Nutrition Facts labels have a complicated legacy – a historian explains the science and politics of translating food into information

The Nutrition Facts label, that black and white information box found on nearly every packaged food product in the U.S. since 1994, has recently become an icon for consumer transparency.…

New research suggests estrogen and progesterone could play role in opioid addiction and relapse

As opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. rose dramatically from 2014 to today, both Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Camden, New Jersey, cemented reputations as hotspots of the crisis. In Philadelphia, over…

Immigrant moms feel unsafe and unheard when seeking pregnancy care – here’s how they’d improve Philly’s health care system

Immigrants make up nearly 16% of Philadelphia’s population of 1.6 million, according to a 2024 report from Pew Charitable Trusts. Pew reports this marks the largest percentage since the 1940s,…

Abortion restrictions harm mental health, with low-income women hardest hit

People living in states that enacted tighter abortion restrictions in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision, which returned regulation of abortion access to state legislatures, are…

The science behind Ariana Grande’s vocal metamorphosis

While promoting her role in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked,” singer Ariana Grande made a podcast appearance that left many of her fans befuddled and concerned.…

Toxoplasma is a common parasite that causes birth defects – but the US doesn’t screen for it during pregnancy

Imagine the shock of your baby being born with a swollen brain, blindness and debilitating seizures. Now imagine learning that these devastating conditions could have been prevented if you took…

Stricter monitoring of tween and teen internet use may not always be better

A national conversation about potential links between smartphones and digital media and the ongoing teen mental health crisis has reached a fever pitch. Research does not definitively show that excessive…

Navigating mental health treatment options can be overwhelming – a clinical psychologist explains why it’s worth the effort

The percentage of Americans seeking mental health treatment nearly doubled between 2004 and 2022, with almost a quarter of the population reporting that they saw a mental health care professional…

Detroit’s legacy of housing inequity has caused long-term health impacts − these policies can help mitigate that harm

Detroiters who face rising rents, poor living conditions and systemic barriers to affordable and safe housing are at greater risk of poor health, our research finds. We study the connection…

ICE detainees suffer preventable deaths − Q&A with a medical researcher about systemic failures

The 2024 Homeland Security appropriations bill increased funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations to handle an anticipated daily detainee population of 41,500, up from an average of 34,000…