Unlike health care for the rest of our body, dental care mostly comes out of our own pocket – and it's not cheap. Many Australians go without and their health suffers.
Academic rigour, journalistic flair
Analysis and Comment
When you enter a public hospital, you are likely to be asked if you have private health insurance, and if you want to use it. This is what you need to consider.
The royal commission will give people with disabilities an opportunity to share their experiences. But it needs to ensure they're supported and have the same access to services as others do.
What's often missing from domestic violence responses are investments and strategies to stop men perpetrating violence in the first place.
The brain itself can’t actually feel pain. It can't sense damage to itself the way your finger can. We know this because people can have brain surgery while they are totally awake.
Our ability to smell is a function of the brain, so it makes sense that an impaired sense of smell can point to cognitive decline. The good news is training our noses may be effective.
Cheap, over-the-counter tooth-whitening kits could end up costing you a pretty penny.
Vaping devices were designed as a clean way of delivering nicotine, to help people stop smoking tobacco. Now, with gummy bear flavours and celebrity endorsements, they are a serious public health problem.
Alongside with milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soybeans and fish, shellfish are one of the eight allergens that account for 90% of food-related allergic reactions. What if a vaccine could exist?
When it comes to weight loss, there's no such thing as a quick fix. But some foods will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Q fever is a flu-like infection that spreads to people from animals. The bacteria that causes it can withstand harsh environmental conditions – in particular, drought.
Clicking joints tend to run in families. Here's what causes it.
When we have a panic attack, our body is mobilising to respond to a high level of stress. As unpleasant as panic attacks may be, it's helpful to keep in mind they're not dangerous.
Evidence that people who drink moderately are healthier is probably influenced by many other health and lifestyle factors. We're now seeing that even modest amounts of alcohol could impact our health.
The amount of alcohol you'd have to drink before glyphosate posed even a negligible risk would harm you well before the glyphosate would.
Headlines around the world declared that a second person was cured of their HIV. But while the results are encouraging, we're a long way from a cure.
There are many things we can do to support our immune systems. It turns out going vegetarian might be one of them.
Possible causes of limb malformations in babies born in rural areas of France.
Seeking and making sense of specialist fees is an unfair burden to place on vulnerable patients. A website might be helpful for some – but health professionals need to be held to higher account.
Sarah and Donna are 26 weeks pregnant and have the same blood sugar levels. But while Donna is diagnosed with gestational diabetes, Sarah is spared from the label. It comes down to where she lives.
An adult brain weighs about 1.5kg. It's mostly water with some fat, protein, sugar and a dash of salt. Sounds like pancakes, I know, but I once tried chicken brains and, well, pancakes are tastier.
Online therapies for mental health can be as effective as talking therapies. If we want to expand access to mental health care, it's important we embrace digital approaches.
There’s little evidence that longer courses of antibiotics benefit patients so why are they prescribed?
Not eating animals might make you feel more virtuous, but is it good for your health?
A new breast cancer test predicts whether a patient will benefit from endocrine therapy, allowing patients and their doctors to make better treatment decisions.
Research and News
Semi-identical or sesquizygotic twins occur when two sperm fertilise one egg. A boy and a girl in Brisbane are only the second set of semi-identical twins known in the world.
Drugs and alcohol
Testing drugs at music festivals not only means we can assess whether they contain anything unexpected, but it's an opportunity to try to change the behaviour of users.
People who use party drugs say it gives them energy to dance and socialise, reduces their inhibitions and enhances their feelings of connection to others.
When it comes to drinking at risky levels, women are catching up to men. Problem is, women start to have alcohol-related problems sooner and at lower drinking levels than men.
Most people assume drugs are illegal because they are dangerous, but the reasons aren't related to their relative risk or harm.
Illicit drugs can be dangerous. Read this before you use so you know what to look out for.
Gene editing
Imagine a future society where parents can choose the characteristics of their children. Does that turn babies into consumer products., and what choice does the child get?
Genome editing technology has, and will always have, limits. Limits that are related not to the technology itself but to the intrinsic complexity of the human genome.
A new study found the Cas9 gene editing scissors don't stop cutting after we tell them to.
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Research and Expert Database
Royal commission
People with disability face a number of barriers to justice, not least that crimes against them are often seen as less serious. This needs to stop.
From the archives
Journalist-turned-lawyer Michael Magazanik worked on recent Australian thalidomide lawsuits. As part of our series on the drug, he spoke to Ian Freckelton about the book he wrote, based on the case.
Fitness
Doing the vacuuming or taking the dog for a walk? Pick up the pace – these bursts of incidental exercise could be key to improving your fitness.
Lung disease
We're seeing the resurgence of an old lung disease in people who make and install the type of engineered stone product you might find in your kitchen or bathroom.
Terminations
Women of all walks of life have abortions: married, single, child-free, and mothers. New research shows what's happening in their life when they do.
Exercise
Many of us are programmed to aim for 10,000 steps a day. This target is not right for everyone – but we can all benefit from setting step goals to increase our activity.
Measles
We've had the measles vaccine in Australia since 1968, but a two-dose program was only introduced in 1992. And if you haven't had the second dose, you're at risk of contracting measles.
Decluttering
While the KonMari method will help many people declutter their houses and reassess what they really need, for people with clinical hoarding disorder the process is much more complicated.
Pregnancy
Five out of five experts agree running during pregnancy is OK.
HIV
Eradicating a virus from the community requires everyone to have access to prevention, as is the case with tuberculosis. So why not HIV?
Miscarriage
Cliched comments like "it wasn’t meant to be" or "don't worry, you'll get pregnant" are hurtful and dismissive. Instead, acknowledge their loss, listen and let them grieve.
Heatwaves
Should you open or close your house to keep cool in a heatwave? Many people believe it makes sense to throw open doors and windows to the breeze; others try to shut out the heat. Listen to talk radio during…
Body temperature
While most of us agree ice cream and cold beverages are refreshing summer treats, do they actually help cool us down?
Sport
It seems obvious that a game should be suspended if it's too hot to play, but it's not as easy as implementing a maximum temperature.
Travel insurance
Just 82% of young Australians have insurance when they travel overseas. But even if you have insurance, you might not be covered for everything.
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