Health Report
ABC
Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 20, 2021 • 28min
The enduring stigma surrounding Borderline Personality Disorder
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.
Sep 13, 2021 • 37min
The first year of COVID; the 'molecular messages' sent during exercise; is orthopaedic surgery over prescribed?; and can a combination pill transform how blood pressure is treated?
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?
Sep 6, 2021 • 38min
Vaccine rates in Indigenous communities; the origins of The Black Death; understanding illness caused by ticks; and the trial of Theranos founder begins
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.
Aug 30, 2021 • 36min
Can substituting salt save lives?; the science of the COVID modelling; and Toxoplasma Gondii and cognitive decline
What new research shows about the effect of substituting salt and health - can it save lives?
Aug 23, 2021 • 40min
Have we misunderstood the Doherty modelling?; High viral loads in vaccinated people; COVID risks to children; and substance use and the developing teenage brain
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.
Aug 16, 2021 • 38min
How can ventilation be improved to protect against COVID; post-op lung complications in patients who isolated before surgery; what's it like living with tinnitus?; and calls to do more to prevent chronic disease
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.
