As per the latest data released by Transforming Access to Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) and the Policy Institute at King's College London, the number of UK students reporting mental health difficulties tripled. The estimate reveals that around 300,000 students could now be experiencing mental health struggles. Of the total, 18% of students reported some kind of mental health issue in 2024.

As per the reports, this estimate is triple what was reported in 2017, where it was at 6%. Experts also say that Covid-19 pandemic is "often considered to have contributed to this, it does not explain the ongoing rise in mental health difficulties." Another reason could also be the "changing definition and increasing openness about mental health" which has led to a rise in numbers. The report notes, "This trend pre-dates the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Although these factors play a part in students' deteriorating mental health, they cannot therefore be the only explanation."

How Did The Report Conclude?

The report drew data collected over the latest Student Academic Experience Survey of 93,212 students. From the survey, it was found that there exist significant disparities between demographic groups, with women being twice as likely to report mental health difficulties, about 22% as compared to men, at 11%.

What Did The Results Reveal?

The results revealed that students who identified as LGBTQ experienced the highest rates of mental health challenges. This has actually lessened the hope that conditions for LGBTQ students are improving, which may not have been a positive case.

Of them, 42% are bisexual and lesbian students, whereas last year it was 35% and 32% respectively. The report also noted that mental health difficulties among lesbian women and gay men rose three times the rate of straight people, and among bisexual and asexual people, it was twice as high. For trans students, the number jumped from 25% in 2023 to 40% in 2024.

Is The LGBTQ+ Prone To Mental Health Crisis?

As per the Child Mind Institute, being LGBTQ+ does not cause mental health problems, but because these kids often face factors like rejection, discrimination and violence, they are at a higher risk of challenges including depression, anxiety, and even attempting suicide.

A UTAH Health study quotes Anna Docherty, PhD, LP, assistant professor of psychiatry at Huntsman Mental Health Institute that, "likely with any identity, feeling different - or worse, unaccepted as you are is a significant risk factor of mental health struggle." The data reveals that LGBTQ+ teens are six times more likely to experience symptoms of depression than non-LGBTQ+ identifying teens. They are also more than twice as likely to feel suicidal and more than four times as likely to attempt suicide. In the US alone, 48% of transgender adults report that they have considered suicide in the last year, compared to 4% of the overall population.

What Do These Findings Mean?

TASO's academic lead and professor of public policy at King's College London, Michael Sanders said, "LGBTQ students and women bear the brunt of the rise in declining mental health and urgent action is needed to understand and address these trends."

Even as Republicans struggle to win over female voters two weeks before the midterm elections, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order backed by First Lady Melania Trump to advance the health of women in America.

The initiative will establish a new Division of Women’s Health within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a Women’s Health Task Force within the White House.

The executive order aims to advance women’s health by ensuring that medical research, diagnosis, prevention and treatment reflect the highest-quality scientific evidence, to improve health outcomes at every stage of life.

“Our mission must serve women at every stage of life, from young girls just starting out to mothers dealing with a complex range of responsibilities, to mature women who deserve to have vitality, dignity and independence,” the first lady said.

Trump called the announcement “a big deal” and credited himself with introducing a new initiative. “When I heard about it, I said, ‘Are you sure they don’t have that?’” the president said. “Who the hell wouldn’t have a women’s health division?”

Is This the First US Women’s Health Research Initiative?

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The US has had a dedicated office for women’s health research since 1990, when the Office of Research on Women’s Health was established at the NIH during President George H.W. Bush’s administration.

In April 2025, a few months after Trump took office, the Department of Health and Human Services decided to slash funding for the Women’s Health Initiative, a long-running, taxpayer-funded study of a broad range of women’s health issues that began in the 1990s. Officials restored the funding after a public outcry.

“These studies represent critical contributions to our better understanding of women’s health,” Emily G. Hilliard, a department spokeswoman, said at the time.

The new division will operate in coordination with the existing Office of Research on Women’s Health rather than replace it. Under the order, it must be established within an appropriate NIH institute or center within 90 days.

The White House said the move is intended to broaden the government’s focus beyond research and prioritize translating scientific discoveries into clinical care for women and girls.

