News Articles
Higher fibre saves lives, but food processing may remove benefits
Date of Posting: 20-05-2020
Eating more fibre can improve life expectancy for those with diabetes, Otago researchers say. Type 2 diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide, is associated with serious medical complications, and increases the risk of dying from COVID- Read More...
COVID-19 mobile tracking puts spotlight on e-health framework
Date of Posting: 20-05-2020
Misinformation and mistrust of Australia’s COVIDSafe app underlines the need for standards to scope, develop, assess and roll out e-health services, Flinders University digital health experts say. The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the nee Read More...
Smoking cannabis causes bronchitis and changes to lung function
Date of Posting: 20-05-2020
Cannabis is harmful to the lungs, but in a different way to tobacco, causing significant respiratory symptoms such as bronchitis with evidence to suggest it can result in destructive lung disease –sometimes referred to as ‘bong lung&rsquo Read More...
According to new survey, eating disorders heightened amid pandemic
Date of Posting: 20-05-2020
Regional Australians with eating disorders have been struggling to access extra support during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new survey. The coronavirus pandemic is making life harder for people with eating disorders, particularly those Read More...
Health-care workers share our trauma during the coronavirus pandemic - on top of their own
Last Updated: 19-05-2020
Health-care staff are trained to deal with whatever comes through the hospital doors. But COVID-19 is a completely different ballgame. During this pandemic, health-care workers are facing traumatic experiences in both their profession Read More...
Alcohol misuse and mental health do not mix
Last Updated: 18-05-2020
It is more important than ever to be aware of the dangers of alcohol use for our mental health and wellbeing, according to the president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP). ‘In times of stress we can fi Read More...
Australia Day Skyworks might be cancelled due to COVID-19
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
The City of Perth is considering cancelling its Australia Day fireworks event due to COVID-19 but the state government says it is too soon to make that call. The biggest Australia Day fireworks event in the country could be cancelled because of CO Read More...
RACGP urges rural and remote healthcare workers to look after their mental health
Last Updated: 18-05-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has urged rural and remote healthcare workers to look after themselves and take advantage of new mental health resources. Last week the Federal Government announced that a new $3 millio Read More...
Stigmatisation impacts GP attendance, medication use and health of same-sex couples
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
Australians in same-sex relationships who experience ongoing stigmatisation in their communities visit the GP less often, use more antidepressant medication and are more likely to have poorer health, compared to their heterosexual counterparts, a new Read More...
Technology enabling nurses to fight COVID-19
Last Updated: 18-05-2020
By Tim Morris Across the globe today, nurses are at the forefront of the arduous journey to combat and contain COVID-19, undertaking long, grueling shifts in their armor and masks. Pictures trending on social media reveal the resulting physical an Read More...
Psychiatrists welcome Victorian government commitment to mental health
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
The Victorian Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP Victorian Branch) welcomes the Victorian Government’s ongoing commitment to reforming the mental health system to ensure all Victorians have access to Read More...
Must be dreaming: Eye movements during sleep impact ability to process information
Last Updated: 18-05-2020
Each night, we invent new worlds in our dreams. They are spectacular, sometimes impossible, and far removed from the real-world environment. Strangely, we struggle to integrate important content in our dreams, despite our minds sometimes remaining &l Read More...
Blood test to diagnose Alzheimer's disease for Australian patients
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
A new, simple blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease is coming to Australia through the Australian Dementia Network, which is supported by the University of Melbourne. The blood test accurately measures one of the proteins—P-tau181&m Read More...
New Emergency Leave Provision for aged care residents
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
Senior Australians won’t be penalised or disadvantaged for moving out of an aged care facility during crisis under emergency leave legislation amendments today adopted by the Morrison Government. The emergency leave mechanism will be activat Read More...
COVID-19 disruption will lead to 28 million surgeries being cancelled worldwide
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
The CovidSurg Collaborative has projected that, based on a 12-week period of peak disruption to hospital services due to COVID-19, 28.4 million elective surgeries worldwide will be cancelled or postponed in 2020. The modelling study, published in the Read More...
Research shows true impact of COVID on our wellbeing
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
Sydney, 14th May 2020: As Australia emerges from lockdown and adjusts to the reality of social distancing at home, work and in public, a significant number are seeing that the changes of recent weeks have negatively impacted their physical and mental Read More...
Over half of world's healthcare workers attend work when sick
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
It is common for healthcare workers across the globe to attend work when they are sick with flu like symptoms, according to a new international study. Co-author Professor Peter Collignon, from The Australian National University (ANU), said the stu Read More...
149 covid-19 patients admitted to intensive care units since australian outbreak, new data reveals
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
A collaborative study, led by Monash University, has captured national data on the number of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU since 14 March when the outbreak began in Australia. Over 76 ICUs are participating in the study nationally, recording 1 Read More...
Online training for GPs to tackle alcohol and other drug use during the COVID-19 pandemic
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is boosting the skills of GPs so that they can better address alcohol and other drug (AOD) use problems that are becoming more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the $7.9 mi Read More...
Visitor Access Code offers clarity for residential aged care
Date of Posting: 18-05-2020
The Morrison Government has welcomed the visitation code for residential aged care which prioritises access to loved ones while ensuring the protection of their health remains a priority. The Aged Care Visitor Access Code, developed in conjunction Read More...
