News Articles
A total knee replacement should be a "last resort" treatment of osteoarthritis
Date of Posting: 19-05-2017
A knee replacement should only be considered after all non-surgical treatments for osteoarthritis of the knee have failed, say health authorities. A total knee replacement should be a "last resort" treatment of osteoarthritis, with those Read More...
A virtual schizophrenia library has been launched to help patients and their families
Date of Posting: 18-05-2017
A virtual library on schizophrenia full of accurate and reliable information is now available to Australians impacted by the mental illness. The Schizophrenia Library developed by scientists at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) contains 2,00 Read More...
Advanced melanoma patients with brain tumours may be able to live longer
Date of Posting: 18-05-2017
Australian researchers say a combination of immunotherapy drugs may help increase life expectancy for patients with advanced melanoma. Advanced melanoma patients with brain tumours may be able to live longer using a combination of immunotherapy dr Read More...
Smokers are significantly more likely to develop skin cancer
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
Queensland researchers have found what they say is the strongest link yet between smoking and skin cancer. Smokers are significantly more likely to develop skin cancer, a Queensland study has found.[subscribe] Researchers at the QIMR Berghofer Read More...
World-class testing available for Queensland coalminers to combat black lung disease
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
Queensland coal miners will be given access to world-class testing for black lung in response to a growing number of cases of the disease. Since its re-emergence two years ago, 21 Queensland miners have been diagnosed with the disease, prompting t Read More...
NSW bill allows terminally ill patients to end their lives
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
A NSW woman suffering from motor neuron disease has given her backing to a new bill that could allow terminally ill patients to end their lives. A terminally ill mother of two has told her emotional story in NSW parliament, leaving politicians in Read More...
Global push to reform the way we define disease
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
Experts release new rules for panels which seek to make more healthy people into patients A group of international experts today released the first ever guidance for medical panels which make changes to disease definitions, in a landmark paper in Read More...
Australia's mental health nurses urged to 'understand and foster resilience'
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
A CQUniversity Noosa academic has chosen the occasion of International Nurses' Day and Florence Nightingale's birthday to urge mental health nurses across our nation to understand and foster resilience. Professor Margaret McAllister presen Read More...
Continence care for the transgender community
Date of Posting: 17-05-2017
The specific continence needs of transgender people will be among topics on the agenda at the Continence Foundation of Australia’s Victorian conference at Torquay this week (May 18-19). RSL Care + RDNS senior clinical nurse adviser Kate McLe Read More...
Pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination campaign is failing
Last Updated: 16-05-2017
Life-threatening consequences are not enough to make three quarters of Australian adults vaccinate against pneumococcal pneumonia, a survey reveals. Potential death is not enough to make three quarters of Australian adults vaccinate against pneumo Read More...
Researchers analysed Zika-associated birth defects
Date of Posting: 16-05-2017
A study into microcephaly, where babies are born with smaller heads, found foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and genetic conditions can cause the birth defect. The birth defect microcephaly had the world's attention when images of Zika-infected Read More...
Management of epidurals for obese women is a growing concern for anaesthetists
Date of Posting: 16-05-2017
As obesity rates rise in Australia, the administration of epidurals for pregnant women become a concern among anaesthetists. Losing weight before falling pregnant may save mums-to-be a world of pain during labour.[subscribe] Research shows that Read More...
Physiotherapists treat more iHunch pain
Last Updated: 15-05-2017
New Zealand’s peak physiotherapy organisation has urged people using smart phones, tablets and laptops for extended periods of time to avoid ‘iHunch’ with good posture and regular movement. Physiotherapists and chiropractors in t Read More...
Having a pet dog reduces a child's risk of developing a food allergy
Date of Posting: 15-05-2017
Having a pet dog reduces a child's risk of developing a food allergy before the age of four, new Australian research has identified. Nearly two thirds of children with a food allergy will have outgrown it by the age of four, Australian researc Read More...
HPV vaccination and screening will prevent women from rare cervical cancer
Date of Posting: 12-05-2017
HPV vaccination and screening will prevent thousands of women developing a rare type of cervical cancer. More than 6000 cases of a rare, hard-to-detect type of cervical cancer will be averted by 2040 as a result of vaccination and screening, accor Read More...
Regular high-intensity exercise can significantly slow down ageing
Date of Posting: 12-05-2017
Regular high-intensity exercise can slow the ageing of the body's cells by nearly 10 years, according to a US study. Research from Brigham Young University (BMU), published in medical journal Preventive Medicine, found people who consistently Read More...
Doctors need to be taught how to discuss their patients' excess weight
Last Updated: 12-05-2017
Adrienne Gordon, University of Sydney and Kirsten Black, University of Sydney With 80% of adults and close to one-third of children expected to be overweight or obese by 2025, doctors are increasingly likely to be working with people who ar Read More...
Pelvic floor training in pregnancy could help prevent the need for 'barbaric' vaginal mesh surgery
Last Updated: 12-05-2017
Victoria Salmon, University of Exeter and Rachel Jarvie, University of Exeter For millions of women, childbirth is a somewhat daunting yet thoroughly rewarding process. In the western world, many years of medical research and professional expe Read More...
New Pain Management education resource for health professionals launched
Date of Posting: 12-05-2017
Helping health professionals to better treat chronic pain, the third most expensive health condition, is the focus of a new educational resource launched in Brisbane today at a key meeting of Australian and New Zealand pain medicine specialists. T Read More...
Volunteers helping to make experience with dementia better for others
Date of Posting: 12-05-2017
As part of National Volunteer Week celebrations Alzheimer’s Australia Vic, today, honoured the invaluable commitment by the many volunteers who enable the delivery of vital services and support across the state to people, of all ages, living wi Read More...
