Public health

Analysis and Comment (53)

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A Trans Pacific Partnership meeting hosted by US President Barack Obama with the Sultan of Brunei and prime ministers from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia , Singapore and Vietnam, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on November 20, 2012. AAP Image/Auspic, David Foote

Trans Pacific Partnership puts member countries' health at risk

By Sharon Friel; Deborah Gleeson, La Trobe University, and Libby Hattersley

International trade agreements bring new transnational food companies into countries, along with new food advertising and promotion. This has often led to an increase in unhealthy foods entering the domestic…
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There’s a strong financial case to selling Medibank Private, but politics has made privatisation an unpopular choice. AAP/ Joel Carrett

Privatising Medibank: good business hamstrung by bad politics

By Ian McAuley, University of Canberra

At first sight it is surprising that neither the government nor the opposition, both seeking budgetary savings, is proposing to sell Medibank Private. When retiring Medibank Private chairman Paul McClintock…
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A smart card system could help consumers keep track of their alcohol consumption – and help them drink less. Flickr/Mr Kael

Tap and go: smart cards could change the culture of booze

By Dan O'Keeffe, Kwansei Gakuin University

We all know that too much booze is bad for our health. Alcohol has been linked to 60 different medical conditions and almost 3,500 deaths a year in Australia, mostly from long-term alcohol abuse, accidents…
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Many proposed measures for curbing obesity around the work are aimed at restricting the intake sugar from soft drinks. Robert Huffstutter

Another day, another anti-obesity campaign, but will this one work?

By Adrian Bauman

Merely two months into the new year and we have already seen a plethora of local and international efforts aimed at curbing what appears to be the inexorable rise of obesity. Some of these initiatives…
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There’s a gap between what people with private health insurance think they’re paying for and what they’re getting. mvcaf/Flickr

Private health insurance and the illusion of choice

By Karen Willis and Kirsten Harley

The number of people with health insurance plummeted in the 1990s, but almost half the Australian population now has private hospital insurance and over half have ancillary or extras cover. But our research…
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No-smoking signs may actually prompt smokers to smoke. Mykl Roventine/Flickr

Anti-smoking signs may cause people to reach for cigarettes

By Brian D. Earp, University of Oxford

In 1863, Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote, “Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear – and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute.” According to a recent experiment…
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Many Australians are concerned about whether coal seam gas extraction will affect the quality of their water. Jeremy Buckingham MLC

Dealing with the health risks of unconventional gas

By David Shearman

Community concerns over unconventional gas (shale and coal seam) mining in Australia are increasing. These concerns relate to water and air pollution, land usage, fugitive emissions and to inadequate assessment…
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Urban environments are increasingly bombarding us with unhealthy food choices. John Walker

Rethinking how we live to stop the chronic diseases epidemic

By Alessandro R Demaio, University of Copenhagen; Fiona Lander, Monash University; Fred Hersch, and Kerin O'Dea, University of South Australia

We are in the midst of a global epidemic of chronic diseases – diabetes, heart disease, cancers and respiratory disease are on the rise across the world. Posing a real and increasing threat to health and…
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It’s easy to claim “wind turbine syndrome” exists, but where’s the evidence? Snurb

There’s still no evidence that wind farms harm your health

By Simon Chapman

Back in July I wrote an article for the The Conversation arguing that wind turbine syndrome was a classic “communicated” disease: it spreads by being talked about, and is therefore a strong candidate for…
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Coal mining in NSW’s Hunter region co-exists with wine growing, racehorse breeding, dairy and other pastoral industries. Jo Schmaltz

Coal industry thriving, but at what social and health cost?

By Ruth Colagiuri and Emily Morrice

If you believe industry propaganda, coal mining is a panacea not only for economic ills but also for smoothing troubled social waters. But a lack of local evidence about the health impact of the coal industry…
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Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg announcing job cuts in his department on September 7, 2012. AAP

Censoring public health in Queensland – a dangerous precedent?

By Mike Daube, Curtin University

Beyond the recent publicity around cuts to health and other portfolios, something deeply disturbing – even sinister – is occurring in Queensland. The state government is implementing health policies on…
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Political responses to obesity have been more about creating a spectacle of “doing something” than solving the problem. Bruce A Stockwell

Why we’re losing the battle of the bulge: the politics of obesity prevention

By Phillip Baker

There’s no doubt that obesity has received considerable political attention over the past decade. But data recently released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows Australians are losing…
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Reduced ozone means increased UV radiation, and that leads to skin cancer. Tracey Lawson

Saving the ozone layer saved human lives

By Olaf Morgenstern, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and Peter Braesicke, University of Cambridge

SAVING THE OZONE: Part seven in our series exploring on the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – dubbed “the world’s most successful environmental agreement” – explains how the…
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The blogosphere is a sewer of frothing, often anonymous, swill. Flickr/joeshoe

Hate mail and cyber trolls: the view from inside public health

By Simon Chapman

The Charlotte Dawson troll saga shocked many Australians, with revelations of vile tweets, death threats and online intimidation. Nobody should have to endure this kind of abuse, but unfortunately it’s…
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Why hasn’t human health been considered in the push for expanded coal facilities? AAP Image/Paul Miller

