News Articles
Study reveals Australia's smoking suburb hotspots
Date of Posting: 31-05-2019
Residents taking a drag on Tasmania's north coast have sparked an unwanted title for Australia's worst suburbs when it comes to the number of people smoking. Neighbouring suburbs on the north coast of Tasmania have garnered an unwanted tit Read More...
Should health star ratings on pre-packaged foods be mandatory?
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Public health experts want Australia's food and drink health star ratings to become mandatory. Australian shoppers have embraced the nutrition guides, but they are only being displayed on around 30 per cent of foods.[subscribe] Most of thes Read More...
Education and Balance key to NZ Smokefree 2025
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ (ARFNZ) marks World Smoke Free Day tomorrow with a call for more education to the public on vaping and e-cigarettes. The Foundation stresses that the promotion of e-cigarettes being a healthier alternative to c Read More...
'Submarines' small enough to deliver medicine inside human body
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Cancers in the human body may one day be treated by tiny, self-propelled ‘micro-submarines’ delivering medicine to affected organs after UNSW Sydney chemical and biomedical engineers proved it was possible. In a paper published in Mate Read More...
UNSW survey finds most young Australians are not using condoms
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Many young Australians are having sex without using condoms, exposing themselves to the risk of contracting a sexually transmissible infection [STI]. UNSW’s National Debrief Survey found that 75% of people aged 15 to 29 who had sex partners Read More...
Access is top issue for Health Minister
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Australia’s peak body for rural, regional and remote health says boosting access to health services via telehealth and increased broadband connectivity, plus boosting the allied health workforce in those areas are key priorities for Australia&r Read More...
For some people, going to prison can mean better access to health care
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare says prison clinics can greatly help people in prison take steps to improve their health. For some people, going to prison can mean better access to health care than on the outside.[subscribe] Most Read More...
Smoking is increasingly on the nose with Victorians
Date of Posting: 30-05-2019
Cigarette smoking rates have taken a dive in Victoria with plain packaging laws, public bans and advertising restrictions all having an impact. Smoking is increasingly on the nose with Victorians thanks to plain packaging, tobacco advertising laws Read More...
An extra 400,000 flu shots ordered to meet demand
Date of Posting: 29-05-2019
A record number of Australians are getting vaccinated against the flu, prompting one company to order an extra 400,000 shots to give to GPs and pharmacies. An extra 400,000 doses of the flu shot are on their way to Australia to help meet a growing Read More...
Patient safety at Hobart's main hospital is being severely and routinely compromised
Date of Posting: 29-05-2019
Tasmania's four major hospitals are failing to meet growing demand in their emergency departments, a scathing new auditor-general's report has found. Patient safety at Hobart's main hospital is being severely and routinely compromised, Read More...
New study shows bowel cancer on the rise in younger Australians
Date of Posting: 29-05-2019
The rate of bowel cancer is on the rise in Australians under the age of 50, prompting a call for a change in screening guidelines for the deadly disease. Bowel cancer has long been linked to older people, but a new study has shown a significant ri Read More...
An early start to the cold and flu season has taken a heavy toll on blood donations
Date of Posting: 28-05-2019
The Red Cross urgently needs almost 6000 people to give blood over the next two weeks, with cold and flu cases hitting blood stocks hard. An early start to the cold and flu season has taken a heavy toll on blood donations, with the Red Cross issui Read More...
Older Australians are being urged to get the pneumonia vaccine
Date of Posting: 28-05-2019
Australians over the age of 65 or at high risk of infection are being urged to become immunised against pneumonia, one of the top 10 killers in the country. Older Australians are being urged to get the pneumonia vaccine, in a bid to boost immunisa Read More...
The death toll from flu in South Australia has climbed to 35
Date of Posting: 27-05-2019
Health authorities say the flu has claimed 35 lives in South Australia this year, with more than ten times the number of cases than the same time in 2018. The death toll from flu in South Australia has climbed to 35 this year as the total number o Read More...
Making a jump from Nurse to Leader
Last Updated: 27-05-2019
Not all nurses and midwives begin their career with thoughts of becoming a leader. However, becoming a Unit Manager or higher, is a step on the clinical ladder that an increasing number hope to achieve. The question facing most aspiring leaders is Read More...
Aboriginal Australians want care after brain injury. But it must consider their cultural needs
Last Updated: 24-05-2019
Beth Armstrong, Edith Cowan University and Juli Coffin, Telethon Kids Institute Aboriginal Australians continue to face serious health challenges. Life expectancy is about 10.7 years less for Indigenous Australians than non-Indigenous Austra Read More...
Latest HIV data shows continued progress towards ending HIV
Date of Posting: 24-05-2019
The latest data showing a continued decline in HIV transmission rates in NSW has been welcomed by the state’s leading HIV prevention and HIV support organisation, ACON. The NSW HIV Strategy Data Report – Quarter 1 shows that in the fir Read More...
Study finds link between climate and childhood gastro
Date of Posting: 24-05-2019
Extreme weather is linked to childhood gastro and better protections are needed, a new global study from The Australian National University (ANU) has found. The study found global changes in weather, including in Australia, were linked to ca Read More...
Victoria's leading public oral health agency is rolling out a pilot program to prevent oral cancers
Date of Posting: 23-05-2019
As three people on average die from oral cancer in Victoria each week, an oral health agency is on a mission to trial a program to prevent the disease. Victoria's leading public oral health agency is rolling out a pilot program to prevent oral Read More...
Australia's ageing population is driving up hospitalisation rates
Date of Posting: 23-05-2019
Australians are ageing and coming down with more vaccine-preventable diseases meaning the public health system is under increased pressure, a report says. Australia's ageing population is driving up hospitalisation rates while health practitio Read More...
