#Healthpolicy

A new multicentre study found doctors became worse at spotting polyps after short-term AI exposure. The drop raises concern about rapid clinical dependence on AI-assisted tools (Lancet study) (PubMed abstract).

The study analysed colonoscopies at four Polish centres before and after AI introduction. The findings suggest real-world skill changes when clinicians rely on AI prompts (Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology study).

The study matters to Thai readers because colorectal screening saves lives. Thailand faces rising colorectal cancer rates that demand effective detection and trained doctors (Current Colorectal Cancer in Thailand).

A comprehensive multi-center study from Poland raises alarms about how brief exposure to AI-assisted colonoscopy may diminish physicians’ independent detection skills. The findings challenge the notion that AI automatically enhances care and prompt Thai health leaders to scrutinize how rapid AI integration could affect clinicians in screening programs.

In Thailand, colorectal cancer remains a major public health concern, accounting for a meaningful share of new cancer diagnoses. High-quality detection during colonoscopies is crucial for early treatment and better survival, making it essential to understand how AI tools influence physician performance, especially when AI is not actively guiding the procedure.

A comprehensive medical analysis has exposed how seemingly harmless social alcohol consumption systematically weakens immune function through multiple biological pathways, creating hidden vulnerabilities that particularly threaten Thai families during seasonal illness outbreaks. The research reveals that even moderate drinking patterns common at Thai festivals and family gatherings can compromise the body’s ability to fight infections, heal from injuries, and maintain optimal health.

This evidence carries profound implications for Thailand, where alcohol consumption intersects with cultural traditions, family celebrations, and religious festivals in ways that may inadvertently compromise community health. Thai households often incorporate alcohol into social rituals without fully understanding how these practices might affect their families’ ability to resist infections and recover from illness during critical periods.

A new popular article warns that a common drink can weaken the immune system.
The warning centres on alcohol and its hidden effects on hydration, the gut, and immunity.

The claim matters for Thai readers during cold season and annual festivals.
Many Thais gather for family meals and temple events where alcohol may be present.

Alcohol changes how the body fights infection.
Researchers say alcohol disrupts many immune pathways and raises infection risks (Alcohol Research review).

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is being understood in richer, more nuanced ways. A synthesis of twelve major studies shows ADHD influencing music preferences, intimate relationships, brain development, memory, creativity, and even life expectancy. For Thai readers, these findings call for broader, holistic care that goes beyond classroom behavior or workplace performance.

According to data from Thailand’s health ministries and screening programs, ADHD affects an estimated 6.5% of children in some provinces. This reinforces the need for accessible, stigma-free care and a whole-life approach to management, starting in childhood and extending into adulthood.

Scientific understanding of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is undergoing dramatic expansion, as researchers discover far-reaching effects that extend well beyond traditional attention and hyperactivity symptoms. A comprehensive review of twelve groundbreaking studies reveals unprecedented connections between ADHD and diverse life experiences including musical preferences, intimate relationships, brain development, memory patterns, creative expression, and most startlingly, life expectancy itself.

These emerging findings carry profound implications for Thailand’s healthcare system, where ADHD recognition and treatment remain limited despite affecting an estimated 6.5% of children in some provinces according to recent screening data. The research challenges clinicians to adopt holistic assessment approaches that examine patients’ complete life experiences rather than focusing solely on classroom behavior or workplace productivity measures.

Researchers are finding ADHD affects many life areas beyond attention and impulsivity.
A recent review of 12 new studies highlights effects on music habits, sex, brain anatomy, memory, creativity and mortality (PsyPost).

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition.
It causes inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that begin in childhood for many people.

The new findings matter for Thailand.
They show clinicians must look beyond classic symptoms when they assess patients.

One study found adults with ADHD listen to stimulating background music more often.
Researchers suggest music helps people self-regulate attention during study or exercise (PsyPost).

Sexually transmitted infections are rising among older Europeans. This trend could affect Thailand through travel and ageing demographics.

Health authorities report rising diagnoses of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis in people aged 45 and older. The trend appears across the UK, France, Denmark, and the EU (ECDC, UKHSA) (ECDC syphilis report 2023; UKHSA STI data tables 2014-2023).

The number of common bacterial STI diagnoses in Britons aged 65 and over rose sharply from 2014 to 2023. UK figures show 576 diagnoses in 2014 and 1,649 in 2023 for gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis combined (UKHSA data).

As Thailand’s population ages and international travel resumes post-pandemic, a troubling trend emerging across Europe demands immediate attention from Thai health authorities. Sexually transmitted infections are surging among Europeans aged 45 and older, presenting a clear warning for Thailand’s own rapidly aging society.

Recent surveillance data from European health authorities reveals alarming increases in bacterial STIs among older adults. In the United Kingdom alone, diagnoses of gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis in people over 65 nearly tripled between 2014 and 2023, jumping from 576 cases to 1,649 cases. This dramatic rise reflects a continent-wide pattern that has caught public health experts off guard.

