Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Vape Devices Implicated In More Nicotine Exposures Among Kids

There were 92,973 nicotine exposures in children aged 1 month to 5 years from 2016 through 2023, according to a national analysis of U.S. poison center reports published in JAMA Network Open. Trends over time indicate nicotine exposures from e-cigarette are rising as vaping devices are growing in popularity. Researchers found 2 pediatric deaths associated with e-cigarette liquid ingestion, and most exposure cases occurred in toddlers (median age 1.25 years). Exposures involving traditional tobacco products …

Testing And Treating STIs Leads To Progress

Analysis of U.S. surveillance data found that HIV coinfection occurs in about 1 in 12 adolescents diagnosed with early syphilis, though the proportion has declined in recent years. Among 28,965 adolescents ages 15 to 19 with primary, secondary, or early latent syphilis from 2014–2023, 9% also had HIV, as reported in MedPage Today reporting on the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Additionally, 27% of the adolescents had unknown HIV status. In terms of trends, …

Measles Exposure Sites Include Urgent Cares, Airports, Disneyland

As of February 19, 2026, there were 982 confirmed measles cases reported in the United States for the year so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—a high case count for a year that is barely 2 months in. By comparison, there were a total of 2,280 cases through all of 2025. Public health leaders and clinicians are facing 5 new outbreaks this year in at least 26 states. Health departments …

More Than 46% of Americans Will Be Obese By 2035

In 1990, 19.3% of American adults were considered obese. By 2022, the prevalence had increased to 42.5% of adults. Now researchers are predicting that by 2035, the percentage of adults who are obese will increase to 46.9%, as published in JAMA. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, although there are many who challenge the 200-year-old measure because it doesn’t translate well across different races, ethnicities, and genders. The …

Urgent Care Use Rises While ED Use Declines: Employer Claims Analysis

New analysis from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) found that urgent care utilization is increasing, reducing demand that might otherwise fall to emergency departments (EDs). From 2018 to 2022, urgent care utilization among people with employer-sponsored insurance increased 34.5% over the 5-year period from 90 visits per 1,000 people in 2018 to 156 visits per 1,000 in 2022. At the same time, ED visit rates declined by 2.5% from 176 visits per 1,000 people …

Histoplasmosis Outbreak: Lung Infection Symptoms Similar to Common Pneumonias

At least 35 people have been sickened in a histoplasmosis outbreak in Tennessee in the past 3 months with 1 potentially related death, according to state health officials and a local news report. The Tennessee Department of Health has not found a clear source of exposure but warns the Histoplasma fungus is commonly found in soil throughout the state, making it difficult to prevent exposure. People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk …

APPs in Michigan Vote To Unionize

Advanced practice professionals (APPs) in the University of Michigan Health−Sparrow network have voted in favor of unionizing. The network includes at least 5 urgent care centers, according to its website. The new union local covers 213 nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), and certified nurse midwives employed by the health system. A representative told the local Lansing State Journal that having a union means being able to negotiate for the best patient care practices. Overall, …

Flu Season Brings Local Shortages of Oseltamivir

Just as high flu activity has patients and providers on edge, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists(ASHP) is noting a drug shortage of some types of oseltamivir oral capsules and powders. Likewise, GoodRx data through January 20, 2026, shows a peak of oseltamivir fills in the last week of December 2025, followed by a more recent drop, possibly indicating that the medications could be in short supply and/or indicating fewer prescriptions overall. Federal agencies state …

Maternal Syphilis Rises More Than 1,000% In Mississippi

A retrospective analysis in JAMA Network Open examined trends in maternal syphilis infections in Mississippi from 2013–2023 and found that during the 10-year period, infections increased from 86 cases per 100,000 births to 1,016 cases per 100,000 births. The overall rise was 1,088%. Among the 1,421 pregnant women with syphilis included in the study, gaps in prenatal care were common: 34% lacked first-trimester care and 4.5% received no prenatal care. Analysis showed a sustained average …

More Future Doctors Enrolling In Medical School

Medical school enrollment is hitting a new high for the 2025-2026 academic year, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. For the first time, total enrollment has topped 100,000 students, and the total number of medical school applicants rose by 5.3%, reversing a 3-year decline. Except for a 1-year increase in 2021-2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the new figures represent the largest gain in a decade, the association says. First-time applicants comprised 76.5% of …

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