A baby is one of six people to contract measles
Date of Posting: 22-05-2019
A child and five adults have been diagnosed with measles in Victoria after coming into contact with a visitor from Vietnam, state health authorities say. A baby is one of six people to contract measles after coming in contact with an infected over Read More...
NSW teenager finding opportunities in aged care
Date of Posting: 22-05-2019
16 year old Terrigal High student Charlotte Morrow is one of many TAFE NSW students across New South Wales undertaking school-based traineeships that will assist in filling skills shortages across the health sector. She is loving her Certificate I Read More...
More Australians than ever before are going into palliative care
Date of Posting: 22-05-2019
As sick Australians are facing the end of their life, an increasing number are turning to palliative care, a report has found. More Australians than ever before are going into palliative care, seeking comfort in their final days.[subscribe] A r Read More...
Victorians can access Australia-first virtual reality CPR training
Date of Posting: 21-05-2019
Technology is being used to help save lives with virtual reality lessons cutting down the time it takes to train Victorians in CPR. St John Ambulance, in partnership with Start VR, on Tuesday launched the Australia-first virtual reality service wh Read More...
The flu has killed 26 Victorians, including three children
Date of Posting: 21-05-2019
A three-year-old child is the youngest of 26 people whose deaths have been attributed to Victoria's early-starting flu season this year. The youngster, along with two others aged six and 11, were reported to the health department several weeks Read More...
Groundbreaking genetic discovery shows why Lupus develops
Date of Posting: 21-05-2019
In a world first, researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have shown previously ignored rare genetic mutations are a major cause of lupus. The discovery is set to change our understanding of the causes of disease and potentially Read More...
Protecting the bones of children with cerebral palsy
Date of Posting: 21-05-2019
A new research project led by Dr Julie Choisne at the University of Auckland aims to prevent bone deformation in children with cerebral palsy, and the hip, knee and ankle abnormalities that can result from the condition. Dr Choisne, of the Aucklan Read More...
Schizophrenia treatment shifts focus
Date of Posting: 21-05-2019
Promising results with a psychotherapy program for people with psychosis is leading researchers to look for ways to adapt it for other conditions such as eating disorders. In new research published in Schizophrenia Bulletin,** the metacognitive tr Read More...
Speech pathology should be routinely offered in aged care facilities, says therapist
Date of Posting: 20-05-2019
While many consider speech pathology to be a child-centric allied health service, the elderly may also benefit greatly from the service, despite accessibility being limited, particularly those living in aged care facilities. “Speech Patholog Read More...
Nurses are being blamed for aged care plight, survey shows
Date of Posting: 20-05-2019
While increased publicity surrounding the plight of the aged care industry is raising awareness of the issue, a recent survey shows nurses are being blamed at a societal level, adding to their already high levels of stresses. The survey, conducted Read More...
Australia's expanding waistlines are weighing down on life expectancy rates
Date of Posting: 20-05-2019
Australians are still getting older, but the rate of increase is slower and obesity is partly to blame, new research has found. The slowdown in life expectancy growth has been going on since 2003, according to the research published Monday in the Read More...
An urgent summit with medical staff is needed to address the increasing level of violence
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
Unions are calling on the WA government to hold a summit with frontline medical staff to help improve safety at hospitals following another major assault. An urgent summit with medical staff is needed to address the increasing level of violence in Read More...
Allied health software enables accurate recording of Sex, Gender Identity, and Pronouns
Last Updated: 16-05-2019
In December 2018, Australian-based allied health practice management system Cliniko released a software update that enabled the recording of not just sex, but gender identity and pronouns, as well. Cliniko is the first (and remains the only) allie Read More...
Becoming a nurse while raising a family
Last Updated: 16-05-2019
After raising her five young daughters and one son through their early years, Coonamble resident Sarah O’Neil, decided she wanted to pursue her passion and a career as a nurse. Ms O’Neil was aware of the 4% employment demand for traine Read More...
Bipolar Disorder: A complicated disease with significant ramifications
Last Updated: 16-05-2019
If you or someone you know has recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, chances are you have a lot of questions. Even if you have been aware of your diagnosis for some time, there are some things that you may not know or understand about the Read More...
Disability employment - from willing to hiring
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
Op-ed by Dr Dinesh Palipana, Senior House Officer in the Emergency Department at Gold Coast University Hospital I work as a doctor in the busiest emergency department in Australia, at the Gold Coast University Hospital. I work 10 and a half hour s Read More...
Menopause 'not the cause of midlife weight gain' in women
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
Fat-mass continues to increase in middle-age women but menopause isn’t to blame, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU). Mr Ananthan Ambikairajah, a PhD Scholar from ANU, says post-menopausal women do have hi Read More...
Bringing death and dying to the dinner table
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
With Australia’s death rate set to double in the next 25 years, more than 50% of us die in acute-care settings, often alone and hidden from society. Dying is normal but the difficult task of addressing end-of-life care is generally left to h Read More...
Are you simply 'putting up' with the symptoms of anxiety?
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
Anxiety is a normal part of life, but anxiety that is severe, constant and interferes with normal life may have reached the stage of being a disorder. One in three of us will have an anxiety disorder at some point in our lives, with one in seven a Read More...
Thousands of Australians may have high blood pressure but not know it
Date of Posting: 16-05-2019
Thousands of Australians may be living with undiagnosed, untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure, according to a new report. The results of a new study have identified the condition of "masked hypertension" - when high blood pressu Read More...
