Kate Schweitzer

Chicago

Associate Managing Editor at JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association)

writer, editor, content strategist, candy devourer, grammar nerd, television junkie, fomo sufferer.

Articles

10 Expert Tips for Calming an Anxious Dog

3 weeks ago | mentalfloss.com | Kate Schweitzer

Anxiety isn’t just a human trait—animals can also feel it to varying degrees as well. And much like humans, it can manifest in different ways and be triggered by different factors. Unfortunately for many dogs, these factors are incredibly common. Some pets feel anxious amid seemingly benign everyday activities and not just during Fourth of July fireworks or at annual vet appointments.
New Federal Program Seeks to Bridge Nutrition Research With Regulatory Policy

3 weeks ago | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

Back when Jerold Mande, MPH, helmed tobacco regulation at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 30 years ago, he and his colleagues sought to merge scientific research with regulation to dismantle what was, at the time, the leading cause of preventable death in the US. The long-term effects of these efforts were startling: the smoking rate among young people dropped dramatically from its mid-1990s peak of about 36% to just 3.8% by 2021.
The Hidden Health Costs Associated With Legalized Sports Gambling

1 month ago | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

This year’s Super Bowl took place at Caesars Superdome, a stadium named after a casino. Although only 3 commercials promoting sports betting aired during the game, commentators regularly cited odds, and the American Gaming Association estimated that a record $1.39 billion was wagered.
Amid Texas Measles Outbreak, Clinicians Struggle to Offset Increasing Vaccine Hesitancy

Mar 14, 2025 | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer |Kristin Walter |Preeti Malani |Rita Rubin

In 2000, the US declared that measles had been locally eradicated largely thanks to the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. But little more than 10 years later, US cases surpassed 200 for the first time since elimination, and in 2019, nearly 1300 cases were confirmed. Now—as an outbreak continues to grow in West Texas and New Mexico—the highly contagious yet preventable disease doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon.
Little-Known Oropouche Virus Is Spreading: What Clinicians Need to Know About the Insect-Borne Illness

Jan 10, 2025 | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

While dengue fever cases in the Americas have reached an all-time high, a little-known virus is suddenly spreading throughout the same region with similar symptoms, causing complications in diagnosis. Oropouche virus, primarily transmitted through bites from infected midges in the Amazon, has expanded its range over the past year. A biting midge feeding on human blood.
I Realized My Family Had No Plan For Emergencies - Here’s What I’m Doing Now

Jan 9, 2025 | popsugar.com.au | Kate Schweitzer

Years ago when I lived in New York, a hurricane nearly shut down the entire city – there was flooding and blackouts and gas shortages. But in all the chaos, I felt secure. Having lived there through countless other emergency scenarios, my then-boyfriend had us covered. We had a “go-bag” filled with first-aid essentials tucked away under the bed in our studio apartment, and we even had a meetup location in the event of an evacuation.
UN Meeting Highlights Antimicrobial Resistance “Epiphany”-Lack of Antibiotic Access Is a Key Driver

Nov 8, 2024 | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

At a recent press conference just moments before the United Nations (UN) held a high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Mia Mottley, the chair of a global group on the subject, issued a request: “Imagine what happens if you get an infection from going into the garden or having a baby or going to the dentist,” the Barbados prime minister said in late September.
With Nearsightedness in Children on the Rise, Experts Push for Outdoor Time, Disease Designation

Oct 25, 2024 | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

New research suggests that 1 in 3 children worldwide are nearsighted, the frequently used term for myopia, a refractive error disorder in which distant objects appear blurry while items up close are clear. It’s such a common occurrence that many well-resourced families may consider it little more than an inconvenience—an additional line item on their household’s budget for prescription glasses.
Could the Body Roundness Index One Day Replace the BMI?

Oct 4, 2024 | jamanetwork.com | Kate Schweitzer

For decades, 2 basic measurements—height and weight—have been used to assess how body composition affects health, but a growing collection of research suggests there may be a better way to chart obesity and the medical risks associated with it. This calculation, known as the body roundness index (BRI), is gaining interest among experts as a potentially more accurate measurement for weight distribution than the body mass index (BMI).
Parenting Advice, Popping Up at Well+Good

Aug 14, 2024 | wellandgood.com | Kate Schweitzer |Kathryn Watson |Alexis Berger |Kells McPhillips

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