Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the most common cancers in Australia and account for seven out of every eight new cancers diagnosed. If detected early, they are relatively easy to treat and rarely…
It seems that almost every politician, health economist, policy expert and health-care worker has a different take on the state of the nation’s health system and ways to make it more sustainable. But notably…
In 1980 just 10% of Australian adults were obese; by 2012 this figure had risen to 25%, among the highest in the world. The food industry lobby and their friends in government would have us believe this…
With the Tony Abbott government expressing concern about the growing health budget and emphasising personal responsibility, perhaps it’s time to consider some creative ways of curbing what Australia spends…
Decoration and modification of the body have become a contemporary form of fashion. Aesthetic sensibilities once considered quite deviant (and now ordinary) commonly articulate our sense of self through…
Malignant brain tumours are the most common cause of cancer death in children. And the most common of these are called medulloblastoma. Although these tumours can occur in both children and adults (they…
Public hospital spending has been the single fastest-growing area of government spending over the past decade. As governments, policymakers and economists put health spending under the microscope, it’s…
Estimates suggest more than two million people worldwide would benefit from an organ transplant. While the donation rates vary greatly between countries, the contrast between the increasing numbers of…
Police officers encounter people with mental illnesses every day, whether they are perpetrators, victims, or witnesses of crime. In 2013 alone, NSW police responded to more than 40,000 mental health incidents…
So little Harry won’t eat his vegetables? Well, he’s not alone. Poor Harry is just protecting himself from the danger of alkaloid toxins – although he doesn’t actually know this. At the tender age of four…
Earlier pub closing times have a large impact on curbing alcohol-fuelled violence, according to research my colleagues and I have published today in the international peer-reviewed journal Drug & Alcohol…
Alcohol industry-funded organisation DrinkWise has released a new advertising campaign titled Drinking – Do it properly that will supposedly reduce the harmful effects of binge drinking among young Australians…
I recently visited a new McDonald’s outlet on the northern fringes of Sydney. What I found inside left me gawping in astonishment: soft lighting, views of nature, a mixture of private and communal spaces…
There are few aspirations that almost all of the globe’s human population shares. Good health is one, and I believe healthcare to be a fundamental human right. Illness impedes individuals from supporting…
Almost two thirds of Australians are now overweight or obese. In fact, obesity and unhealthy diets now contribute to more disease and illness in Australia than smoking. This makes finding solutions to…
It seems that almost every politician, health economist, policy expert and health-care worker has a different take on the state of the nation’s health system and ways to make it more sustainable. But notably…
The Pharmacy Guild recently announced that medication reviews will now be capped.
The Pharmacy Guild recently announced that medication reviews will now be capped.
Gatis Gribusts/Flickr
Reviews by specially-trained pharmacists of the medication taken by elderly people have been funded by the federal government for over 15 years now. But a secret deal followed by a sudden announcement…
Pharmacists' skills go well beyond dispensing drugs but a one-off check would do little to achieve integrated care.
Pharmacists' skills go well beyond dispensing drugs but a one-off check would do little to achieve integrated care.
Image from shutterstock.com
The Pharmacy Guild has proposed a scheme that would see the Commonwealth government pay pharmacists A$50 to provide one-off health checks. Pharmacists checks would assess patients' body mass index, blood…
Proximity to wind farms may cause annoyance but not ill health.
Proximity to wind farms may cause annoyance but not ill health.
Image from shutterstock.com
There is no reliable or consistent evidence that proximity to wind farms or wind farm noise directly causes health effects. That’s the finding of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC…
Keep your high heel-wearing to less than three days a week.
Keep your high heel-wearing to less than three days a week.
Ed L/Flickr
High-heeled shoes are thought to characterise femininity and beauty, making the wearer feel self-assured and elegant. But they also alter alignment of the feet, legs, and back, and can have long-term effects…
There’s a delicate balance between avoiding stigmatising kids and identifying those who need early help.
There’s a delicate balance between avoiding stigmatising kids and identifying those who need early help.
Seema Krishnakum/Flickr
Early childhood screening has been suggested as a way to identify and treat kids at risk of developing childhood mental health issues. But finding the right tool for such screening poses major challenges…
Researchers working with alternative medicines have an obligation to report negative or null findings.
Researchers working with alternative medicines have an obligation to report negative or null findings.
hit thatswitch/Flickr
TESTING ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - La Trobe University’s decision to accept funding from Swisse for a new centre to research alternative medicines has sparked controversy. There’s been a fair bit of debate…
Some chemicals are still used in industrial products or are found in the environment.
Some chemicals are still used in industrial products or are found in the environment.
Solovyova Lyudmyla/Flickr
The news that toxic chemicals may be triggering a rise in autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia in the United States has rightly prompted concern among parents. But what…
Government spending is already targeted toward poorer households.
Government spending is already targeted toward poorer households.
AAP Image/Dave Hunt
Should the rich pay more for their health care? This question has raised its ugly head again after health minister Peter Dutton announced the Coalition government was considering more user-pays options…
There are outstanding questions about the long-term safety of IVF.
There are outstanding questions about the long-term safety of IVF.
Nina Matthews Photography/Flickr
By Jane Halliday, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
Babies conceived through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) mostly grow up to be healthy adults and compare well to those conceived naturally, according to research my colleagues and I have just published in…
Today’s global HIV statistics reflect increasingly risky sexual practices.
Today’s global HIV statistics reflect increasingly risky sexual practices.
Shutterstock
One of the most perplexing risks to public health is human nature. No matter how diligently public health campaigns lay out the facts, we continue to make seemingly illogical decisions. Just look at the…
More than 1.5 million readers visit The Conversation each month.
Write an article and join a growing community of more than
10,100
academics and researchers from 687 institutions.
The Conversation relies on sector, government and reader support.
If you would like to help us have even better conversations,
then you may like to make a one-off or on-going donation.