Employment outlook for healthcare professionals in the age of Coronavirus
Last Updated: 15-05-2020
COVID-19 has sparked massive amounts of turmoil in the Australian job market, squelching demand for some types of workers and increasing demand for others. In general, demand for most types of healthcare workers was strong before the Coronavirus cris Read More...
RACGP welcomes social media platforms acting on COVID-19 pandemic misinformation
Date of Posting: 14-05-2020
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has welcomed news that popular social media platforms are acting to limit the impact of misleading information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. As reported this morning Twitter plans t Read More...
Healthcare leaders needed to master complex environments
Date of Posting: 14-05-2020
By Professor Joanne Travaglia UTS Professor of Health Services Management [subscribe] The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the spotlight on healthcare managers and the pressure they come under to make complex decisions in fast-moving environments. Read More...
Targeted action can prevent suicide increases
Date of Posting: 14-05-2020
A forecasted surge in suicide rates due to the impacts of COVID-19, its associated restrictions and their secondary social, economic and personal consequences is not inevitable according to the President of the Royal Australian and New Zealand Colleg Read More...
Better antibiotic dosing could save lives in ICU
Last Updated: 13-05-2020
More lives could be saved in intensive care units around the world if new antibiotic guidelines designed by The University of Queensland are adopted. Researchers have launched universal Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) guidelines to optimise the Read More...
Action needed to protect kids from COVID-19 racism spike
Date of Posting: 13-05-2020
Urgent attention is needed during this pandemic to protect children from the harms of rising racism, experts say. A series of recommendations published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) outline steps to combat racism and improv Read More...
Australians are at greater risk of osteoarthritis
Date of Posting: 13-05-2020
A study has found Australia has among the highest rates of osteoarthritis, with cases predicted to keep rising as we get both larger and live longer. Australia has among the highest rates of osteoarthritis in the world, with the number of people s Read More...
New WA prison law criticised by HIV advocates
Date of Posting: 12-05-2020
Prisoners accused of assaulting guards in Western Australia will be forced to undergo testing for HIV and other infectious diseases under proposed laws. HIV advocates say plans to forcibly test prisoners in Western Australia for the disease perpet Read More...
COVID-19 catalyst for significant change in general practice
Date of Posting: 12-05-2020
COVID-19 may well be the catalyst for significant change in how general practice operates in New Zealand in future, according to University of Otago general practice experts. The coronavirus pandemic is potentially the most significant change to p Read More...
Hacking tech to bring healthcare to the world
Date of Posting: 12-05-2020
Australian scientist David Putrino mixes physiotherapy, neuroscience and technology to develop low-cost healthcare solutions that are easily accessible for under-served people around the world. He has helped design prosthetic arms for refugees in Read More...
1 in 5 Aussies over 45 live with chronic pain, but there are ways to ease the suffering
Last Updated: 12-05-2020
Around 1.6 million Australians aged 45 or over have been living with persistent pain, according to newly released data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. The figures, which cover 2016-17, reveal that GP consultations Read More...
Physiotherapy and psychology proving most popular telehealth services to Bupa customers in COVID-19
Date of Posting: 12-05-2020
Australians have started to embrace phone and video consultations for ancillary health services during COVID-19, with new data from Bupa revealing physiotherapy and psychology are so far the most popular telehealth services. Bupa, Australia’ Read More...
Australians have a personal responsibility to curb virus
Date of Posting: 11-05-2020
The nation's chief medical officer says Australians have a personal responsibility to practice social distancing and avoid crowds as restrictions are relaxed. Australia could see a second wave of coronavirus infections if people continue to cr Read More...
Rapid response squads to hit Victoria
Date of Posting: 11-05-2020
New rapid response teams will be on hand to prevent any new outbreaks of coronavirus in Victoria as the state government moves to ease restrictions. Rapid response squads will be established to respond to any new outbreaks of coronavirus as part o Read More...
A surge in youth mental health intervention
Date of Posting: 08-05-2020
Youth mental health organisations Kids Helpline and ReachOut have seen record numbers of contacts for its services during the COVID-19 pandemic. A spike in the number of young people reaching out for mental and physical support has led to a surge Read More...
New campaign puts spotlight on healthcare workers "dangerously" isolating themselves from loved ones
Date of Posting: 08-05-2020
Psychologist urges Australians to send "virtual hugs" to benefit mental and physical health. A group of Australian profit-to-member super funds has come together to urge people to reach out to the nation's three million essential wor Read More...
Coronavirus has boosted telehealth care in mental health, so let's keep it up
Last Updated: 08-05-2020
Australia’s health system has embraced telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic, with patients getting care online, by video or by phone. But what happens to this post-pandemic is uncertain. Unfortunately, the pandemic’s Read More...
Chances of having a second IVF baby after fertility treatment for the first child 'favourable'
Date of Posting: 08-05-2020
For the first time, a study – led by UNSW Medicine – has estimated a woman’s chances of having a second IVF baby. Women have a good chance of having a second child with the help of fertility treatment after their first was child Read More...
Biomarker signature found for TB infection
Date of Posting: 08-05-2020
A group of leading Australian researchers have uncovered a unique blood-based biomarker signature in individuals infected by tuberculosis (TB). The presence of the biomarker signature, found through a simple blood test, allows individuals with inf Read More...
Tiny devices promise new horizon for cancer detection
Date of Posting: 07-05-2020
Scientists have made new miniature devices that could be developed into safe, high-resolution imaging technology that helps doctors to identify potentially deadly cancers and treat them early. Millions of people around the world die from can Read More...
