Welcome to The Pulse, a weekly roundup of health-focused news. Each Thursday, we bring you updates on health policy, community surveys, new clinical studies, programs and services in Southwest and Southside Virginia.
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When people turn to ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools for advice, they often share personal details such as age, gender and mental health history. A Virginia Tech researcher found that when users disclose that they are autistic, many AI systems respond with advice shaped by stereotypes.
Caleb Wohn, a second-year doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science, tested six large language models — including GPT-4, Claude, Llama, Gemini and DeepSeek — where users requested advice on different social scenarios, according to a press release from Virginia Tech.
The work builds on earlier research from the lab of Eugenia Rho, an assistant professor of computer science, which found that autistic users frequently turn to AI tools for emotional support, communication help and social guidance.
“I was thinking about my experiences growing up with autism,” Wohn said in the press release. “It would have been very tempting for me, at certain times, to want to just be able to talk with something that’s not a person that seems objective and feel like I’m getting objective advice.”
Wohn and his team generated 345,000 responses and found noteworthy differences when autism was disclosed. One model recommended declining a social invitation nearly 75% of the time when autism was mentioned, compared with about 15% when it was not.
In dating scenarios, another model recommended avoiding romance or staying single nearly 70% of the time after the user added information about autism, compared with roughly 50% when autism was not mentioned.
After the user disclosed autism, the recommendations tended to shift toward stereotypical assumptions about autistic people being introverted, obsessive, socially awkward or uninterested in romance, according to the press release.
Overall, 11 of 12 stereotype cues significantly influenced model decisions in at least four of the six systems tested.
Wohn’s biggest concern is how difficult it is to see through the advice generated on an AI platform, he said in the release.
He recently presented his findings at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, also known as CHI.
Dentists expand screening to include GLP-1 use, mental health
Dentists are now encouraged to ask patients about GLP-1 use during appointments, according to a release from the Virginia Dental Association.
The new screening questions were added after the American Dental Association Council on Dental Practice approved the changes earlier this year. New forms are now rolling out to dentists’ offices across the country.
GLP-1s are drugs usually used to treat type 2 diabetes and have grown in popularity to facilitate weight loss. While there are some side effects that impact oral health, such as dry mouth and enamel erosion, the dental association is also hoping clinicians will warn patients against using non-Food and Drug Administration-approved products.
As use of these drugs has increased, there have been occasional shortages, according to the American Diabetes Association. This has led to an increase in companies producing and marketing these medications directly to consumers without FDA approval. These products are unregulated, and there is uncertainty about their content, safety, quality and effectiveness.
Dentists are also encouraged to add additional mental health screening with this question: Has the patient felt connected to the world around them over the previous two weeks?
Dentists’ offices offer an opportunity to direct patients to mental health services in a nontraditional setting, enhancing comprehensive patient care, according to the Journal of the American Dental Association.
Some mental health disorders can also impact oral health. For example, teeth grinding can be linked to anxiety and poor oral hygiene to depression. Dentists can also detect evidence of illicit substance use during appointments.
A research paper published in 2025, however, found that few dentists are willing to implement mental health screenings during appointments.
Inaugural Virginia Recovery Conference coming to Roanoke
Early registration is now open for the inaugural Virginia Recovery Conference, which will be hosted June 15-17 in Roanoke by the Virginia Opioid Abatement Foundation and the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority.
The conference is a statewide gathering of practitioners, policymakers and advocates working to address substance use disorder and improve recovery systems across Virginia, according to a press release from the foundation.
“The Virginia Recovery Conference is an important milestone in Virginia’s ongoing efforts to build a stronger, more connected recovery ecosystem,” Tim Spencer, president of the foundation, said in the press release. “The event will bring together experts and changemakers from across the Commonwealth, creating a space where ideas can be shared, partnerships can grow and communities can gain practical tools to save lives and support recovery.”
The conference will highlight initiatives that use opioid settlement funds and provide guidance for communities investing in abatement strategies.
Session topics will include:
- Community-based prevention and early intervention strategies
- Expanding access to treatment and recovery support services
- Peer-led recovery models and lived-experience leadership
- Harm-reduction innovations and overdose prevention
- Cross-sector partnerships to strengthen local recovery ecosystems
- Effective use of opioid abatement funds for sustainable impact
More than 400 local government representatives, first responders, clinicians, behavioral health providers and recovery-focused professionals are expected to attend, according to the release.
The conference will be held at Hotel Roanoke. Early registration is now open. For full conference details, agenda updates and registration information, visit virginiarecovers.com/2026-virginia-recovery-conference/.
