Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Longtime Gender Gap In Youth Suicide Rates Nearly Closes
A gender gap long seen in the suicide rates of 10- to 14-year-olds in the U.S. has tightened, new research indicated. In 2017, the suicide rate of boys was twice that of girls (3.28 vs 1.66 per 100,000 population), but by 2024, it was only 4% higher (2.38 vs 2.28), reported Jean Twenge, PhD, of San Diego State University. (Henderson, 9/8)
If you need help —
As many Wyomingites continue to struggle with mental health and thoughts of self-harm, a new agreement allows counselors from out of state to practice in person or via telehealth here. (Ouellet, 9/8)
In 2014, Angela Diaz was 24 years old and believed she was receiving secret messages from the world around her. She describes being paranoid that her coworkers were watching her and could hear her thoughts. She believed one was sending her secret messages through small things he would do, such as changing the photo on his computer screensaver. (Knopf, 9/9)
In other health and wellness news —
Drinking very hot tea and coffee triples the risk of developing cancer of the gullet, the world’s largest study of the link between them has found. The findings show that people should let very hot cups of tea and coffee cool down until they are comfortable to drink, in order to reduce their risk of the disease, cancer experts said. (Campbell, 9/9)
Cancer cases are set to soar globally over the coming decades as the world's population grows and people live longer. A major new analysis led by researchers at the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the cancer agency of the World Health Organization, estimates that annual global cancer cases could climb from almost 21 million in 2024 to about 34 million by 2050. That would represent a 67 percent increase. (Gray, 9/8)
The emergence of the synthetic opioid cychlorphine (N-propionitrile chlorphine) in recent years has physicians and public health experts worried. The street drug has been linked to at least 55 deaths nationally from 2025 to 2026, according to a "drug threat notice" issued by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) in April. Prevalence of the drug is highest in Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. (Firth, 9/8)
A study has found 31 rugby league players in Australia have been diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported. The ABC reported Australian Sports Brain Bank findings that showed players in their 20s, 30s and 40s had the degenerative brain disease, which can only be diagnosed after death. Of the 51 rugby league players’ brains donated, 31 were found to have CTE. The donors had played at various levels of the sport, from amateur to professional. (9/9)
