InfoTrak

80% of hospital bills contain errors, and most people don’t realize that medical bills are negotiable. Rick Gundling, Senior Vice President of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, recommends that consumers request an itemized bill after hospitalization and review every charge carefully. He explains that prices for healthcare are often negotiable, and hospitals frequently offer financial assistance and prompt-pay discount programs—but healthcare consumers need to ask.

Can admitting you use AI harm your reputation? Joel Carnevale, PhD, Assistant Professor of Management at Florida International University’s College of Business led a team that studied audience perceptions of AI-assisted work. They discovered that even a legendary composer couldn't escape reputational damage when AI involvement was disclosed.

Here's something that should worry every parent in America: cardiovascular disease and obesity rates among U.S. women are projected to surge dramatically by 2050. Karen E. Joynt Maddox, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine and Public Health, Co-Director of the Center for Advancing Health Services, Policy & Economics Research at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, explains the reasons behind the troubled trends and how they can help their kids today.

Shockingly, drowsy driving claims over 6,000 lives each year—about ten times what official reports suggest. Jim Hedlund, PhD, roadway safety statistician with Highway Safety North, explains why many of these fatalities go unrecognized, identifies the groups most at risk, and offers two practical strategies to help prevent drowsy driving.

For over 160 years, Girls Inc. has been on a mission that matters: empowering young women from ages 5 to 25 to believe in their own potential. Stephanie Hull, CEO of Girls, Inc., explains how the organization serves nearly 125,000 girls across 75 affiliates in the U.S. and Canada, and how you can get involved.

One in four adults report feeling lonely, and the workplace might be making it worse. Berrin Erdogan, PhD, Express Employment Professionals Professor, Cameron Professor of Management & Leadership in the School of Business at Portland State University says feeling invisible at work isn't just unpleasant—it's actually dangerous. She discusses the serious physical and emotional consequences of persistent isolation, and offers advice to reduce loneliness on the job.

What happens when a hospital visit doesn't just empty your wallet but puts your housing at risk? Catherine K. Ettman, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Policy & Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, shares her groundbreaking research reveals a stark reality: medical debt increases housing instability by 44%. Nearly one in four adults face housing difficulties tied to healthcare costs. She discusses potential solutions to the problem.

Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, cognitive neuroscientist, and author of “The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning -- And How To Help Them Thrive Again,” drops a startling claim: today's kids are experiencing measurable declines in literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, working memory, and even IQ. His culprit? The very technology we've been told would revolutionize education.

Only one-third of young adults are actively dating today, even though most desire serious, long-term committed relationships. Brian Willoughby, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University, blames low confidence in dating skills, reduced face-to-face interaction during adolescence thanks to social media, and the complete erosion of clear dating norms. He said the stakes extend beyond personal happiness; declining dating threatens marriage rates, fertility, and overall family formation in society.

Surprisingly, what happens during one night of sleep might reveal more about your health than years of doctor visits. James Zou, PhD, Associate Professor of Biomedical Data Science at Stanford University, discusses AI technology that he developed that can predict a person’s risk for 130 different diseases—including cancer, heart disease, and dementia—just by analyzing a night of sleep.

When physical injuries happen, we don't hesitate to seek help. But mental health? That's still a different story, even with all the progress we've made in talking about it openly. Trina Clayeux, PhD, CEO of Give an Hour, is working to change that through a network of five thousand volunteer mental health professionals who provide free care to people facing trauma and crisis.

Beth Hoffman, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences at University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, found that fewer than 30% of TV shows accurately depicted the currently recommended mode of CPR. We'll have life-saving information you need to know!

When nine out of ten renters pay their own utility bills but don't own the buildings they live in, who's going to pay for better insulation? George Homsy, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Environmental studies at Binghamton University, discusses potential approaches aimed at encouraging landlords to implement energy-efficient improvements.

Can a routine CT scan predict if you're at risk of falling? Jennifer St. Sauver, PhD, epidemiologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, reveals how her team used deep learning AI to uncover a surprising connection between muscle quality and falls. She says the findings emphasize the importance of maintaining good core strength throughout adulthood to potentially reduce future fall risk.

Can trees actually protect your heart? Peter James, ScD, Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, led a study that found that living near trees reduces cardiovascular disease risk by 4%, and that the protective effect persists across wealthy and poor neighborhoods alike. He believes his research provides sufficient evidence for urban planners, landscape architects, and land managers to seek to increase tree density in future development.

What if the key to feeling more loved isn't waiting to receive it, but learning to give it first? Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, author of “How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most”, one of the world's leading happiness scientists, reveals that happiness comes down to two core components.

