Does mail-in voting significantly affect voter turnout? Do rates of voter turnout change based on whether the voter is Democrat, Republican, or not affiliated? In “Universal Mail Ballot Delivery Boosts Turnout: The Causal Effects of Sending Mail Ballots to All Registered Voters,” published in The Journal of Politics, authors R. Michael Alvarez and Yimeng Li examine a unique voting case in 2020 in order to present the first study of how universal voting by mail affects voter turnout within a jurisdiction.

A longitudinal study from Lund University in Sweden shows that mental health problems have increased sharply among lower secondary school students, becoming three times more common among girls over a period of 17 years.

This study assessed the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of Chinese patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) and explored key factors associated with HRQoL. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in February 2023 through the China Rare Disease Alliance Cloud Service Platform, in which patients with MPS II and their family members completed an online questionnaire collecting information on Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) Version 4.0 scores, sociodemographic characteristics, and clinical features. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics and HRQoL levels, and multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors influencing HRQoL. Data were obtained from 129 individuals across 22 regions in China, the majority of whom were boys (98%), with a mean age of 8.7 years. Initial symptoms appeared at approximately 2.5 years of age, yet diagnosis was often delayed by more than one year, and over half of the children (57%) had previously received an incorrect diagnosis. On average, nearly ten body systems were affected. Overall HRQoL was low, with a mean score of 30.08 (standard deviation (SD) = 19.51). Domain-specific scores were 30.98 for daily activities, 43.18 for emotional well-being, 24.73 for social functioning, and 20.89 for school participation, indicating substantial difficulties in performing routine tasks. Multiple linear regression (adjusted R² = 0.381) showed that HRQoL significantly declined with increasing age (β = −2.000, P = 0.003) and the presence of neurological or cognitive impairments (β = −12.798, P < 0.001), whereas school attendance was a strong positive predictor of higher HRQoL (β = 16.330, P < 0.001). Overall, Chinese patients with MPS II demonstrated markedly reduced HRQoL, particularly in cognitive and daily functioning domains, underscoring the need for improved clinical management and supportive strategies to enhance their well-being.