Health & Wellbeing News

21/05/2013 - 3:39pm

National Palliative Care Week is once again upon us - an annual event organised by Palliative Care Australia to raise awareness about end-of-life issues.

Running from May 19 to 25, this year's event is centred on the idea that palliative care is "everyone's business" - that it will affect us all at some time.

A recent survey conducted by Palliative Care Australia revealed that an astonishing one in two respondents had not discussed any end-of-life-care decisions with their loved ones.

Plans for Australia's smoke-free future

17/05/2013 - 3:33pm

Professor Mike Daube, a leading anti-tobacco campaigner, has today (May 17) revealed a 10-point plan that could see Australia being completely smoke-free within 15 years.

This plan was part of a paper, titled A Smoke-Free Australia: How Do We Get There?, which was presented at the Heart Foundation Conference this morning. This is a three-day event that is currently underway in Adelaide.

13/05/2013 - 3:14pm

Purchasing health insurance is not as simple as choosing a plan and forgetting about it, as your medical needs are likely to change and evolve as life goes on.

Generally, you should take the time to review your health insurance at least once a year, as comparing health insurance can often help you secure a better deal in the long run.

Kidney Health Week

Written by: Edward Brewer

10/05/2013 - 3:28pm

Kidney Health Week, which starts on Sunday May 26 and runs until June 1, has been organised by Kidney Health Australia to raise public awareness about this deadly disease.

If you are over the age of 60, smoke, are overweight, have a family history of kidney disease, have diabetes or high blood pressure, your risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD) is greatly increased.

According to Kidney Health Australia, approximately one in three Australians fall into the 'at increased risk' category.

09/05/2013 - 3:35pm

Approximately 120 women and their families will be attending the Living Well with Secondary Breast Cancer Forum, which is being held today (Thursday, May 9) in Brisbane.

Secondary, or metastatic, breast cancer involves the spread of cancer cells to other organs or parts of the body. It can occur several years after treatment has been completed for primary breast cancer.

This forum has been designed to inform participants about the latest developments in breast cancer treatment, as well as provide them with strategies to improve their physical and mental health.

08/05/2013 - 7:31am

Anxiety is a more common mental health disorder in Australia than you might think, especially in the workplace.

Recent research conducted by Roy Morgan reveals that 13.8 per cent of all Australians aged 18 and over suffer from anxiety. That's 2.44 million people.

Worryingly, this number represents an increase in the number of people experiencing anxiety attacks. In 2008, only 9.9 per cent of the population reported suffering from this condition.

Heart attack prevention tool launched

Written by: Edward Brewer

03/05/2013 - 1:13pm

A fantastic new tool that will no doubt prove useful in Australia's ongoing fight against heart attacks was released on May 1 by Victoria's Heart Foundation.

It's called Victorian Heart Maps, and essentially highlights areas around the state that have a high level of heart-attack activity.

As it stands, the people of Central Goldfields are most at risk, with Towong, Pyrenees, Yarriambiack and Southern Grampians following close behind.

This has been determined through data that was collected over the past five years by the Victorian government.

Written by: Les Lane

02/05/2013 - 9:46am

Every year, more than a quarter of a million Australians are being driven to quit the workforce prematurely because of debilitating back and arthritic pain.

This shocking statistic was revealed by Andrew McNamara, chief executive of The Chiropractors' Association of Australia, in a May 1 statement.

Mr McNamara said that retirements due to recurring medical problems are a "major setback to our nation’s productivity, with the government taking a $2.9 billion loss to GDP and an extra $1 billion in welfare payments and loss of tax income annually."

'Know Your Numbers' campaign launched

Written by: Suzanne Still

01/05/2013 - 11:00am

The National Stroke Foundation and The Pharmacy Guild of Australia are launching a campaign to combat "the silent killer" - high blood pressure.

"Nearly four million Australians over 25 have high blood pressure but many do not know their blood pressure numbers," stated Dr Erin Lalor, chief executive officer of the National Stroke Foundation.

Health check stations will be set up around Victoria between May 13 and 19 to remedy this, offering people the chance to take a questionnaire and determine their current blood pressure.

24/04/2013 - 1:11pm

Dental decay is one of the most commonly treated health problems in Australia.

A few state governments, including Queensland's, have recently declared that local councils are allowed to make up their own minds about whether to add fluoride to their towns' water supplies.

Water fluoridation, according to the Australian Dental Association (ADA), has been safely implemented in Australia for the past 50 years, and has proven itself to be an effective method of preventing dental decay.

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