Aging populations and increased international travel are shaping new health risks for Thailand. Recent European data show rising sexually transmitted infections among adults aged 45 and older, a pattern that could foreshadow similar trends in Thailand as it becomes an aging society and welcomes more visitors and students from abroad.

Data from European health authorities indicate that gonorrhoea, chlamydia, and syphilis diagnoses among people over 65 nearly tripled from 2014 to 2023 in the United Kingdom, rising from 576 to 1,649 cases. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control notes that adults aged 45 and above now account for about one-third of syphilis cases across the European Union. This shift challenges traditional assumptions about who is at risk for STIs and underscores the need for inclusive prevention.

A global shift in mental health care is reshaping how families access support, and Thai households are watching closely. As thousands of professionals pivot to therapy careers, Thai communities seek sustainable, culturally resonant ways to meet growing demand.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, interest in therapy careers has surged. Career counselors in major economies report many professionals leaving traditional roles to pursue training in mental health, driven by rising demand and a shift in attitudes toward meaningful work. Government labor data point to robust growth in counseling and family therapy roles, with projections showing steady expansion into the next decade. In particular, positions for marriage and family therapists are expected to rise well above average growth, signaling a shift in the healthcare landscape that could influence Thai access to mental health services.

The world is witnessing an unprecedented transformation in mental health care as thousands of professionals pivot to therapy careers. This global shift carries profound implications for Thai families seeking quality mental health support in an evolving healthcare landscape.

The Post-Pandemic Career Migration

Following the global pandemic, mental health careers have experienced extraordinary growth. Career counselors across major economies report a dramatic increase in professionals abandoning traditional paths to pursue therapy training. This trend reflects both rising demand for mental health services and changing attitudes toward meaningful work.

A surge of new therapists is reshaping how people seek help for mental health. This trend affects job markets, care access, and everyday conversations in Thailand and abroad.

More people choose therapy careers after the pandemic. The shift reflects higher demand for mental-health services and new work paths. ((WSJ: When Did All of These People Become Therapists?))

U.S. official forecasts show rapid growth in mental-health jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for counselors and family therapists. ((BLS: Strong growth projected in mental health-related employment))

Breakthrough medical technology offers new hope for thousands of Thai patients who might otherwise lose their bladders to cancer, with promising results from international trials suggesting a paradigm shift in urological care.

In a development that could transform bladder cancer treatment across Thailand, researchers have unveiled remarkable results from the TAR-200 device, a groundbreaking intravesical drug-delivery system that eliminated visible cancer in approximately 82% of patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. These patients had previously failed standard BCG immunotherapy, leaving them with few alternatives beyond radical bladder removal surgery.

A new intravesical drug-delivery device, TAR-200, has demonstrated an 82% complete response rate in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients who failed standard BCG therapy. The SunRISe-1 phase 2b study’s results, presented to medical authorities and highlighted by leading institutions, point toward a bladder-sparing option that could shift urological care in Thailand.

For Thai families facing bladder cancer, the path today often means radical cystectomy when non-muscle-invasive disease recurs or progresses. The traditional surgery removes the bladder and requires urinary reconstruction, a life-changing outcome that Thai patients weigh carefully against quality of life, dignity, and family responsibilities. TAR-200 offers a minimally invasive alternative that can be administered on an outpatient basis, potentially reducing hospital stays and preserving daily living.

A new analysis of UK Biobank data using advanced brain imaging reframes depression as three distinct symptom groups rather than a single disorder. The clusters are: mood-dominant, motivation-dominant, and a combination of both. Each group shows unique brain activation patterns and responds differently to treatment approaches, suggesting more precise, personalized care.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine and collaborators argue that this symptom-driven view challenges traditional one-size-fits-all therapies. For Thai clinicians and policymakers, the work points to new ways to tailor interventions to neurobiological profiles, potentially improving outcomes in Thailand’s evolving mental health system.

Lung cancer is likely undercounted across sub-Saharan Africa, and the pattern has implications for Thailand as smoking shifts to lower-income markets and non-communicable diseases rise. Experts say better data and stronger health systems are essential to curb this deadly disease. Global cancer assessments indicate roughly 1.8 million deaths each year, underscoring why gaps in Africa’s reporting matter for Thai planners and communities alike.

Undercounting matters for prevention. Lung cancer is highly preventable through reduced smoking and early detection, yet many cases are detected late in low-resource settings when treatment options are limited. Clinicians in better-resourced areas note that higher observed rates often reflect stronger detection rather than greater regional severity, highlighting a global health issue: as infectious diseases come under control, non-communicable diseases like cancer rise in importance in lower-income countries, demanding new funding and health-system capacity.

