Certain neighborhood characteristics, including higher poverty, more uninsured residents, and lower educational attainment, may lead to an increase in COPD-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations, according to a new study in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

Despite national guidelines recommending routine screening for anxiety and intimate partner violence in women and adolescent girls, a new study from Oregon Health & Science University finds these screenings are rarely implemented in primary care settings, largely due to lack of awareness, workflow challenges and provider discomfort.

The research involved interviews with 27 clinicians and staff across 12 clinics in Oregon. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine suggest that even though providers support the idea of screening, many are unaware that these services are recommended and fully covered under the preventive services mandate of the Affordable Care Act.