Julian Olden, PhD, Professor of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington, conducted the first comprehensive review of river protection in the US, and found that that less than 20% of American rivers are adequately protected—just 12% in the lower 48 states. He discussed how protecting rivers requires more than just land-based regulations. He explained why protecting upstream watersheds reduces the need for expensive water treatment plants and provides cleaner drinking water to downstream communitie

Depression is a leading cause of ill health and disability, affecting over 280 million people worldwide. 3. Andrew Clegg, PhD, Professor of Health Services Research at the University of Central Lancashire in the UK, led a review of 73 randomized controlled trials including nearly 5,000 adults with depression. The research suggests that light to moderate exercise, such as walking and cycling, can reduce depression symptoms just as effectively as antidepressant medications and psychological therapy.

40% of American adults lack the basic digital skills needed for modern jobs. Brianna McCain, Vice President, JPMorgan Chase Policy Center, says America's workforce crisis isn't just an economic problem--it's a national security threat. She explains why the nation’s future skilled workforce requires stronger partnerships between employers and education.

Disabled Americans now represent nearly five percent of the US workforce, a record high. John O’Neill, PhD, Director of the Center for Employment and Disability Research at the Kessler Foundation, says the pandemic shift toward remote work policies created natural accommodations that many disabled workers had been requesting for years. He says while employment rates for those with hearing and visual impairments have improved significantly, individuals with other disabilities remain underemployed.

Amy Morin, PhD, is licensed psychotherapist, clinical social worker, instructor at Northeastern University, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do." When she asks parents about their go-to question after school, most admit it's "How was school today?"—and most concede, it rarely works. She suggests the use of specific, targeted questions. She adds that that connecting with children requires genuine presence and emotional openness rather than forced activities. She recommends that parents devote ten minutes daily of genuine, device-free attention to show their children they're valued unconditionally.

When it comes to cigarettes, there's no safe number to smoke. Michael J. Blaha, MD, MPH, Preventive Cardiologist, Director of Clinical Research at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease at Johns Hopkins Hospital, discusses his research that found that even two to five cigarettes daily increase a person’s cardiovascular disease risk by over fifty percent. He emphasizes that complete cessation is the only path to meaningful cardiovascular health improvement, and even then, it takes 30 to 40 years after quitting to return to a never-smoker's health level.

After two successive job losses, Kyle Austin Young, business strategy consultant, author of “Success Is a Numbers Game: Achieve Bigger Goals by Changing the Odds,” pivoted to consulting, realizing that all his clients shared a common goal: improving their odds of success. He emphasized that people often fall into an "averaging trap," evaluating individual task success separately rather than multiplying the probabilities together.

Mild traumatic brain injury affects millions of Americans each year, with many experiencing persistent problems with concentration, memory and information processing that can last months or years. John Shelley-Tremblay, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Director of the Experimental Event-related Potentials Laboratory at the University of South Alabama, shares eye-opening results from a program that significantly outperforms standard programs designed to treat cognitive problems following a concussion.

The daily beauty routine of many Americans might be quietly working against their health. Lariah Edwards, PhD, Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, found that black and Hispanic women in South Los Angeles face disproportionate chemical exposures from personal care products—not through choice, but because of societal beauty standards and limited access to safer alternatives

A twenty-year study has revealed something remarkable about arsenic exposure. Alexander F. Van Geen, PhD, Research Professor at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, part of the Columbia Climate School, found that when people switched from arsenic-contaminated wells to safer water sources, their death risk falls--even after years of chronic exposure.

Here's something that might surprise you: when PTSD treatment is delivered weekly, dropout rates soar, but package those same therapies into intensive formats and retention improves dramatically. Elizabeth Penix-Smith, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist at Idaho State University, National Research Council fellow at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, explains the ABCs of PTSD.

Behavioral health care now consumes 40% of all pediatric medical spending—nearly double the 22% recorded in 2011. Kenneth Michelson, MD, MPH, emergency medicine physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, explains that without regulatory reforms and better reimbursement rates, untreated children will continue flooding emergency departments in crisis.

Remarkably, something as simple as going to bed at the same time each night could lower your blood pressure. Saurabh Thosar, PhD, Associate Professor at Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at Oregon Health & Science University, found that tightened your bedtime variability from 30 minutes to seven minutes could result clinically meaningful improvements.

What if understanding your teen's genetic wiring could prevent dangerous choices? Danielle Dick, PhD, Director of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center based at Rutgers Brain Health Institute, says parents may have more influence than they realize when it comes to shaping their children’s behavior, especially for those at higher genetic risk for conduct problems.

Cannabis today packs 15-30% THC compared to just 3% in the 1980s. Mallar Chakravarty, PhD, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Director of the Brain Imaging Centre at the Douglas Research Centre at McGill University, outlines the facts that every pregnant woman needs to know.

Headlines often focus on the massive energy requirements that artificial intelligence data centers will require. Anthony R. Harding, PhD, Assistant Professor, environmental economist, at Georgia Tech, explains why AI has significant potential to improve energy efficiency across much of our economy.