Purple House nurse named Nurse of the Year
Last Updated: 11-05-2017
Sarah Brown is the 2017 Nurse of the Year. The remote area nurse, who reshaped ‘on country’ dialysis services for Aboriginal people in central Australia, has been awarded the top honour at the 2017 HESTA Australian Nursing and Midwifer Read More...
Incontinence: no laughing matter
Date of Posting: 11-05-2017
World Continence Week – June 19-25 Australians are being urged to take the matter of incontinence more seriously during World Continence Week, particularly in light of disturbing new data that suggests the majority of women affected simply l Read More...
Celebrating the NT's 'bush nurses'
Date of Posting: 11-05-2017
Being bogged in the outback and having to throw a radio antenna over the branches of a tall eucalypt to get reception are just some of the challenges bush nurses have faced over the decades and will form part of a display in Darwin this week. The Read More...
Physical complaints and disturbed sleep are all signs of chronic anxiety
Date of Posting: 11-05-2017
Anxiety at work could be what's giving you that sore back or neck, says physiotherapist Anna-Louise Bouvier That challenging colleague could literally be the reason for the pain in your neck, leading physiotherapist and mind body expert Anna-L Read More...
Olympic gold medallist has found low carb, high fat diets can impair performance
Date of Posting: 11-05-2017
An Australian study of elite walkers, including Olympic gold medallist Jarred Talent, has found low carb, high fat diets can impair performance. Fitness fanatics may swear by it but new research shows a low carbohydrate, high fat diet (LCHF) can i Read More...
Common anti-inflammatory painkillers could raise heart attack risk
Date of Posting: 10-05-2017
Taking any dose of ibuprofen, for as little as one week has been linked to an increased risk of heart attack. Routinely taking common anti-inflammatory painkillers could put people at a heightened risk of heart attack, Canadian research has found. Read More...
The Mediterranean diet can reduce ageing of the skin
Date of Posting: 10-05-2017
A diet rich in antioxidants can help limit the number of wrinkles you get, Australian dermatologist Dr Michelle Hunt says. The Mediterranean diet can reduce ageing of the skin, an Australian dermatologist says.[subscribe] Dr Michelle Hunt says Read More...
Stress hormone study to finally settle debate over infant sleep training
Date of Posting: 10-05-2017
Researchers aim to measure the stress hormone cortisol in babies and parents during different types of sleep training, to conclusively rule on which is the least stressful settling technique. Parents or primary carers of infant children aged 4-12 Read More...
Nursing researchers to receive international honour
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
Griffith University patient safety nursing researcher Professor Wendy Chaboyer is one of two Australian researchers set to be inducted into the International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame. Professor Chaboyer will join Queensland University of Tech Read More...
Urinary incontinence can be a problem for women of all ages, but there is a cure
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
Kate Moore, UNSW Urinary incontinence is urine leakage from a loss of bladder control that mainly affects women after childbirth. But it can happen to anyone. Around 37% of Australian women have some form of the condition compare Read More...
Bullying, dysfunction at Royal Adelaide
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
Patient care is being compromised by "unprecedented dysfunction" between doctors at Royal Adelaide Hospital, a report warns. Doctors are engaging in a childish and dangerous culture of bullying and infighting - putting patients at risk - Read More...
Medicine still plagued by sexism
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
A high-profile academic says the medical profession is failing to stamp out sexism, and the only way is to change the people training female students. Australia's medical profession is failing to stamp out sexual harassment, bullying and discr Read More...
RACS to address bullying culture
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
Discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment is widespread among surgeons, report finds. Experts who investigated discrimination, bullying and sexual harassment by surgeons are "shocked" at the scope of the problem.[subscribe] The R Read More...
Nurses and midwives reminded their health matters
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
International Day of the Midwife (May 5) and International Nurses Day (May 12) As nurses and midwives are acknowledged across the country, experts are reminding them that their health and wellbeing is just as important as the health of their patie Read More...
Research shows faecal transplants boost mind-gut link
Date of Posting: 09-05-2017
There is anecdotal evidence that recipients of a faecal transplant mimick the mood of their donors, adding weight to the mind-gut connection. The theory that the trillions of microbes living in the human gut are in constant communication with the Read More...
Breast milk is always best for babies
Date of Posting: 09-05-2017
In their first month of life, breastfed babies get around a third of their gut bacteria from breastmilk, according to US research. A mother's breast milk contains good bacteria that is planted in the gut of breastfed babies, a study has found. Read More...
Australian breast cancer patients will be treated with a new form of radiation therapy
Date of Posting: 09-05-2017
Australian women with early-stage breast cancer will take part in a international drug trial that targets the cancer with a 'single dose' of radiation. Australian breast cancer patients will be among the first in the world to be treated wi Read More...
Use of restraint in Australian specialised public mental health hospital has been released
Last Updated: 09-05-2017
For the first time, national data about the use of restraint in Australian specialised public mental health hospitals has been released. New data shows mental health patients are still being physically and mechanically restrained despite a push to Read More...
Intl. researcher shares new understanding of the biology of PTSD, chronic pain and depression
Date of Posting: 08-05-2017
Dr Samuel McLean, MD, a practicing emergency medical doctor and researcher at the University of North Carolina, is visiting Australia this week to present at the international Whiplash 2017 Symposium at the Gold Coast. Whiplash 2017 is a joint eve Read More...
Lecture to highlight Indigenous health gap
Date of Posting: 08-05-2017
A renowned kidney specialist who has been working to close the gap in Indigenous health in the Northern Territory for more than 30 years will deliver the first Charles Darwin University Professorial Lecture for 2017. The Director of Menzies School Read More...
