Health Report

Latest Episodes:

The modelling on the pathway out of the pandemic; why critical care for women having heart attacks is being delayed; and alcohol use and anxiety Aug 09, 2021

Show notes

We now have modelling to guide our way out of the pandemic, but some researchers say we will need to vaccinate even younger age groups to reach sufficient immunity.

Why are so many women having critical medical care delayed when experiencing a heart attack?

And research shows people living with anxiety are more likely to use alcohol. But what happens when drinking becomes a problem and where can you get help?

The frontline of the NSW COVID outbreak; the race to find more effective COVID treatments; and COVID risk for people living with mood disorders Aug 02, 2021

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What are people experiencing in intensive care as a result of the delta COVID outbreak and how are hospitals coping?

COVID vaccine trials for young children; COVID's mental health toll on Indigenous communities; should bilateral cataract surgery be done on the same day?; and the link between bone loss and cognitive decline Jul 26, 2021

Show notes

Right now overseas, several covid vaccines are being trialled in children as young as babies 6 months of age. So how long will it be until younger kids can get vaccinated?

How pandemic prevention measures have been particularly tough on the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cataract surgery can and is sometimes done in both eyes on the same day. But what does a review of the data tell us about whether this is best?

And a puzzling link between two things that can cause disability as we age: cognitive decline, and fractures.

Managing resources in the pandemic; review of COVID research; low value care; and how to prevent kids misusing alcohol Jul 19, 2021

Show notes

What's the best way to manage finite resources in the middle of a pandemic and what can Australia learn from other countries; what a review of COVID research exposes about waste and missed opportunities; low value care has little or any benefit and a new study finds patients agree; and what does research tell us about preventing alcohol and drug misuse in kids?

Growing COVID crisis in NSW; the origins of COVID; vaccine protection for people with blood cancers; and can exercise help those with poor sleep quality? Jul 12, 2021

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What does modelling tell us about what it will take to bring the NSW COVID cluster under control; scientists try to settle the debate about the origins of Covid-19; how can people with blood cancers stay safe in the pandemic; and can exercise help counter the toll poor sleeps takes on our health?

The pathway out of the pandemic; the harms of alcohol in pregnancy; supporting pregnant women with SUDs; and is low carb always best? Jul 05, 2021

Show notes

While NSW is still trying to contain COVID cases, the Prime Minister last week outlined a four stage pathway out of the pandemic.

Singapore is already underway with its plan that uses a layered public health response including high vaccinations rates. Is this the path out of the pandemic?

Just how dangerous is even small amounts of alcohol in pregnancy? Research shows it can set children up for unusual behaviours with alcohol while still very young.

What help is out there for women with substance use disorders and their babies, and why are some falling through the cracks?

And could a high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet be linked to a healthier life? Well, it depends on what kind of carbs you're talking about.

COVID threats emerge across Australia; trial shows promise for managing diabetes and hypertension; could a new class of drugs help prevent end stage kidney disease?; and the harm of long working hours Jun 28, 2021

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Around the country, the threat of COVID has emerged again. What does the modelling show about where this is heading?

The World Health Organisation finds it's the biggest workplace hazard - long working hours. And it says long hours can be deadly.

UK research finds type 2 diabetes might be reversible without drugs for some people, as well as the other conditions that often come with it.

Also on diabetes, could a new class of drug slash the number of people who go on to need dialysis or kidney transplants?

Alzheimer’s drug has experts divided; rising ICE use in Australia; the disappointing results of a study aimed at improving ovarian cancer survival rates Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

This week, the first of a new series on substance use and what you need to know about ICE - crystal meth. Does early diagnosis of ovarian cancer through screening make a difference to survival rates? And the search for an Alzheimer's disease treatment is as controversial as ever. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug for Alzheimer's disease in nearly two decades, but not everyone is welcoming the decision.

Navigating the pandemic: Dr Anthony Fauci Jun 14, 2021

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From the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, one expert came to the fore as a trusted voice, not just in his home country of the United States, but around the globe: Dr Anthony S Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Are grommets over prescribed in children?; Kangaroo care and infant mortality; long term survival following a heart attack; should biological sex be considered in cancer care? Jun 07, 2021

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Are grommets over prescribed for children with recurring ear infections?