Newcastle’s T4 project puts short-term profit before health

By David Shearman and Linda Selvey, Curtin University

A massive expansion of Newcastle’s coal export terminal has been proposed by Port Waratah Coal Services. Approval is likely soon, but the expansion’s effect on human health has been ignored in the project…
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The combination of more access and busier lifestyles has likely contributed to increasing consumption of fast food. Ben Weston

Fast food v councils: the battle for hearts, minds and bellies

By Lukar Thornton, Deakin University

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has just finished hearing submissions in a case against McDonald’s opening an outlet in the town of Tecoma. The case is part of a growing trend of…
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The expense of defending defamation actions deters many public health researchers from speaking out. Emilio Kuffer

Protect researchers from the perils of public health advocacy

By Wayne Hall

Public health advocates who criticise industries for promoting harmful forms of consumption – the alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, tobacco and gambling industries – increasingly find themselves facing legal…
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Wind farms have existed in Australia long before the first claims about health ever surfaced. AAP

Wind turbine syndrome: a classic ‘communicated’ disease

By Simon Chapman

At the beginning of this year I started collecting examples of health problems some people were attributing to wind turbine exposure. I had noticed a growing number of such claims on the internet and was…
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Unsafe: thousands of Port Pirie children have been poisoned over decades, and yet government after government fails to stop it. Flickr/Viola Ng

Lead poisoning of Port Pirie children: a long history of looking the other way

By Mark Taylor

It is shocking to discover that more than 3000 children have been lead poisoned in the South Australian town of Port Pirie during the last decade. Whilst Australia continues to be a world leader in lead…
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New Zealand wants to largely be tobacco free by 2025; Finland has set 2040 as its target date. Iago A R

Should we set a date for a tobacco-free Australia?

By Craig Dalton, University of Newcastle

It’s been 100 years since the first medical textbook identified a link between smoking tobacco and lung cancer. So how strange is it that in 2012 we can walk into Coles and Woolworths and buy cigarettes…
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The first public health laws governed sanitation and led to clean piped drinking water. Darren Stueber

Filling the regulatory gap in chronic disease prevention

By Bebe Loff, Monash University and Helen Walls

OBESE NATION: It’s time to admit it – Australia is becoming an obese nation. This series looks at how this has happened and more importantly, what we can do to stop the obesity epidemic. Today, we look…
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Australians should be more aware of the health effects of pollution. OZinOH

Why petrol bowsers deserve the same treatment as cigarette packs

By Adrian Barnett, Queensland University of Technology

Every time smokers pull a cigarette pack out of their pocket, they’re reminded of the harms their habit is likely to cause. In much the same way, Australian petrol stations should display health warnings…
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Success would mean parents' evidence-based concerns can be taken forward. The Wu's Photo Land/Flickr

Residents revolt against planned McDonald’s near primary school

By John Coveney, Flinders University

Radio National’s Background Briefing this Sunday is about the struggle of residents of a western suburb in Adelaide who are trying to stop a McDonalds restaurant being built within 200 metres of a primary…
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It needs to be easier for cyclists to safely navigate our busy city streets. H4NUM4N

Helmet-cam captures bike accidents (and could make cycling safer)

By Marilyn Johnson, Monash University

CYCLING IN AUSTRALIA: Every year, dozens of cyclists are killed and thousands are injured while riding on Australian roads. Statistics such as these, coupled with all-too-frequent horror stories about…
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Almost everyone can ride to work, and the health benefits are enormous. california cowgirl1

Better health is only a short bike ride away

By Robert Lockie, University of Newcastle

CYCLING IN AUSTRALIA: More than half of Australia’s population can be classified as overweight and obese. This statistic is alarming but some of the risk factors associated with obesity – such as poor…
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Tucking your pants into your socks mightn’t be trendy, but cycling to work has a range of benefits. AAP/Joe Castro

Try cycling on Ride to Work Day … it might change your life

By Chris Rissel

In July, Cadel Evans became the first Australian to win the most prestigious race in professional cycling: Le Tour de France. But what effect has Cadel’s victory had back home in Australia? Are more Australians…
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Four year-old Ayen Chol died after being attacked by a neighbour’s pit bull cross (AFP PHOTO/William WEST)

Breed blame-game: banning Pit Bulls won’t work

By Linda Watson, Monash University

The recent death of four year-old, Ayen Chol from a pit bull attack has again prompted calls to ban the breed. But instead of focusing on a particular breed, or responding to single events as they occur…
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Alcohol is currently exempt from the labelling requirements that all other products we eat and drink have to follow. Klearchos Kapoutsis

Cheers to health warning labels for alcoholic drinks

By Robin Room, University of Melbourne

Despite known risks of drinking, health and safety warning labels have been noticeably absent from alcoholic beverages in Australia. But that might be about to change, with the Government today seeking…
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Excessive sitting increases your risk of chronic disease, even if you get enough exercise.

