LATEST NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
September CDC/NPHIC Call: Key Updates for Public Health Communicators
Did you miss NPHIC’s September 23 CDC/NPHIC Partner Meeting? The call featured timely updates and resources for public health communicators, including an overview of Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) training, the latest Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, and a new website providing local-level COVID-19, RSV and flu transmission estimates.
Presenters also shared communications resources for the respiratory virus season, followed by regional breakout discussions led by CDC regional press officers. The NPHIC/CDC Partner Meeting recording and presentation slides are now available in the NPHIC member portal. Log in to access the materials and revisit the latest updates and resources.
Join the next monthly call by contacting Laura Espino at lespino@nphic.org to receive the invitation.
New Resource Helps Public Health Partners Prepare Content for AI-Generated Responses
CDC released new guidance to help public health organizations improve how AI systems interpret, summarize, and cite digital health content.
The “Considerations for Generative Engine Optimization” resource applies established communication practices to AI-generated responses, emphasizing plain language, descriptive headings, direct answers to common questions, scannable content, and links to credible evidence.
As AI-powered search tools and assistants increasingly synthesize information from multiple sources, the guidance highlights the importance of structuring health content for both human and machine understanding. Clear, well-organized, evidence-based content can help improve the accuracy and accessibility of AI-generated health information.
New Webinar Offers Strategies for Connecting Civic Participation and Health
A recent Public Health Communications Collaborative (PHCC) webinar highlighted practical, nonpartisan strategies for helping communities understand how civic participation can influence public health.
Connecting the Value of Public Health to Civic Participation, held ahead of the midterm elections, featured communicators and civic engagement experts who emphasized linking participation to health outcomes, working with trusted messengers, making decision-making power visible, and closing the loop with participants.
Panelists shared data showing states where voting is easier have better health outcomes and offered frameworks for engaging people in local, state, and national processes. The recording, transcript, slides, ASL interpretation, and resources are now available.
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CDC Launches New Tool to Track U.S. Overdose Trends
Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. are declining, while CDC’s new Overdose Prevention Data Channel provides a centralized view of fatal and nonfatal overdose trends.
From April 2025 through March 2026, the predicted provisional number of drug overdose deaths was 67,798—a 12.3% decrease from the previous year. The channel integrates data from the National Vital Statistics System, Nonfatal Drug Overdose Surveillance and Epidemiology System, and State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System.
It allows users to examine national and state-level trends, identify prevention strategies, and see how CDC-funded programs are supporting communities, strengthening access to timely overdose data for public health response.
Is Mpox Here to Stay? CDC Study Says Virus is Likely Becoming Endemic
Mpox is continuing to spread at low levels in the United States, suggesting the virus may be transitioning toward endemic circulation rather than remaining linked primarily to travel.
In 2024 and 2025, 76% of U.S. mpox cases occurred among unvaccinated people, who were nearly 10 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who received both Jynneos vaccine doses. Mpox remains most common among men who have sex with men, while transmission can occur through close contact, including within households.
The findings highlight the importance of vaccination for people at increased risk and ongoing monitoring of transmission. Read more from CIDRAP here.
More Than One Third of U.S. Counties Are Maternity Care Deserts
Maternity care access remains limited across much of the U.S., with 34.6% of counties classified as maternity care deserts and more than half lacking a hospital with labor and delivery services.
The March of Dimes found little change since 2016, while 57.9% of rural counties lack a practicing obstetric clinician. Financial pressures, low rural birth volumes, inadequate Medicaid reimbursement, hospital staffing shortages, and potential Medicaid cuts could further reduce access, particularly in rural communities.
By 2035, all but six states are projected to have an inadequate supply of obstetric clinicians. Longer travel distances can contribute to missed prenatal and postpartum care and delayed treatment of pregnancy complications. Read more from Time here.
Complaining About Bad Coverage Is the Surest Way to Amplify It
Public health communicators facing unfavorable media coverage should consider that public complaints can substantially amplify the original story and its negative framing.
A company executive’s social media response to a July 9 Wired article generated 437,000 views on the first day and 2.3 million within several days, compared with fewer than 15,000 views for Wired’s promotional post. The response shifted attention from the article’s reporting to the company’s dispute over its framing, while potentially overshadowing more favorable coverage.
The episode highlights the importance of weighing engagement gains against the longer-term communications risks of publicly amplifying unfavorable coverage. Read the article from PR News here.
