We often associate impairment in executive function with conditions like ADHD, with an image of a young person who struggles to focus or sustain attention, acts impulsively and finds it hard to juggle competing tasks. However, such impairments in what’s called...
The broad harms of a sedentary lifestyle include increased risks of weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and premature death. In response to this, there’s been a surge in popularity over recent years of lifestyle interventions that aim to lower how long we sit...
According to the Heart Foundation, 42% of Australian adults are living with high cholesterol, which is most common in people aged 55 to 64 years of age. If diagnosed, many of these people will be taking a cholesterol lowering medicines daily. Although this comes with...
While COVID and Influenza rates have been declining, there are currently four main viruses circulating around the community which explains why people are getting sick. These viruses are adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza and rhinovirus. According to Dr...
Vaping has surged among young Australians in recent years, especially adolescents in their early teens. Adolescence is also when many mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety begin to emerge. While previous research, mostly from the US, has suggested a...
Chronic pain is relatively common among older adults, often associated with long-term conditions like arthritis. University of Sydney research has found people over 65 are being prescribed antidepressants as pain treatment based on international guidelines that use...
Contraception for mothers of newborn babies can often be overlooked amidst the focus on the health of the newborn baby and the significant adjustments required following the birth of the child. A Monash University-led study has found that early access to contraception...
As surgical technologies advance, more older people will be considered candidates for surgery, but this expansion may have unintended consequences. A University of Sydney led study has revealed multiple surgeries on older patients can have an effect on memory,...
As we get older, we tend to accumulate medications that have been prescribed over the course of adulthood, often leading to polypharmacy (defined as taking five or more medications concurrently). Research in 2017 found that almost a million Australians over the age of...
Vaginismus is a sexual pain disorder that can have a profound impact on wellbeing and sense of self. It is due to the pelvic floor muscles spasming and can result in vaginal penetration being painful to impossible. It is reported to affect between one and seven per...
Mental health conditions have a significant impact and are common. We also know that some mental health issues are associated with experiences from childhood such as maltreatment and abuse. Child maltreatment includes experiencing physical and sexual abuse and being...
Tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough are covered by various combination vaccines in Australia. While part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, recommended coverage for adults becomes more complex, with varying schemes and rules governing who gets which...
