Menzies is an independent medical and research institute, a national leader in health, education and research training.
Menzies has made a difference in people’s lives for more than a quarter of a century.
Specialising in Indigenous and tropical health research, the team at Menzies carry out research in more than 60 Indigenous communities across Australia and in developing countries in our region.
We continue to find new ways of breaking the cycle of disease and improving the health and wellbeing of Australian society and beyond.
The new closing the gap targets are ambitious, especially in the area of early childhood education. But this doesn't mean they can't be met, with the right approach.
Chelsea Bond, The University of Queensland and Lisa J Whop, Menzies School of Health Research
Indigenous people suffered greatly during the last global pandemic – the Spanish flu in 1918-19. They are vulnerable again because we still haven't addressed inequalities in our public health system.
If one parent has ADPKD, their child has a one in two chance of getting it.
From shutterstock.com
You might have heard of polycystic ovary syndrome, but what about polycystic kidney disease? This genetic disorder sees cysts growing in the kidneys.
If you have been drinking more water than your body needs, the body tells the kidney filters to get rid of the spare water. That’s when your urine will look paler.
Shutterstock
One of the waste products that your kidneys put into your urine is a chemical called urobilin, and it is yellow.
Health education needs to lift spirits and give optimism, such as this image of Peter Parmbuk and Marcus Kinthari washing their hands at the Gerry the Germ area of the Wadeye Health Centre in 2010.
Clive Hyde/AAP
The disempowering effect of lack of knowledge, and the downstream impacts on health behaviours and outcomes, underpins the disadvantage of First Nations people.
Only around half of at-risk Indigenous Australians are taking preventative medication for heart disease.
from www.shutterstock.com
Decriminalisation is important as it signals to the community that abortion is part of gynaecological care and should not be treated differently to any other form of health care.
Almost all Aboriginal children in remote areas have some form of otitis media.
DAN PELED/AAP
On average, all food is 53% more expensive in remote communities, with the price increasing annually by approximately 5%, compared to an annual rise of only about 1% in Darwin supermarkets.
Smoking is estimated to cause one in five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths.
Dave Hunt/AAP
The daily smoking rate among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is falling, but at 42%, it's still 2.6 times that of other Australians.
Indigenous prisoners perform a welcome ceremony at the 2014 opening of Darwin’s $500 million prison, which is likely to be full by 2018.
AAP/Neda Vanovac
The Northern Territory stands out for having one of the highest imprisonment rates in the world - much higher even than in the US - and it's hard to argue that this does the community much good.
If you’re born underweight, like this little baby on the left, it can make a world of difference to your lifelong health.
Menzies Health
Gurmeet Singh, Menzies School of Health Research and Susan Sayers, Menzies School of Health Research
Tony Abbott is spending this week in North-East Arnhem Land, part of his long-held hope “to be not just the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs”. We asked our experts: what stories…
Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion with students in the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory. Research shows acting on overcrowded housing could greatly improve Indigenous kids’ school attendance in remote communities.
AAP/Neda Vanovac
Tony Abbott is spending this week in North East Arnhem Land, part of his long-held hope “to be not just the Prime Minister but the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Affairs”. We asked our experts: what stories…
Australian Aboriginals are at most risk of bad physical and mental health and they have the worst health services in the country.
publik16/Flickr
Aboriginal people living in remote communities have much worse health status and longevity than other Australians. And this imbalance will not be remedied until governments work with Aboriginal leaders…
A sign outside an Aboriginal community near Darwin, noting the ban on consuming alcohol in the area.
AAP/Xavier La Canna
The newly elected conservative governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory have opened the way to relaxing laws restricting access to alcohol in Aboriginal communities. In Queensland, a number…
This is how to illustrate an article about petrol sniffing without breaching vulnerable people’s privacy.
jcart
Once again, petrol sniffing in Indigenous communities is in the headlines. And once again, sadly, the restraint that newspapers normally exercise in reporting drug issues among non-Indigenous Australians…
Just beyond the built community lies a health-promoting environment providing cultural, spiritual and physical nourishment.
misha.penkov/Flickr
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 Julie Brimblecombe…