Hepatitis E virus: it’s time to pay closer attention
According to the World Health Organisation, viral hepatitis infections claim the lives of 3,500 people each day worldwide. One of the lesser-known kinds is hepatitis E. Infection can occur after eating or drinking contaminated food or water in less developed...
Is lifestyle therapy helpful for depression?
Depression affects 1 in 7 people in Australia. Good nutrition, physical activity and having someone you can reach out to are all important when someone is depressed. How do these lifestyle interventions compare though, and which are the most important? A new study...
Getting more people into bowel cancer screening
Bowel cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, claiming the lives of 5,350 Australians every year (103 a week). That number is even more tragic because many of these deaths could have been prevented through early detection. The National Bowel Cancer...
Does high-intensity exercise boost memory function?
It’s the in-vogue form of exercising, and now another study suggests it has benefits over and above the everyday activities of jogging, swimming or cycling. High intensity interval training (HIIT) is characterised by periods of intense physical exercise, interposed...
Australians not good at identifying their own melanomas
Australians have some of the highest rates of exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) from the sun. This results in a high incidence of skin cancer, including melanoma. Over the past four decades in particular, skin cancer rates have increased significantly, with two...
Do multivitamins make you live longer?
Multivitamins are commonly used in the belief that they prevent disease and maintain health. In fact, approximately 45% of Australians take vitamins, minerals or supplements and it’s estimated to be a $5 billion dollar industry. But in a new study, their use didn’t...
Does walking reduce low back pain?
Low back pain is pervasive globally, affecting millions. And though it is usually self-limited, recurring symptoms are common, adding significantly to both personal disability and economic costs. Despite exercise being recommended for prevention, the effectiveness of...
Dementia risk reduction and prevention: Tips from a leading expert
Dementia is the leading cause of death for women (second overall for the population) according to Dementia Australia. There is a lack of knowledge and understanding in the community about dementia, and it can often be a stigmatised or neglected group. Even the 1.6...
Fewer Australians are getting their annual influenza vaccine
It's peak flu season but about 540,000 fewer Australians have had a flu shot compared to this time last year at the time of writing. A National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) survey was conducted to find out why people were choosing not to...
Are precision medicine treatments more effective for children with cancer
According to the Cancer Council about 750 children aged 0-14 are diagnosed with cancer each year in Australia. Recent advancements in paediatric cancer research have highlighted the potential of precision-guided treatment (PGT) in managing high-risk cases. This study...
Risky behaviour for teens proves hard to change
Our teenage years are often seen as a risky period for developing lifestyle behaviours that are factors for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders. The Health4Life intervention, designed collaboratively by experts...
Vaccine misperceptions spread among parents
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted routine vaccination services worldwide, leading to a notable decline in childhood vaccination rates. This has been particularly acute in low and middle-income countries, but wealthy countries like Australia aren’t...