Managing money for aging parents is a daunting task, affecting millions of American families. Beth Pinsker, Certified Financial Planner, financial-planning columnist at MarketWatch, author of “My Mother's Money: A Guide to Financial Caregiving,” shares her own surprising experiences and the lessons she learned in handling her mother's finances.

Could a single treatment permanently fix your cholesterol? Luke J. Laffin, MD, physician in the Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation in the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute and Co-Director, Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at the Cleveland Clinic, discusses his groundbreaking research on a gene-editing drug that might permanently eliminate your need for daily cholesterol pills.

Alice S.A. Johnston, PhD, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Data Science in the Cranfield Environment Centre at Cranfield University in Wharley End, England, shares her recent findings that nighttime illumination forces natural environments to release more carbon-—essentially making forests and other landscapes worse at their critical job of absorbing CO₂.

Aimee Donnellan, Reuters journalist, author of “Off the Scales: The Inside Story of Ozempic and the Race to Cure Obesity” discusses Ozempic's cultural significance, revealing troubling societal attitudes about body image and worth.

Amelie Pedneault, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology in the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University, shares startling new findings about college campuses: college-enrolled women ages 18-24 face a 74 percent higher risk of sexual violence compared to their non-enrolled peers. Even more concerning, students living on campus face three times the risk that commuters do.

Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home cooking fires. Director of Public Affairs at the National Fire Protection Association, outlines the most common mishaps, and offers advice to keep your family safe on Thanksgiving.

Parenting today often feels like an uphill battle, with technology invading every corner of kids’ lives. Jean M. Twenge, PhD, author of "10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World: How Parents Can Stop Smartphones, Social Media, and Gaming from Taking Over Their Children's Lives” shares practical advice for parents.

Four years after Congress required phone companies to start thwarting scam and telemarketing robocalls, American consumers are getting more of these annoying and sometimes costly calls. Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog Director of the Public Interest Research Group, offers advice for consumers to protect themselves from scams.

Can one person really change the world? John Studzinski, Managing Director of PIMCO, Founder/Chairman of the Genesis Foundation, author of “A Talent for Giving: Creating a More Generous Society That Benefits Everyone” believes the answer starts with you! He explains why meaningful change happens one person at a time.

When insurance companies fund only short-term addiction treatment, they're not just failing patients—they're actually increasing overdose deaths. That's just one of the stark revelations from Shoshana Walter, staff reporter at The Marshall Project, author of "Rehab: An American Scandal.”

What if preventing cognitive decline was as simple as protecting your heart? Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., FACPM, First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, shares his latest research, showing that cognitive decline isn't an inevitable part of aging. His studies demonstrate that the same lifestyle interventions protecting your heart—managing blood pressure, controlling diabetes, maintaining healthy weight, and staying physically and socially active—also safeguard your brain health.

What happens when a life-changing spiritual experience leaves you feeling more isolated than enlightened? Marieta Pehlivanova, PhD, Research Assistant Professor in the University of Virginia Health’s Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, reveals groundbreaking research on near-death experiences that challenges our assumptions about these profound events.

Career coach Laura Brown, co-author of “Interview Speak: What Your Interviewer Really Wants to Know,” reveals the shocking truth about today's job market: employers aren't just looking for qualified candidates—they're actively screening out those who seem desperate or disingenuous. She outlines the three critical elements new graduates must demonstrate and why most fail at proving they actually want the specific job they're applying for

Research overwhelmingly shows TikTok is addictive. Meredith E. David, PhD, Associate Professor of Marketing in the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University study, found that approximately 25% of TikTok users qualify as addicted, where users lose track of how long they've been scrolling. She offers advice to get your screen time under control.

West Nile virus cases have been reported across 43 states in 2025—40% higher than normal—but only 15% of Americans are concerned about contracting the disease. Ken Winneg, managing director of survey research at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, explains symptoms and how best to use mosquito repellent to protect yourself.

Teens actually want to talk to their parents—-but timing is everything. In her eye-opening interviews with 85 boys aged 10-22, Joanna Schroeder, journalist, and co-author of “Talk To Your Boys: 16 Conversations to Help Tweens and Teens Grow into Confident, Caring Young Men,“ discovered that teens are most receptive to difficult conversations during evening hours when their circadian rhythms naturally align for deeper discussion.

Cybersecurity training programs are failing spectacularly—and putting lives at risk. Grant Ho, Assistant Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of Chicago, says his research shows these initiatives barely reduce phishing risks at all. Whether employees completed training recently or months ago, their vulnerability to phishing attacks remained virtually identical.

Teens getting sex advice from Snapchat and Instagram might be setting themselves up for risky sexual behavior. Eric Anderman, Professor of Educational Psychology at Ohio State University, found that teens who turned to peer-interactive social media platforms like Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram for sexual information demonstrated higher intentions to have sex, weaker condom-negotiation skills, and reduced confidence in refusing unwanted sexual encounters.