EurekAlert! COVID-19 Online Newsroom - Peer-reviewed Research

Peer-reviewed Research

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-Apr-2025 20:08 ET (20-Apr-2025 00:08 GMT/UTC)

Trends in treatment need and receipt for substance use disorders in the US

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This cross-sectional study’s analysis underscores a public health crisis of substance use disorder. The prevalence of substance use disorder surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the receipt of treatment declined initially as health care services were disrupted. Treatment rates began to recover in 2022, likely due to reopened treatment programs and increased telehealth use.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

“Heartbreaking” impact of Covid on treatment of children with brain tumors

Lancaster University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The first ever investigation into the impact of the Covid pandemic on children and young people with brain tumours has revealed how investigations or treatments were frequently postponed as key people or resources were not available.The “heartbreaking” impact is revealed in a study in the British Medical Journal Open led by Lancaster University and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. One caregiver said: ”When [daughter] came out of theatre, I wasn't allowed to go and see her, because I wasn't the designated parent. And it is heartbreaking, absolutely heartbreaking, to not be able to go and see that your child is okay.”

Journal: BMJ Open

Extended Paxlovid may help some people with long COVID

University of California - San Francisco
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An extended course of Paxlovid appears to help some patients with long Covid, according to a case series by UC San Francisco researchers that suggests this treatment option holds promise for some of those struggling with debilitating symptoms.

Journal: Communications Medicine

Johns Hopkins APL modeling tool affirms critical role of testing in pandemic response

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Peer-Reviewed Publication

APL has contributed to a new study in The Lancet Public Health that found public-private partnerships to develop, produce and distribute COVID-19 diagnostic tests saved approximately 1.4 million lives and prevented an estimated 7 million patient hospitalizations in the U.S. during the pandemic.

Journal: The Lancet Public Health

System to auto-detect new variants will inform better response to future infectious disease outbreaks

University of Cambridge
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have come up with a new way to identify more infectious variants of viruses or bacteria that start spreading in humans - including those causing flu, COVID, whooping cough and tuberculosis.

Journal: Nature
Funder: European Research Council

People who are immunocompromised may not produce enough protective antibodies against RSV after vaccination

Johns Hopkins Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have shown that people 60 years or older with weakened immunity do not respond as strongly to vaccines against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as people in the same age group with normal immune function.

Journal: Journal of the American Medical Association
Funder: COVID Protection After Transplant Data Coordinating Center, NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Immune Tolerance Network at the Benaroya Research Institute at the Virginia Mason Medical Center

Kidney function decline after COVID-19 infection

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This cohort study found an association between COVID-19 and accelerated decline in kidney function, particularly after hospitalization, compared with pneumonia. People who were hospitalized for COVID-19 should receive closer monitoring of kidney function to ensure early diagnosis and optimized management of chronic kidney disease to effectively prevent complications and further decline.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Good news for people with MS: COVID-19 infection not tied to worsening symptoms

American Academy of Neurology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), having a COVID-19 infection is not associated with worsening MS symptoms or disability, according to a study published in the December 23, 2024, online issue of Neurology^®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Journal: Neurology

Chinese Medical Journal review provides insights into respiratory syncytial virus

Chinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections can lead to serious complications, particularly in infants and older adults aged 75 years and above. Recent advancements in vaccine trials for older adults and prophylactic treatments for high-risk infants and children highlight the importance of preventing infection. A detailed review by Chinese researchers synthesizes various published studies, providing a comprehensive resource for understanding RSV’s impact and the ongoing efforts to combat it.

Journal: Chinese Medical Journal

Growth mindset might help protect mental health during challenging times

PLOS
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Growth mindset might help protect mental health during challenging times, being associated with lower levels of depression and higher well-being in COVID-19 pandemic study of Californian adults aged 19-89.

Journal: PLOS Mental Health

Cultural differences account for starkly different responses to COVID-19

Association for Psychological Science
Peer-Reviewed Publication

This issue of Psychological Science in the Public Interest explores the cultural differences between the United States and East Asian countries that contributed to COVID-19 outcomes.

Journal: Psychological Science in the Public Interest

Brief outpatient rehabilitation program for post–COVID-19 condition

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this randomized clinical trial that compared a brief outpatient rehabilitation program with a cognitive and behavioral approach with usual care in 314 patients with post–COVID-19 condition, self-reported physical function improved statistically and clinically significantly in the intervention group after 2 to 8 outpatient encounters. The effect was sustained over time and adverse effects were negligible. This trial adds to the evidence supporting such interventions in routine clinical care. Future research should investigate which elements of this approach are the most effective and identify subgroups for which the current treatment is most relevant.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

Democrat investment effect spooks corporate raiders

University of Texas at Austin
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Stock investments by politicians have long drawn public scrutiny. Under a 2012 law, members of the U.S. Congress must disclose transactions over a $1,000 threshold. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were criticized for trading in everything from remote work technologies to telemedicine.

But less attention has been paid to what companies might gain from having politicians as shareholders. New research from Texas McCombs finds one indirect benefit: It might insulate companies from activist investors such as Carl Icahn or Nelson Peltz, who press for changes in their operations to drive up stock prices.

Journal: Organization Science

The impact of emergencies on access to emergency cardiac care: Lessons from COVID-19

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study uncovers how the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped emergency care for acute coronary syndrome, with a sharp decline in hospital visits nationwide. Analyzing over 61,000 cases, the research reveals that older adults, particularly women, were disproportionately affected, avoiding critical care during periods of high virus transmission. These findings shine a light on the unseen toll of public health crises, underscoring the urgent need to build trust and ensure access to life-saving care for vulnerable populations in future emergencies.

Journal: International Journal of Epidemiology

How prepared are we for another pandemic? Mathematical insights pinpoint lessons on airborne viral transmission

University of Surrey
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Half a decade on from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a study by the University of Surrey highlights the significant impact of combined public health measures in reducing airborne viral transmission. High-quality face masks were shown to reduce transmission risk by ninefold, while doubling indoor air ventilation cut the risk by nearly a third, providing valuable insights to support future prevention strategies for respiratory diseases.

Journal: Physical Review E

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