A common narrative in the U.S. links a city’s political leanings with the level of racial bias in that city. But these assumptions are often too simple, suggests a new study in NPJ Complexity. Instead of neatly divided party lines, the study paints a patchwork picture, revealing 58 cities — nearly 40% of the cities analyzed — where political affiliation and racial attitudes do not conform to partisan expectations.

Based on individual interviews with adolescents and focus group discussions, researchers from São Paulo State University have created a classification of the coping strategies used by young people in situations of school bullying. The study also provides recommendations for educational institutions.

Parents, it is not just your imagination – you are spending more time, money and resources on your kids’ sports activities than moms and dads from previous generations. A new nationwide study found that these trends are particularly pronounced for those parents who are highly educated, those immersed in sports cultures and those whose kids are highly committed to sports activities.

Improved understanding of social determinants of health 

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EULAR – The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology – acknowledges the impact of socioeconomic factors on the persistence of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD), and the society’s manifesto includes tackling lifestyle determinants, promoting active ageing, and developing RMD education and communication programmes.¹ Health literacy has also been flagged as central to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases – including RMD – by the World Health Organization.² 

While the U.S. has recently seen a welcome downturn in drug overdose deaths, a new study from Northwestern Medicine is the first to pinpoint when the tide began to turn — identifying August 2023 as the national inflection point in the crisis.

About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, U.S. drug overdose death rates entered a new wave of sustained deceleration in 2023 after 2 decades of increase. This shift may reflect changes in drug markets, treatment access, harm reduction efforts, and population-level risk. Although the decline is encouraging, persistent disparities highlight the need for targeted interventions and improved understanding of the underlying drivers.