Intersectional Healthcare, the 2024 Election and Other Recent Health News Trends

A look at health news from PR Newswire in November and December that you might have missed.

By Adrien Potvin | Published Jan. 6, 2025

Happy new year from the PR Newswire team! In the last two months of 2024, PR Newswire distributed 4,500 health news releases from hundreds of healthcare providers, insurance providers, non-profits and clinics from across the country.

Reflecting on the end of 2024, this blog will look at the most-viewed health releases issued by PR Newswire and zoom out to a broader view of some wider trends in the health news landscape.

Most Popular Health Releases

With topics ranging from fentanyl detection to heart surgeries, here is a glance at some of the most popular health releases by page view issued by PR Newswire between November and December:

• Acquisitions: Cardinal Health Announces Two Strategic Additions to its Portfolio
• Medical Breakthroughs: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Team Performs Lifesaving Fetal Heart Surgery
• FDA Approvals: Zimmer Biomet Receives FDA Approval for Oxford® Cementless Partial Knee, Only Cementless Partial Knee Replacement Implant in the U.S.
• Opioid Epidemic: Defense Diagnostics Launches DEFENT ONE All-In-One Fentanyl Detection Device
• Weight Loss: Amgen Announces Robust Weight Loss With MariTide in People Living With Obesity or Overweight at 52 Weeks in a Phase 2 Study
• National Diabetes Month (November): National Diabetes Month: Keeping Nutrition and Food Safety in Mind

Health News Trends

Below, we review the wider health news trends from November and December, with links to related releases from PR Newswire that you might have missed.

A Divisive Election – Mental Health and Healthcare Policy Post-Biden

With Donald Trump set to begin his second term on Jan. 20, sweeping changes are expected in healthcare policy, especially in subsidies for lower-earning Americans. Critics and analysts are concerned that the expiry of ACA (Affordable Care Act) subsidies for millions of Americans could make healthcare more difficult to access for lower-earners.

By far the most shocking and significant industry news in December was the brazen, targeted murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The murder has sent ripples across the country’s healthcare industry, with some healthcare companies looking to bolster their personnel security after the attack. The public reaction has also been divided – while the murder has been widely condemned, many have used the resulting discourse to voice frustrations about the privatized healthcare industry on social media, with many even empathizing with the alleged killer, Luigi Mangione.

Aside from these major events, here is a recap of releases issued by PR Newswire that illustrates the current state of healthcare in the US:

• The Whitman-Walker Institute, a research organization dedicated to evidence-based policy, has condemned Congress’ passing of the FY25 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes provisions to restrict spending for gender-affirming care within military families.
• A survey from the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 7 out of 10 Americans looked to avoid discussing politics with family during the 2024 holiday season. Coming off a fraught, divisive election, the survey examined the mental health impact of economic uncertainty and a difficult job market, especially among millennials and Gen Z.
• A report from ValuePenguin.com found that private health insurance premiums are set to rise by 7% in 2025, marking a 15% increase in premium rises since 2022. Despite this, 90% of enrollees also qualify for subsidies that lower the cost of health care plans, subsidies that may be on the chopping block with changes to the Affordable Care Act.
• The 14^th annual Aflac WorkForces Report found that 3 out of 5 Americans report feeling burnt out by work. A significant stressor found in the study is financial vulnerability, with 70% of participants experiencing anxiety over coverage for an unexpected medical condition or emergency (up from 60% in 2023).

Marginalized People and the Intersectionality of Healthcare

For health practitioners, it is important to understand the needs of people from a spectrum of lived experiences. Since November, we've spotted several press releases issued via PR Newswire from caregivers, researchers and advocacy groups showing the unique health challenges faced by marginalized people across the US.

Gender-affirming care for transgender people has come under fire in many states. According to the HRC Foundation, 39.4% of transgender youth aged 13-17 live in the 26 states that have state-wide bans on gender-affirming care. On Dec. 4, 2024, the Supreme Court heard the first arguments for the constitutionality of Tennessee’s gender-affirming care ban in an ongoing court case.

Here are some releases sent between November and December that were focused on the well-being of racial and gender-diverse communities:

• A new report from NYU Langone Health found an increased risk of hypertension among Black women caregivers between the ages of 21-44. The study found that 51.7% of participants experiencing moderate or high caregiving stress developed hypertension, with an average follow-up of 7.4 years.
• In December, the Asian American Foundation released a report exploring the mental and emotional well-being of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) youth, aged 14-25. The biggest well-being impacts found in the study were pressures at school and work, with 43% of participants citing a “very” or “extremely” negative impact; and race-based discrimination, with 93% of participants reporting experiences with racism.
• The American Psychological Foundation announced its new Direct Action Visionary Grants program for psychologists and nonprofits engaged in grassroots and community advocacy. "Meaningful change requires hard work and continued investment, and we are grateful to our generous donors and partners who share in our belief that psychology can help solve some of our world's most pressing issues," said Dr. Melba J.T. Vasquez, board president of the American Psychological Foundation. The grants will be worth up to $60,000.
• AbbVie’s latest Emotional Impact Report, which surveys the mental health impact of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis, is the first to report on the experiences of Hispanic, Black and Asian CLL patients. Some highlights from the report found a need for culturally sensitive emotional support, financial stressors, and a lack of effective communication between HCPs (healthcare providers) and Hispanic, Black and Asian patients.

New Year, New You – Wellness and Mental Health in the New Year

As we enter a new year, millions of people take the opportunity to better themselves. Whether it’s getting in better shape, reducing your alcohol intake or eating healthier, the new year is always a great opportunity for a fresh start. Quitter’s Day occurs on the second Friday of January every year and marks the moment when many people drop their New Year’s resolutions.

Here are some health and wellness releases sent via PR Newswire in the past two months – maybe you’ll even find something to inspire your own New Year’s resolution journey!

• Quitting nicotine is difficult, but an increasing number of young people are looking to quit nicotine products. The smoking cessation non-profit Truth Initiative is launching its “You Got This Day” campaign on Jan. 10 – or “Quitter’s Day” – to bring awareness and support to young people trying to put down vapes, cigarettes and other nicotine products for good.
• The fitness and lifestyle brand Life Time has made its Life Time app free. Previously priced at $15 per month, the app allows users to access guided meditations, customizable health programs and other benefits.
• Gingko Health, an AI wellness startup, launched its Ginkgo Active app in December. The app features an AI trainer, Professor Gingko, to prescribe exercises within a fully 3D game engine. It uses concepts from Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to encourage motivation, accessibility and enjoyment while reaching wellness goals.
• FitBiomics, a biotech company focused on gut microbiome health, unveiled its top 5 predictions for gut health trends in 2025. The list includes new developments in biohacking, women’s health, preventative care for digestive health, AI-powered solutions and start-ups in the wellness economy.

Looking ahead to 2025

As we’ve seen, it was an eventful end to an eventful year for the healthcare industry. We expect new developments in the Luigi Mangione trial, more changes to government healthcare spending during Trump’s second administration and more innovations in AI-powered healthcare technology in the coming months (looking at you, CES!).

As always, we’ll be keeping an eye on these trends and others as they develop, and we’ll be back soon with another recap. Thanks for reading!

About the Author

Adrien Potvin (he/him) is a Senior Content Editor at PR Newswire. He has worked at PR Newswire since 2018 in Client Content Services. In his personal time, he enjoys making music, playing chess, cooking, and long, aimless wanders with his dog Tigre.