Hands holding a tablet with pictures of flags from Sweden and Norway showing a pouch containing a dark substance with an arrow pointing at a pouch containing a white substance
18 February
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Source: Image created by the authors/PlaceIt. Copyright: The Authors/PlaceIt. URL: https://publichealth.jmir.org/2026/1/e85490 License: Licensed by JMIR February 13, 2026, Stockholm, Sweden: A new study tracking oral nicotine purchases in Sweden and Norway suggests that a major transformation is underway. The research, published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance, is a comprehensive cross-sectional analysis of more than 19 million e-commerce orders from Norway and Sweden between 2018 and 2025. It shows that consumers are increasingly moving away from traditional tobacco-based snus in favor of tobacco leaf–free nicotine pouches. Once a niche product, these nicotine pouches now account for the largest share of online oral nicotine sales inRead More →

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15 January
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New study from Voy shows that patients taking a GLP-1 drug who engaged with coaching sessions and app-based support over the course of 12 months achieved a 30% higher relative body weight loss compared to those using medication alone. (London, January 15, 2026) Voy, the digital health provider, has announced the publication of a new study in the Journal of Medical Internet Research analyzing the efficacy of a GLP-1 drug for achieving weight loss results in patients who engage regularly with a supporting coaching program compared to patients who rely on the medication alone. The large-scale study examined the progress of over 126,000 UK-based Voy patientsRead More →

A visual abstract summarizing the key findings of the research titled "Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi Games’ Affordance of Childlike Wonder and Reduced Burnout Risk in Young Adults: In-Depth Mixed Methods Cross-Sectional Study," published in JMIR Serious Games in 2025. The study found that mainstream video games could evoke childlike wonder, enhancing well-being and reducing burnout.
22 December
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Study finds that familiar and beloved games evoke childlike wonder that boosts happiness and helps protect young adults from burnout. (Toronto, December 22, 2025) A new study published by JMIR Serious Games reports that popular video games, such as the Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi games, may offer meaningful emotional benefits for young adults. The research, titled “Super Mario Bros. and Yoshi Games’ Affordance of Childlike Wonder and Reduced Burnout Risk in Young Adults: In-Depth Mixed Methods Cross-Sectional Study,” found that these lighthearted, familiar games can spark a sense of childlike wonder that boosts overall happiness, which in turn reduces burnout risk. The research teamRead More →

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18 November
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(Toronto, November 18, 2025) A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reveals how “super users”—clinicians who lead the charge in adopting virtual health care tools—are transforming the way care is delivered. The findings identify best practices that make virtual care more efficient, coordinated, and patient-centered. Led by Jolie N Haun, PhD, and a multidisciplinary team at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, the study describes how these “super users” successfully integrate multiple virtual systems to enhance workflows, improve communication, and ensure timely care for patients. The research captures insights from experts across different specialties, including cardiology and rehabilitation. “Super users innovate inRead More →

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17 November
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(Toronto, November 17, 2025) A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal JMIR Mental Health by JMIR Publications highlights a critical risk in the growing use of Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4o by researchers: the frequent fabrication and inaccuracy of bibliographic citations. The findings underscore an urgent need for rigorous human verification and institutional safeguards to protect research integrity, particularly in specialized and less publicly known fields within mental health. Nearly 1 in 5 Citations Fabricated by GPT-4o in Literature Reviews The article, titled “Influence of Topic Familiarity and Prompt Specificity on Citation Fabrication in Mental Health Research Using Large Language Models: Experimental Study,”Read More →

Doctor holding tablet with medical symbols emanating from it
12 September
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Source: freepik.com; Copyright: Freepik; License: Licensed by JMIR New study introduces a comprehensive framework to guide digital health training across Canada (Toronto, September 12, 2025) As Canada’s health care system rapidly adopts digital technologies, a group of Canadian researchers is calling for a major overhaul of health professional education to ensure consistent, outcomes-based training in digital health and informatics competencies. A new article published in JMIR Medical Education by researchers at the British Columbia Institute of Technology and University of Calgary proposes using the Quintuple Aim as a national guiding framework to prioritize the digital health skills health care workers need now and in the future.Read More →

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09 September
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Study shows persistent telehealth disparities among rural US populations, highlighting need for policy reform and digital health equity efforts (Toronto, September 9, 2025)  Despite the promise of telehealth to bridge rural health care gaps, a new study published by JMIR Publications in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reveals that many rural-dwelling patients in the United States—especially those who are older, speak Spanish, or rely on public insurance—are still struggling to access virtual care. The study, “Video and Telephone Telehealth Use and Web-Based Patient Portal Activation Among Rural-Dwelling Patients: Retrospective Medical Record Review and Policy Implications,” examined the telehealth usage patterns of over 9300 adultsRead More →

Classic fairy tales may shield people from the negative impact of internet browsing, new study finds
19 August
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Source: JMIR Publications. Classic fairy tales may shield people from the negative impact of internet browsing, new study finds. (Toronto, August 19, 2025) Reading a Grimm fairy tale like “Hansel and Gretel” or “Little Red Riding Hood” may mitigate the negative effects of browsing the internet by creating resilience and brightening one’s outlook on life, according to a new study published in JMIR Formative Research. In the study, titled “Mitigating the Negative Effects of Internet Browsing on Young People’s Resilience and Outlook on Life Through Classic Grimm Fairy Tales: Exploratory Randomized Controlled Study,” researchers examined how internet browsing affects resilience and optimism in postgraduate students.Read More →

A visual abstract summarizing the key findings of the research titled "Open-World Games and Studio Ghibli Films: A Pathway to Happiness"
19 August
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Source: JMIR Publications Study highlights the role of Zelda and Studio Ghibli in fostering exploration, calm, and purpose in life. (Toronto, August 18, 2025) A new study published in JMIR Serious Games by JMIR Publications reveals that playing the open-world video game The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and watching Studio Ghibli films can significantly improve young people’s overall happiness and sense of purpose in life. Led by researchers from Imperial College London, Kyushu Sangyo University, and Georgia State University, the exploratory randomized controlled study, titled “Effects of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Studio Ghibli Films on Young People’sRead More →

Woman taking personal health reading
29 July
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New Analysis Highlights the Transformative Power of Digital Technology in Shaping the E-Patient Era (TORONTO, ON  July 28, 2025) A new research article published in the Journal of Participatory Medicine unveils how successive waves of digital technology innovation have empowered patients, fostering a more collaborative and responsive health care system. The paper, titled “From Internet to Artificial Intelligence (Al) Bots: Symbiotic Evolutions of Digital Technologies and e-Patients,” explores the symbiotic evolution of digital health tools and the increasingly engaged e-patient. The concept of the e-patient, defined as an individual “equipped, enabled, empowered, and engaged” in their health, has been propelled forward by advancements spanning theRead More →