Rates of ADHD medications prescribed for children have gone up by 30% in three years. But our research found only one in four children who meet ADHD criteria are taking medication.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
Just 82% of young Australians have insurance when they travel overseas. But even if you have insurance, you might not be covered for everything.
When we are asleep our brain does not switch off. It keeps working, but not as hard.
A Senate Report has put forward 16 recommendations to reduce rates of stillbirth in Australia targeting a 20% reduction in the rate within three years. We can do this by focusing on five practices.
Having a stressed and depressed father can have serious implications for infants and relationships. And supporting a father who may be experiencing mental ill health means supporting the mother too.
New research shows a six-fold increase in sales of infant formula prescribed for babies with cows' milk protein allergy in the UK, despite no evidence of an increase in the incidence of the allergy.
The person in charge of your surgery is a consultant surgeon. A consultant is the most qualified doctor in a hospital.
Our research has found that cancer DNA forms a unique structure when placed in water. We used this finding to develop a test that can detect cancerous DNA in less than ten minutes.
It's hard to predict how long it will take to feel better after you start taking antibiotics. But if you start feeling worse one to two days after starting the therapy, you must see your doctor.
Recent study found it's no more a "miracle" solution for weight loss than regular diets are.
Researchers are exploring the possibility of creating living drugs – designer microbes that can live in our guts and provide critical components that our body needs but can't make itself.
Media-driven panic about drugs can create a perception more people are using the drug than they actually are, and when teens think 'everyone' is doing it, they are more likely to want to do it too.
When we get nervous, a number of processes occur in the brain that are passed onto the stomach and affect the digestive process. This is a hangover from our hunter-gatherer days.
The science of sleep and the economics of sleeplessness.
The Conversation, CC BY52.8 MB (download)
Only about one quarter Australians report getting eight or more hours of sleep. And in pre-industrial times, it was seen as normal to wake for a few hours in the middle of the night and chat or work.
Australians are more aware of domestic violence and sexual assault than before. But a worrying proportion blame victims for abuse, think women are lying, and don't believe consent is always necessary.
Pollutants from fossil fuel combustion cause thousands of premature deaths nationwide every year. This is just one way our climate change policies impact on the nation's health.
Irritable bowel syndrome causes abdominal pain and constipation or diarrhoea. These symptoms overlap with other disorders, so it's important to get the correct diagnosis and then the best treatments.
I have worked on this problem for many years, and to be honest it still blows my mind to really think about just how complex it is.
When a pregnancy lasts 42 weeks or more or complications arise, women will need to consider being induced.
Five out of five experts agreed not everyone needs eight hours of sleep.
It's tempting to ditch the mozzie creams and sprays, and switch to clothing that has its own “built in” bug repellent instead. But the technology isn't quite there yet.
Gene editing controversy
A Chinese scientist has revealed he edited the DNA of twin girls born through in vitro fertilization. These girls are designed to be resistant to HIV. Is the edit a medical necessity or an enhancement?
The announcement of the birth of babies with edited genes has been met by a deluge of scientific and ethical criticism. Public discussion focuses on risks and benefits – was breaking this taboo worth it?
The world seemed to be inching forward with CRISPR gene editing technology – but suddenly the forbidden fruit has been plucked, and some even worry that the CRISPR tree has been cut down.
Women's health
Studies show oestrogen protects against depression and psychotic symptoms. So falls in the hormone, as happens before menstruation, can lead to depressive and other symptoms of mental illness.
There are more than 30 different types of contraceptive pills. But brand names such as Microgynon, Levlen, Yaz and Brenda give little indication of the ingredients, dose or who should use them.
Adenomyosis is a different condition to endometriosis, though many women who have one will have the other.
Aged care crisis
Eliminating sexual assault in nursing homes is a major challenge which starts with acknowledging it exists and recognising the scale of this abuse.
The biggest system failure in aged care is staffing. We don't need to wait until the royal commission is over to fix it – this can be done now.
Hay fever
Allergens that trigger hay fever can also trigger asthma attacks in people with allergic asthma.
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Cancer
This body map brings together evidence on proven cancer causes. Using credible, scientific sources it answers questions about whether alcohol, red meat or sun exposure increase your cancer risk.
From the archives
It's time for Australia to follow the UK's lead and increase the price of sugary drinks.
Asylum seeker mental health
A boy has been flown to Australia from Nauru for urgent medical treatment for suspected resignation syndrome.
Elective surgery waiting times
Australians are waiting too long for elective surgery, dental care and treatment for mental health. It's no wonder health is a vote-changer.
Stillbirth
Stillbirth deeply and profoundly affects parents and families. Here are five actions in response to this hidden tragedy.
Organ trafficking
For those who travel to China for whole livers, lungs or hearts, there can be little doubt that, after organ retrieval, the donor is dead.
Autism
Unlike Australia, New Zealand doesn't fund early intervention therapy for autistic children, but there are programmes pre-school teachers and parents can use to help kids develop.
Pregnancy
A new review of 70 studies involving nearly 20,000 women found taking omega-3 supplements in pregnancy reduces the risk of premature labour.
Kids' health
Only a minority of products in Australia actually have mandatory standards applied to them. There is a misconception that product standards can prevent all injuries.
Private health
Private health insurance premiums are set to rise again. These 14 charts (well, technically 10 charts and four tables) look at some of the reasons why health insurance premiums keep going up and up.
Meth addiction
There is no evidence to suggest mandatory treatment outside of the criminal justice system would work. Instead, we need to increase funding for treatment programs, including early intervention.
Death
You've more than likely heard of birth doulas. But nowadays, death doulas are providing support at the end of life. How they fit into existing structures of care remains to be understood.
FASD
Liberal Party backbencher Sharman Stone told the Q&A audience that Australia has some of the highest rates per capita of fetal alcohol syndrome in the world. We check the research.
Loneliness
Half of Australians feel lonely for at least one day a week, while one in four feel lonely for three or more days. This can impact on sleep, heart health and levels of anxiety.
Mental health
The key challenge in mental health is finding the political will and the financial and community resources to do what has already been described in thousands of pages and hundreds of recommendations.
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