Health Report

Latest Episodes:

The Birth Project | A decision aid when considering genetic screening in pregnancy | Australia's national strategy for maternity care Nov 28, 2022

Show notes

The ABC’s Birth Project call out is discovering the good and bad of pregnancy and birth in Australia—one of the safest places in the world to give birth, but which sometimes fails women, their families, and clinicians.

Parents-to-be now have access to simple blood tests that can indicate whether their baby might have a chromosome issue. But parents who want peace of mind or want to know the sex of their baby can feel blindsided when the result predicts high risk—or for something they didn't know they were being screened for.

The Birth Project has shown us that the kind of care you might get if you're pregnant varies wildly across Australia. A national strategy around improving maternity care was launched in 2019.

Effect on the body of zero G | Measuring mental health services | Genetic analysis and cerebral palsy Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

With humans set to spend more time in spacer, one of the physical things to overcome will be gravity, and it's very important for how our bodies work.

We hear frequent stories of mental health issues, but there is more investment in services, so are services effective or overwhelmed?

An estimated 34,000 people in Australia have cerebral palsy. The cause can be a mystery but looking at a child's genes may supply information for parents and treatment teams.

Hosts:

Dr Norman Swan

Tegan Taylor

14 November: Paracetamol overdoses | Health literacy is a societal responsibility | Can spine stimulators treat back pain? Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

There's been talk of changing the packet size of paracetamol tablets, to reduce the self-harm of overdose—but it would be better to investigate and remedy why this harm occurs.

The idea that society—as well as an individual—is responsible for this 'health literacy' is central to a new World Health Organisation report.

Results of a randomised trial in people with low back pain who used a spinal cord stimulator were published recently, and the researchers are surprised by what they found.

Hosts: Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor

How we safeguard big health data | Linked data predicts health trends | More clarity needed on harms in clinical trials | Assessing mitochondrial donation as a preventive measure for some disorders Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

How analysts are making health data safer | Linked health data can see the bigger picture of healthcare use | Clinical trials need more clarity on the kind of harms incurred | Donating mitochondria may mitigate the risk of some genetic disorders—but it's not a given.

October 31: Magda's Big National Health Check | The shocking rise in alcohol-induced deaths Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

The ABC series Magda's Big National Health Check us an immersive and personal journey about health in Australia today. It''s hosted by Magda Szubanski, who wants to know why Australia has a high level of chronic illness—and what to do about it.

The latest statistics on causes of deaths in Australia show that deaths caused by alcohol rose by 6% last year—it's avoidable and advocates for greater alcohol control measures have been warning for years that there are not enough of them.

Hosts: Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor

More needs to be known about concussion | what is it about elections and hospital building | ultra-processed foods affect your diet | a music pillow calms pre-op patients Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

Severe chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) can be defined in pathology, yet only be diagnosed after someone has died and their brain examined.

The Victorian state election is on 26th November and hospitals feature in political healthcare promises. Labor anticipates spending more than $6 billion on new hospitals and upgrading existing ones.

Guest:

Assoc Prof Michael Buckland

Head of Dept of Neuropathology

Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

and

Director, Australian Sports Brain Bank

17 October: new thinking on Alzheimer's | wider health effects of weight stigma | Danish cardio-vascular screening trial results Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

There's a new perspective on how we think about the cause and progress of Alzheimer's disease. Are we actually doing the right thing by removing accumulated amyloid protein from the brain of people with it?

Health practitioners are often still operating under the assumption that obesity is an individual's responsibility, even though science now tells us otherwise.

It makes intuitive sense that if you screen people for disease the outcome will be good - because you get on top of the problem. But how far should you go.

10 October: When is memory decline a worry? | How to change your eating habits | Robotic surgery for prostate cancer | A leading researcher in women and cancer has died Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

The debate may be over about robotic surgery for men with prostate cancer—but can hospitals afford the robots?

How do you know if memory lapses are a part of slowing down—or an early sign of dementia?

The psychology of moving more—and eating better.

An Australian researcher in women and cancer has died

3 October: The silent rise of chronic kidney disease | Improving care for Indigenous youth with diabetes Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.

26 September: The benefit of 10,000 steps | The risk of too much TV | Getting restless kids to sleep Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

Bringing clarity to health and medical issues from social, scientific and political points of view.

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