Doctors and researchers warn that lung cancer is being grossly undercounted across sub‑Saharan Africa — a “hidden epidemic” masked by weak death registration, frequent misdiagnosis as tuberculosis, and late presentation — and the lessons have direct relevance for Thailand as tobacco companies pivot to low‑ and middle‑income markets and non‑communicable diseases rise in importance (NPR report on hidden epidemic). The global toll of lung cancer remains enormous: roughly 1.8 million deaths a year, making it the single deadliest cancer worldwide (IARC/GLOBOCAN global lung cancer data). The mismatch between apparent low lung‑cancer rates in much of Africa and what clinicians are seeing on the ground highlights how gaps in diagnosis, data and health systems can hide a growing threat that also matters for Thailand’s health planners and communities.

Groundbreaking neuroscience research is revolutionizing our understanding of depression, revealing it as three distinct symptom clusters rather than a singular condition. These clusters — characterized by low mood, low motivation, or a combination of both — demonstrate unique brain activation patterns and respond differently to targeted therapeutic interventions.

This paradigm shift emerges from comprehensive analysis of UK Biobank data combined with advanced neuroimaging techniques by leading researchers at Washington University School of Medicine. Their findings challenge traditional one-size-fits-all treatment approaches, offering hope for more precise, personalized therapeutic strategies that could transform mental healthcare delivery in Thailand and across the globe.

Swimming is being touted anew as one of the most accessible, low‑impact ways to boost cardiovascular health, improve body composition and sharpen blood‑lipid profiles — and a recent consumer guide from an experienced swimmer‑editor has repackaged those benefits into a practical starter checklist for people who want to make the pool part of a routine. The CNN Underscored feature by a long‑time swimmer stresses that you only need a few tried‑and‑true items to begin; at the same time, a large international systematic review and meta‑analysis published in 2024 found that recreational swimming was associated with a 24% lower risk of all‑cause mortality and measurable improvements in body composition and blood lipids, findings that are relevant to Thais seeking safe, effective ways to exercise and to reduce chronic disease risk (CNN Underscored; systematic review and meta‑analysis).

Groundbreaking research from Edith Cowan University demonstrates that a single forty-five minute exercise session can trigger release of muscle-derived proteins that significantly inhibit aggressive breast cancer cell growth in laboratory settings. The study, involving thirty-two breast cancer survivors, found that blood serum collected immediately after both resistance training and high-intensity interval training reduced triple-negative breast cancer cell proliferation by up to approximately thirty percent when applied to cultured cancer cells.

Millions of people worldwide are typing their anxieties into large language models — from ChatGPT to specialised therapy chatbots — and some of the earliest research and reporting suggests the trend is a symptom as much as a solution: a shift in how societies talk about distress has created demand for instant, judgement-free counsel, and the tech sector has raced to meet it. Recent investigative pieces and academic work warn that while AI can provide comfort and convenience, it can also reinforce harmful behaviours, reproduce stigma, and fail in safety-critical moments — raising urgent questions about regulation, clinical oversight and what it means to be cared for in a digital age Compact Magazine, The Guardian, Stanford News. For Thai readers, where access gaps, cultural stigma and a strong preference for relational support coexist, the rise of “therapy bots” offers both potential relief and new hazards; understanding the evidence and the trade-offs is critical to keeping people safe.

A new set of experiments suggests that a single 45‑minute session of exercise can flood the blood with muscle‑derived proteins that slow the growth of aggressive breast‑cancer cells in the laboratory — a finding that adds biological weight to years of epidemiological evidence linking physical activity with lower recurrence and mortality. Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Perth collected blood from 32 breast‑cancer survivors before, immediately after and 30 minutes following either a resistance training session or a high‑intensity interval training (HIIT) session; serum taken after exercise raised levels of several myokines (muscle‑secreted signalling proteins) and, when applied to cultured triple‑negative breast‑cancer cells, reduced tumour cell growth by up to about 30 percent in vitro [ScienceAlert; SpringerLink; Edith Cowan University newsroom].

Across Thailand’s bustling cities and remote provinces, millions now confide their deepest anxieties to artificial intelligence, turning to ChatGPT and specialized therapy chatbots when traditional mental health services remain frustratingly out of reach. This digital phenomenon represents far more than technological convenience—it signals a fundamental shift in how Thai society approaches psychological distress, creating both unprecedented opportunities and alarming risks that demand immediate attention from healthcare leaders and policymakers.

The convergence of three powerful forces has created this unprecedented demand for AI-powered mental health support in Thailand. Rising awareness of psychological wellbeing, accelerated by COVID-19’s mental health impact, has normalized conversations about anxiety and depression among Thai families who historically maintained silence around emotional struggles. Simultaneously, severe shortages of qualified mental health professionals across the kingdom’s provinces have left countless citizens waiting months for appointments, while the promise of instant, judgment-free digital counseling offers immediate relief. Most significantly, the cultural appeal of anonymous support aligns perfectly with Thai preferences for preserving face while seeking help, making AI therapy particularly attractive to young people who might never enter a traditional clinic.