Thanks to decades of research, Americans are living longer. But chronic diseases still affect large swaths of the population, creating health disparities. NIH researchers are working to change that.

A pill that mimics human insulin could reduce diabetes complications. Plus, rooibos tea may ease depression. And researchers are getting closer to creating eggs and sperm with a full complement of someone’s DNA.

Why do we need health news?

Keeping up with the latest health news is essential for anyone interested in living a healthy lifestyle. From tips on diet and exercise to new research on medications, vaccines, and mental health, health news can help you stay on top of your game.

MDLinx is a free, daily news digest of medical research and information that meets the needs of busy physicians, healthcare professionals, and educated consumers. It aggregates breaking medical news and professional analysis, and allows readers to sign up for daily updates by email.

Studies show that certain groups — such as minority women and young people — have higher death rates, poorer access to care, and lower quality of life than others. Learn how you can help improve health equity.

How do we get health news?

Several online news sites offer healthcare content for those who want to be informed about health topics. Some examples are Medical Xpress, which offers a wide range of articles that are always fact checked and medically reviewed so their accuracy is assured. The site also features a subscription option to receive daily updates about the latest research on specific health conditions, medications and medical equipment.

Everyday Health is full of consumer-friendly healthcare content that covers topics from fitness to sleep to pharmaceuticals. It reaches 44 million unique monthly visitors and boasts a large social media following. Its target audience includes baby boomers, millennials and their parents. The site is a bit different than other healthcare news sites in that it aims to make its content understandable and accessible to non-medical professionals.

KHN is another healthcare news site that is a bit more investigative than others, but they do an excellent job at getting their hands on all the best healthcare stories that other sites miss. They send out a daily Morning Brief that is chock-full of the top healthcare stories from countless sources.

Modern Healthcare is a news site that caters to healthcare executives. Their stories cover a wide variety of topics, including the latest legislative and regulatory developments. They even have a section on their site called the Transformation Hub that features stories about healthcare organizations that are using innovation to improve patient care and safety. They do require a subscription to read their content, but the price is worth it for those that have to stay up-to-date on the latest healthcare trends and issues.

What is the purpose of health news?

The purpose of health news is to inform viewers about current medical research and developments that may impact their lives. This information should also help viewers evaluate and interpret the results of a particular clinical trial or health care policy proposal. Health news should also provide useful information about a specific disease, highlighting new treatments or advances in diagnosis and treatment. However, some health stories are misleading or inaccurate and can lead to ill-informed behaviors by the public.

Considering that local television news is the number 1 source of health information for most Americans, it is critical to understand the quality of this media. This study aims to assess the topical and reporting characteristics of health news on local television broadcasts in the United States.

To assess the quality of health news, 2795 local news broadcasts were analyzed. Of these, 1799 included a health story and were categorized by their subject matter. A total of 1371 of these health stories were about a disease, with breast cancer and West Nile virus being the 2 most common diseases reported. Of the health stories, 40% were part of a franchised health segment and only 27% interviewed a health professional.

A 5% random sample of broadcasts was clipped for independent evaluation by 2 media assistants. They evaluated the clips and provided written descriptive summaries for each story. Any discrepancies between the two coders were resolved by a third independent coder.