A shocking number of American adults don't know the signs of a heart attack. New research is emphasizing that socializing with friends and family may help protect people against heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other conditions and illnesses. The study suggests that social interactions may keep people healthy because these interactions boost the immune system and reduce the risk of disease. Cambridge University researchers, along with colleagues in China, came to these conclusions after studying protein in blood samples taken from over 42,000 adults recruited to the U.K. Biobank, news agency SWNS reported. The study team said social relationships play a key role in well-being.

Loneliness has become a real concern as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, and it's affecting young people and the elderly more than other age groups. But imagine a robot that could interpret sounds and other cues from the elderly that could make them feel less alone, or a program on a device that could help engage isolated young people. Researchers at the University of the Fraser Valley's Community Health and Social Innovation Hub (CHASI) are embarking on a project to learn more about how these kinds of intuitive solutions can help people who are susceptible to loneliness. "We just got the funding go ahead at the start of the school year," says Dr. Martha Dow, director of CHASI. The research will roll out in stages, and will include the use of a few robots who can pick up cues from the elderly, such as sound, to help with their care.

With disinformation and confusion about COVID-19 on the rise, effective patient engagement is taking on an even greater role. Studies have shown that engaged patients show improved health outcomes and that effective tools can enhance service delivery. Communicating with impact is the real key – and innovators and vendors are exploring the best ways to do so. Two such teams are mPulse Mobile and Magellan Rx Management, which recently collaborated to address social isolation and loneliness in nearly 1,800 people with chronic and specialty conditions across the United States. By using mPulse's conversational artificial intelligence platform, the companies say they were able to conduct dialogues via text messages with participants on a variety of health-related topics during a 45-day period.