among Black infants since 2020, widening a persistent racial disparity in infant mortality. A study of nearly 58 million U.S. live births found the infant mortality gap between Black and White babies rose from 6.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2019 to 6.4 in 2024, with SUID driving the increase. Preterm birth was more common among B…

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular events, cancer, metabolic syndrome or diabetes, and death. An analysis of nearly 8.8 million adults across the Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania found that each additional 100 grams of UPFs consumed daily was associated with a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events, 4% higher cancer risk…