What Are Melania Trump’s Five Pillars of Women’s Health Innovation?

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Melania highlighted her “First Lady’s Five Pillars of Women’s Health Innovation,” which outline the initiative’s proposed approach:

1. Direct research funding: Support research aimed at finding cures for conditions that uniquely affect women.
2. Use artificial intelligence: Leverage advanced AI capabilities to improve understanding of female biology and accelerate medical discoveries.
3. Speed up treatment development: Accelerate the transition of promising therapies from laboratories to female patients while maintaining strict safety standards.
4. Improve access and affordability: Ensure medical breakthroughs are accessible and affordable to women, regardless of their financial circumstances.
5. Encourage open conversations: Replace generations of silence with open discussion, education and compassion around women’s health.

The Women’s Health Task Force will work in collaboration with the private sector to advance new technologies and solutions for women’s health.

It aims to develop high-quality, scientifically supported medical information and care while advancing new treatments, therapies and cures for women.

It will be led by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, who recently completed treatment for breast cancer, and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

While Trump said the panel will coordinate with various federal agencies and programs, the executive order does not specify funding targets.

Which Health Conditions Will the New Division Study?

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the division will study conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women, including:

• Cardiovascular disease and cancer
• Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions
• Chronic pain
• Endometriosis and fibroids
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Infertility and menopause
• Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.

American singer and actress Selena Gomez has said that vaping nicotine has changed her voice, expressing concern that the effects may be irreversible.

"I'm not gonna be able to change my voice," the 34-year-old singer said in a candid Instagram post on Sunday. "I vaped nicotine a lot."

Describing how difficult it is to quit nicotine, Gomez added that "it's just not worth it".

"It is so stupid and..it changed my voice. So, if you guys don't like listening to my voice, that's totally understandable. I don't mind. Just don't listen to it. Just don't listen," she said.

Gomez also expressed hope that she would be able to quit vaping for good.

"It's really hard, but I know if you are going through something you can get through it too. It sucks," she added.

How Does Vaping Affect Your Vocal Cords?

Vaping is often perceived as a cleaner alternative to smoking because e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco. However, the aerosol produced by these devices is not harmless water vapor and can contain substances that may affect respiratory and cardiovascular health.

E-cigarette aerosol may contain:

• Nicotine: A highly addictive substance.
• Heavy metals: Including lead, nickel and tin.
• Volatile organic compounds: Some of which can be harmful.
• Flavoring chemicals: Which may have different effects when inhaled.
• Ultrafine particles: That can penetrate deep into the lungs.

These substances may also affect the throat and vocal cords, potentially contributing to irritation, dryness and changes in voice quality.

Also read: 5.4 Million Over-16s Now Vape in Britain: Why E-Cigarettes May Not Be Safer

Can Vaping Cause Hoarseness and Voice Changes?

Research suggests that e-cigarette use may affect the vocal folds, the structures in the voice box that vibrate to produce sound.

A 2025 study published in the Journal of Voice examined the potential effects of e-cigarette use on vocal health.

“E-cigarette use can cause inflammation of the epithelium and mucosa of the vocal folds, and their components can cause dryness, compromising vocal homeostasis, increasing the risk of coughing and breathing difficulties, deteriorating the vocal folds, and worsening voice quality,” said the researchers from Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.

By irritating and drying the vocal folds, e-cigarette aerosol may contribute to hoarseness, coughing and vocal strain. However, more research is needed to establish the long-term effects of vaping on the voice, including whether it can cause permanent voice changes.

Selena Gomez Has Previously Spoken About Throat Swelling

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Gomez, who has lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease, has previously suggested that she experiences throat swelling that may affect her voice.

During an Instagram Q&A in December, she said: "Sometimes things happen. I get weird. My throat kind of swells inside sometimes. That's all."

Lupus can affect different parts of the body and, in some cases, cause inflammation involving the larynx, or voice box. This may contribute to hoarseness, a raspy or breathy voice, vocal fatigue or changes in pitch.

It is not possible to determine whether Gomez's reported voice changes are related to vaping, lupus or another cause based on her public comments alone.