Sitting nine to five (and beyond): the perils of sedentary lifestyles

By David Dunstan, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute

Whether it’s at work, in cars, watching TV or using the computer, there’s no denying many of us spend the majority of our days sitting. And while science is yet to prove conclusively that too much sitting…
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Hookahs are actually more dangerous because users are likely to puff more frequently.

Monday’s medical myth: hookahs are less harmful than cigarettes

By Ian Olver, Cancer Council Australia

After decades of successful anti-tobacco campaigns, we’re all familiar with the risks of smoking. But how do the health harms of cigarettes compare with those of other smoking devices? The hookah, also…
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Home help is much more effective than written instructions from a doctor.

Why home help is the best bang for our health buck

By Janet McCalman, University of Melbourne

The new Victorian Health Plan 2012-22 offers a bleak prognosis: forever rising medical costs, doctors in the wrong places, hospitals overwhelmed. To make matters worse, it claims that patients can’t be…
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Guidelines say no TV for under 2s, then no more than two hours a day. Keenen Brown

Square eyes: how much TV is too much for kids?

By Chris Rissel

If you’ve ever sat your toddler down in front of the television to give yourself a few minutes of much-needed rest, you’re certainly not alone. But for many parents, those few minutes of bliss that come…
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AAP joint.

Explainer: What is synthetic cannabis or Kronic?

By Matthew Frei, Monash University

Synthetic cannabis, known commercially as Kronic, K2, Kaos or Spice, was designed to circumvent drug laws and give users a “legal high”. But Western Australia banned the product earlier this month and…
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Is legal action becoming a bad habit for tobacco companies? effb/Flickr

Big Tobacco v Australia: taking the battle to the global stage

By Jürgen Kurtz, University of Melbourne

This week’s legal action by tobacco giant Philip Morris to overturn the federal government’s plain packaging proposals is not its first attempt to stifle anti-tobacco legislation. Philip Morris is also…
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Plain packaging could spell the death of the cigarette brand in Australia and beyond. thana/flickr

Spluttering on: why big tobacco just can’t butt out on plain packaging

By Steven Greenland, Swinburne University of Technology

British American Tobacco Australia has launched yet another attack on the Australian government’s plain packaging legislation. On top of its latest “Where’s the proof?” campaign, launched today, it is…
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It’s time to begin preparing for the “tertiary effects”. AAP

What will a four-degree climate rise mean for world health?

By Colin Butler, University of Canberra

Public health experts have warned for more than two decades that climate change will harm human health. Initially their attention focused on “primary” health effects (e.g heat waves, bush fires and flooding…
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A full English breakfast just doesn’t cut it. Iban

Monday’s medical myth: you can cure a hangover

By Dan Lubman, Monash University

Piping hot cups of coffee. A fat laden fried breakfast. Going for a run. Or maybe just going back to bed. There are plenty of claims about how you can cure a hangover. So, what’s the reality? If you’ve…
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Coal seam gas drilling exposes us to chemicals we know nothing about. AAP

Coal seam gas could be a fracking disaster for our health

By David Shearman

Coal seam gas is indeed a potential disaster if present attitudes and lack of regulatory control prevail. An important part of public health is to enact precautions based on potential impacts. The CSG…
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The Cancer Council’s alcohol abstinence message isn’t helpful. flickr/MrTinDC

Ignore the scaremongers – a drink (or two) is alright

By Jake Najman

The marketing of public health messages can bear some disturbing similarities to the way the tobacco, alcohol and food industries go about promoting their products. Recent suggestions by the Cancer Council…
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Science says otherwise. Pink Sherbet Photography

Monday’s medical myth: sugar makes kids hyperactive

By Tim Crowe, Deakin University

Any parent would tell you that seeing children fuelling up on sugar-laden cake, lollies and soft drinks at a birthday party is a sure-fire recipe for a bunch of rampaging hyperactive kids. The connection…
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If helmets protect against brain injury, why not wear them?

Don’t be fooled, keeping bike helmets is best for health

By Max Cameron, Monash University

Convincing more Australians to get on a bike would undoubtedly deliver health improvements that come with reduced waistlines. But ditching bike helmets isn’t the answer. The health benefits of more cycling…
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The life expectancy gained from cycling to work outweighs the risks of ill health from pollution and injury.

Ditching bike helmets laws better for health

By Chris Rissel

With epidemics of diabetes and obesity threatening to bankrupt state health budgets, governments need to broaden their strategies to encourage physical activity. Allowing cyclists to ride without a helmet…

Research and News (19)

Research Briefs (19)

Tobacco production increases by 300% in India

The Australia India Institute based at the University of Melbourne

A report has found that tobacco production has increased by more than 300% in India. It was also found that up to 35% of…

Too few Australians receive appropriate care

University of New South Wales and University of South Australia

Australians only receive “appropriate” healthcare 57% of the time, according to a study published in the Medical Journal…

Improved peanut allergy test

The University of Melbourne

Researchers have developed a new test for peanut allergy diagnosis that could be cheaper and more effective than the current…

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