LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
New Voices From the Field Podcast: Sharing to Survive: Building Resilient Health Communication Research Networks through AI-Powered Collaboration
Recorded during the 2025 National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media (NCHCMM) in Atlanta, NPHIC’s Public Health Speaks podcast continues its Voices from the Field series with a new episode, Sharing to Survive: Building Resilient Health Communication Research Networks through AI-Powered Collaboration.
In this conversation, Dr. Kristen Swain, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, examines how emerging AI tools can help health communication researchers share smarter, break down silos, and strengthen cross-sector collaboration. The episode explores how AI-powered collaboration can accelerate knowledge sharing, improve research translation, and build more resilient systems to address complex public health challenges—offering timely insights for communicators, researchers, and AI-curious professionals alike. Listen to the episode here.
Journalism, Media, and Technology Trends and Predictions for 2026
For public health communicators, the ways audiences access and trust information are shifting faster than ever, driven by generative AI and the rise of personality-led news. A 2026 global survey of media leaders highlights declining engagement with traditional journalism, especially among younger audiences who prefer platforms, influencers, and AI-powered “answer engines.”
Publishers anticipate major drops in search and social referral traffic and are pivoting toward original reporting, human-centered stories, and video and audio formats. While AI offers efficiencies in newsgathering and distribution, it also risks commoditizing general news. These trends emphasize the importance of credible voices, adaptable content, and meeting audiences where they increasingly seek information. Read more from Reuters here.
U.S. Population Growth is Slowing
U.S. population growth is slowing, with new Congressional Budget Office projections estimating 7 million fewer people over the next decade than previously forecast. The shift reflects a combination of reduced immigration and declining birth rates, both of which have important public health implications.
By 2030, annual deaths are expected to exceed births, meaning immigration will play an increasingly central role in sustaining population size and workforce capacity. Immigration also influences population health trends, as foreign-born women tend to have higher birth rates on average. Analysts note that small changes in migration or fertility patterns could significantly affect long-term planning for health systems, services, and community infrastructure. Read the article from NPR here.
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3 Issues to Watch in Public Health in 2026
Public health communicators are heading into 2026 amid mounting uncertainty and high-stakes challenges. Confidence in long-standing public health institutions is being tested as leadership changes, staffing losses, and political influence reshape how guidance and data are produced and received. At the same time, shifts in U.S. vaccine policy risk fueling skepticism at home and abroad, with potential consequences for routine immunization and measles control globally.
Compounding these concerns, investments in pandemic preparedness and international disease surveillance are shrinking just as the world moves further from — and closer to — the next pandemic. Together, these trends raise urgent questions about trust, prevention, and readiness in the year ahead. Read the full article from STAT News here.
Americans’ Social Media Use 2025
New Pew Research Center data show that social media use remains widespread in the U.S., with important implications for public health communication. YouTube (84%) and Facebook (71%) continue to reach the largest shares of adults, while Instagram now reaches half of the population. Use of TikTok, WhatsApp, and Reddit has grown steadily in recent years, particularly among adults under 30.
Daily use is highest on YouTube and Facebook, though younger adults are far more likely to use TikTok daily. The findings underscore the need for public health communicators to tailor messages by platform, age, and audience demographics to maximize reach and impact. Read the study from Pew here.
CDC Data Show Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Reduce Pediatric Emergency Visits
New CDC data highlight the continued public health value of updated COVID-19 vaccines for children. Analysis from the VISION Vaccine Effectiveness Network found that the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines reduced COVID-19–associated emergency department and urgent care visits by 76% among children ages 9 months to 4 years and by 56% among those ages 5–17 during the first six months after vaccination.
While children experience lower hospitalization rates than older adults, infants and toddlers face comparatively high risk, and severe illness still occurs among school-aged children. These real-world effectiveness studies support evidence-based vaccine policy, strengthen vaccine confidence, and inform prevention strategies across public health systems. Read more from CDC’s MMWR here.
American Academy of Pediatrics Releases Updated Vaccine Guidance, Breaking With CDC
The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel has voted to revise its long-standing hepatitis B birth dose recommendation, proposing to delay the first dose until two months of age for infants born to mothers who test negative and to support individualized decision-making with clinicians.
The shift has prompted concern among many experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, which warns that removing a universal birth dose could increase infants’ risk for a virus that can cause chronic, lifelong illness. In parallel, the AAP has released its own updated, evidence-based immunization schedule with more explicit guidance on several pediatric vaccines. As vaccine policy evolves, communicators play a key role in explaining evidence, clarifying risk, and reinforcing the importance of routine immunization for population health. Read more from CBS and Parents.