When Should You Seek Medical Advice for Voice Changes?

Persistent hoarseness, a raspy voice or difficulty speaking should not be ignored, particularly if symptoms do not improve. A clinician may examine the vocal cords to identify the cause.

People experiencing breathing difficulty or significant throat swelling should seek urgent medical attention.

Quitting vaping reduces further exposure to potentially irritating substances. Behavioral support and appropriate smoking-cessation treatments can help people manage nicotine dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

Singapore will increase surveillance of three deadly infectious diseases from October 31, needing doctors and other healthcare professionals to report all suspected and confirmed cases to the authorities.

The diseases include Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). All the three can lead to severe illness, and in extreme cases, they can even be fatal.

However, Singapore's Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) has said the current risk posed by these diseases to the country remains low.

So Why Is Singapore Monitoring These Three Diseases?

The move comes after amendments to Singapore's Infectious Diseases Act in September. The three diseases will be added to the list of prescribed infectious diseases, making notification of suspected and confirmed cases a legal requirement.

The authorities aim to detect these diseases earlier to foster a swift public health response, which includes isolation and tracing contacts.

The CDA said it has been monitoring the three diseases for some time, “as all three diseases are viral haemorrhagic fevers that can cause severe illness and have the potential for human-to-human transmission”.

A CDA spokeswoman told The Straits Times, “While there has been no change to the risk level from these three diseases, which currently remains low, they have been added to the IDA to strengthen our overall surveillance and preparedness efforts.”

From October 31, doctors and laboratories will be legally required to notify the authorities of suspected as well as confirmed cases of the three diseases. The CDA said it continuously monitors infectious disease developments both locally and internationally.

“As part of our preparedness efforts, CDA periodically reviews and updates the list of infectious diseases under the IDA to ensure that Singapore remains ready to respond to infectious disease risks,” the agency's spokeswoman said.

The three diseases will also be added to Singapore's list of “dangerous infectious diseases”, bringing the total to eight.

The five already listed are Ebola disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection (MERS-CoV), plague, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and yellow fever.

Also read: People With Rare Diseases Have Higher Recorded COVID-19 Rates: UK Study Based On 62.5 Million People

More About The Three Diseases

Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever belong to a group of viral illnesses that can cause severe complications, including bleeding and organ complications in some patients.

Their routes of transmission differ, making timely diagnosis, reporting and anti-spread measures crucial.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for any of the three diseases, but vaccine development is under way for Lassa fever and Marburg virus disease. The diseases also differ in their geographical distribution, typical severity and how they spread.

Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is mainly transmitted through bites from infected ticks or contact with infected livestock. It can also spread through exposure to the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person.

Symptoms can begin suddenly and include fever, muscle pain, dizziness, sore eyes and sensitivity to light. In severe cases, patients may develop liver, kidney or lung failure. According to WHO, the fatality rate can be as high as 40%.

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Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is mainly found in parts of West Africa. People can become infected through contact with food or household items contaminated with the urine or faeces of infected rodents. Human-to-human transmission can also occur through direct contact with an infected person's blood or bodily fluids.

Most infections cause no symptoms or only mild illness. Symptoms can include fever, sore throat, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Severe cases may present with facial swelling, bleeding and low blood pressure.

The overall fatality rate is at around 1%, but it can rise significantly among patients hospitalised with severe illness.

Lassa fever can also have serious consequences during pregnancy. According to the information cited by The Straits Times, foetal death rates can exceed 80% in the third trimester, while maternal death rates can exceed 30%.

Hearing loss is another possible complication. Up to 25% of patients may experience hearing loss after recovering from the infection, and many do not regain their hearing.

Marburg Virus Disease

Marburg virus disease is a rare but severe illness. Egyptian fruit bats are considered its natural reservoir, and infection can occur after exposure to infected animals or environments contaminated by them.

The disease can also spread between people through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or through contaminated materials.

Symptoms often begin with sudden high fever, severe headache and muscle aches. Some patients develop bleeding, confusion and other serious complications. The fatality rate is around 50%, according to the WHO.