A weekly roundup of public health news
As costs rise, more Americans see health care system in crisis
The rising cost of health care is the most urgent health problem facing the U.S., nearly a third of Americans now believe.
Released Dec. 15 by the West Health-Gallup Center on Health Care in America, a new survey found that the portion of U.S. adults who say cost is the nation’s top health concern reached a two-decade high this year. Health costs outpaced concerns such as access to care, which was cited by 17%, and obesity, at 8%.
Public satisfaction with the cost of the U.S. health care system is at a record low, with only 16% saying they are satisfied with national health care costs, according to the survey, which was conducted Nov. 3 to 25.
Many Americans also have negative views about the broader health care system, with nearly half of adults describing it as having “major problems” and a record-high 23% saying the system is “in a state of crisis.”
The survey also found broad public support for federal involvement in coverage: 64% of U.S. adults said it is the federal government’s responsibility to ensure that all Americans have health care coverage, the highest percentage recorded in nearly two decades of tracking.
However, they remained nearly evenly split over whether the U.S. should have a government-run system, such as those offered in other high-income nations, or a system based on private insurance, such as what is used now.
The findings come as health insurance costs for millions of Americans are expected to skyrocket next year as companies raise premiums and tax credits that helped many people afford coverage expire. And they arrive amid broader economic strain, including the highest rate of U.S. unemployment since 2021, which could leave people without employer-sponsored insurance and less ability to afford medical costs for themselves and their families.
Flame retardants in protective gear may threaten firefighter health
The protective gear firefighters wear to shield themselves from flames and heat may be exposing them to chemicals that harm their health, according to a new study.
Published Dec. 16 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, the research examined protective firefighter clothing for a class of chemicals known as brominated flame retardants. The chemicals are added to the gear to protect their wearers, but have previously been linked to health harms, including disruptions to hormones.
Researchers tested firefighter protective gear made between 2013 and 2024. The gear included both older equipment and newer products marketed as free of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, other chemicals that have raised health concerns and are being phased out of firefighter gear.
The study found that all of the gear contained brominated flame retardants. One such retardant, decabromodiphenyl ethane, or DBDPE, was found at levels that suggest the chemical is being intentionally added by manufacturers, possibly to replace PFAS, researchers said. The retardant, which is an endocrine disruptor, has been linked to liver damage, thyroid disruption and cardiovascular problems.
The study did not measure how much of the chemicals firefighters absorb while wearing the gear, nor did it examine direct health outcomes. However, firefighters already face higher rates of certain cancers and other health problems, making chemical exposures from protective equipment an ongoing concern.
On Dec. 18, new legislation passed by Congress that recognizes cancer illness and deaths among firefighters as occupationally related was signed into law, opening the door to federal support for workers and their families.
Dirty rain may help dangerous germs thrive in soil, food
Rain that has been polluted by industrial sources may be helping harmful germs survive and evolve in soil, raising concerns about food safety and public health, according to a recent study.
The research, published in New Contaminants, found that acid rain — rainfall made more acidic by air pollution — has the ability to change the balance of microorganisms living in soil. The polluted water can weaken helpful microbes that normally keep harmful bacteria in check, allowing disease-causing pathogens to flourish.
The researchers found that acid rain can also speed up how quickly pathogens adapt to stress. As the microbes struggle to survive in harsher soil conditions, they may evolve and become more difficult to control.
For agriculture, the findings raise concerns about fresh produce grown in polluted soils. If harmful bacteria thrive in acidic soil, they may be more likely to contaminate fruits and vegetables before they reach grocery stores or kitchens, researchers said.
The polluted soil may also act as environmental reservoirs where dangerous pathogens become stronger before spreading to people, they suggested.
Other recent public health news of note:
• Breathing in fine-particle air pollution may be linked to early signs of autoimmune diseases such as lupus, a new study in Rheumatology finds. People exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 — tiny particles from air pollution — had higher levels of antibodies in their blood that are associated with immune system problems.
• Exposure to hot, humid weather during pregnancy may impact how tall children grow up to be, especially when the exposure happens late in pregnancy, a study published Dec. 19 in Science Advances finds. The analysis of about 200,000 children showed that a combination of heat and humidity had a much stronger effect on child height than heat alone, with humid conditions making heat about four times more harmful to growth in the third trimester. Researchers warned that as human-caused climate change increases humidity and heat in coming decades, millions more children could face growth problems.
• Emergency department visits for a trio of health problems increased sharply following the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles, a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds. In the 90 days after the fires began, visits to an adult acute care medical center in Los Angeles County rose 118% for general illnesses, 46% for heart attacks and 24% for pulmonary illness visits compared with previous years. The rate of abnormal blood tests among patients seen for general illnesses also doubled, which researchers suggested could be related to toxins in wildfire smoke.
The Watch is written by Michele Late, who has more than two decades of experience as a public health journalist.