EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 11-Jan-2026 11:11 ET (11-Jan-2026 16:11 GMT/UTC)

Study uncovers alarming anxiety rates among autistic college students

Binghamton University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As autism diagnoses continue to grow and remain a topic of nationwide debate, new research reveals that autistic individuals are facing mental health challenges at a major turning point in their lives – when they go to college.

According to a new study led by researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York, autistic college students face dramatically higher rates of anxiety and depression compared to their non-autistic peers.

Journal: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

Portable spectroscopy enables detection of vaginal microbes

SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have demonstrated that surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) can detect key bacterial species in vaginal fluid by identifying their unique biochemical signatures. In a pilot study involving 19 participants, SERS was able to distinguish between the presence and absence of Lactobacillus iners and Gardnerella vaginalis, two microbes linked to vaginal health and dysbiosis. The study showed that a portable Raman spectrometer provided results comparable to a laboratory-based system, highlighting the technique’s potential for point-of-care use. These findings suggest SERS could offer a rapid, noninvasive method for early detection of microbiome imbalances, even before symptoms appear.

Journal: Biophotonics Discovery

Drones can more efficiently measure the health of corn plants, study finds

University of Missouri-Columbia

Researchers at the University of Missouri have found a mix of drones and AI can help farmers measure the health of their corn more efficiently.

Journal: Smart Agricultural Technology

Van Andel Institute’s Dr. Nick Burton named as a Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences

Van Andel Research Institute
Grant and Award Announcement

The Pew Charitable Trusts has named Van Andel Institute’s Nick Burton, Ph.D., as a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.

Funder: Pew Charitable Trusts

5 Pew-Stewart scholars selected to pursue pioneering cancer research

Pew Charitable Trusts
Grant and Award Announcement

The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Alexander and Margaret Stewart Trust announced the 2025 class of the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research.

Work impairment and financial outcomes among adults with vs without long COVID

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this prospective cohort study of adults with SARS-CoV-2 infection, participants with current self-reported long COVID (defined as developing new, persistent symptoms lasting 3 months or longer after SARS-CoV-2 infection) reported worse work impairment, missed work, and financial distress compared with those who never had long COVID, while vaccination was associated with improved work outcomes and less financial distress even among individuals with long COVID. These data underscore the need for post-pandemic assistance programs, as well as vaccination to decrease societal harms.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Hospital financial health and provision of obstetric and neonatal intensive care unit services

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cohort study, worse hospital financial health was associated with decreased likelihood of providing perinatal services. These hospitals were more frequently located in southern and rural areas.

Journal: JAMA Network Open