Health Report - Full Program Podcast

What may happen if the hospital systems in NSW and Victoria are overwhelmed when we open up at 70 and 80% and the expected surge in cases occurs? New research sheds light on colorectal cancer risks. And are the potential benefits of placebos overblown?

Borderline Personality Disorder is one of the most stigmatised and misunderstood mental health conditions. It affects a significant number of people in the community, a large proportion of them having suffered trauma early in life. The emotional instability, fear of abandonment and patterns of self-harm can alter someone’s life and that of their loved ones in profound ways. But the enduring stigma around BPD means it often goes unrecognised or not properly treated and many fall through the cracks.

How did Australia fare in the first year of the pandemic? What are the 'molecular messages' our body sends during exercise and how can they be used to help treat disease? Are the most common elective orthopaedic surgeries prescribed always the most effective option? And can a pill that combines four low-dose medications transform how high blood pressure is treated?

The COVID outbreak in regional New South Wales is highlighting the comparatively low vaccination rates in Indigenous communities. New research uncovers more on the origins of The Black Death. Researchers try to understand more about the experience of chronic illness after tick bites. And in the US, the trial of the founder of biotech company Theranos begins.

What new research shows about the effect of substituting salt and health - can it save lives?

Australia is pinning its hopes on modelling that says restrictions can start to ease once we hit vaccination targets, but will the high case numbers in NSW disrupt that plan? New research finds that people who are fully vaccinated but contract COVID can still carry high viral loads. Why are some countries seeing high numbers of children in ICUs, while others are not? And why are some teenagers more at risk of regular substance use? The answer - partly at least - may lie within the brain.

How can ventilation be improved to help reduce the spread of COVID? The surprising discovery that patients who isolate prior to surgery are more likely to develop post-operative lung complications. What's it like living with tinnitus and can anything be done about it? And calls to do more to prevent chronic disease.

We now have modelling to guide our way out of the pandemic, but some researchers say we will need to vaccinate even younger age groups to reach sufficient immunity. Why are so many women having critical medical care delayed when experiencing a heart attack? And research shows people living with anxiety are more likely to use alcohol. But what happens when drinking becomes a problem and where can you get help?

What are people experiencing in intensive care as a result of the delta COVID outbreak and how are hospitals coping?

Right now overseas, several covid vaccines are being trialled in children as young as babies 6 months of age. So how long will it be until younger kids can get vaccinated? How pandemic prevention measures have been particularly tough on the mental health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Cataract surgery can and is sometimes done in both eyes on the same day. But what does a review of the data tell us about whether this is best? And a puzzling link between two things that can cause disability as we age: cognitive decline, and fractures.

What's the best way to manage finite resources in the middle of a pandemic and what can Australia learn from other countries; what a review of COVID research exposes about waste and missed opportunities; low value care has little or any benefit and a new study finds patients agree; and what does research tell us about preventing alcohol and drug misuse in kids?

What does modelling tell us about what it will take to bring the NSW COVID cluster under control; scientists try to settle the debate about the origins of Covid-19; how can people with blood cancers stay safe in the pandemic; and can exercise help counter the toll poor sleeps takes on our health?

While NSW is still trying to contain COVID cases, the Prime Minister last week outlined a four stage pathway out of the pandemic. Singapore is already underway with its plan that uses a layered public health response including high vaccinations rates. Is this the path out of the pandemic? Just how dangerous is even small amounts of alcohol in pregnancy? Research shows it can set children up for unusual behaviours with alcohol while still very young. What help is out there for women with substance use disorders and their babies, and why are some falling through the cracks? And could a high-carbohydrate, low-protein diet be linked to a healthier life? Well, it depends on what kind of carbs you're talking about.

Around the country, the threat of COVID has emerged again. What does the modelling show about where this is heading? The World Health Organisation finds it's the biggest workplace hazard - long working hours. And it says long hours can be deadly. UK research finds type 2 diabetes might be reversible without drugs for some people, as well as the other conditions that often come with it. Also on diabetes, could a new class of drug slash the number of people who go on to need dialysis or kidney transplants?

This week, the first of a new series on substance use and what you need to know about ICE - crystal meth. Does early diagnosis of ovarian cancer through screening make a difference to survival rates? And the search for an Alzheimer's disease treatment is as controversial as ever. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first drug for Alzheimer's disease in nearly two decades, but not everyone is welcoming the decision.

From the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, one expert came to the fore as a trusted voice, not just in his home country of the United States, but around the globe: Dr Anthony S Fauci, the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Are grommets over prescribed for children with recurring ear infections?

Australian atlas of healthcare variation; dangerous sunburn; targetted radiation therapy; antibody testing for vaccine efficacy

Taking a look at how long we spend sitting, and what to do about it; assessing the cumulative affect of yearly weight gain; the oral microbiome and our ancestors; aiming for a brain biobank; and Q&A