Physical activity is critical for children’s quality of life

Increasing the daily level of physical activity could be the easiest ‘win’ for parents to improve their child’s wellbeing, benefiting adolescents and children from low-income families most.

Fire alarm – The dangers of wood heaters

There are few things better than cosying up next to a wood fire in winter, but Aussie researchers are calling for better public health education and policy after a study found excess deaths associated with our woody winter warmers.

Fitness apps help keep us moving

While they might appear to be a gimmick to some, fitness apps and devices do encourage some people to keep exercising, particularly during protracted COVID lockdowns.

Offering patients informed choices could reduce low-value care

Patients often demand treatments that are inappropriate or of little value, but walking them through the risks and benefits of each approach can help them understand why some options are not worth the risk or cost.

Using AI to predict hospital costs in real time

Hospitals only know how much a patient costs once they’ve gone home, making it difficult to plan spending efficiently, but predictive algorithms can estimate costs soon after diagnosis.

Changing the chatter on body image

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on people struggling with body image issues and eating disorders. A world-first chatbot has been launched in collaboration with the Butterfly Foundation to provide much-needed support to those who are struggling.

Precision medicine for Australians with cancer

A new resource developed at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and The Kinghorn Cancer Centre for oncologists could help make targeted cancer therapies more accessible for Australian patients.

Overshare

Aussie researchers who analysed more than 20,000 free apps on the Google Play Store found serious problems with privacy and inconsistent privacy practices in a range of popular health-centred phone apps.

A helping hand for mothers

Recognising the symptoms of maternal anxiety and depression can be difficult, but a new app developed by the University of South Australia and parent support group Village Foundation will help thousands of women monitor their mental health during pregnancy and after birth.

Remember the seasonal flu?

While COVID has dominated the headlines since the start of last year, seasonal flu and other viruses will continue to kill Australians long after Covid-19 has been contained around the world.

Home is where the heart is

The number of Medicare-subsidised palliative care services received by Australians in their own home almost doubled between 2015–16 and 2019–20, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Drug pathway could unlock treatments for diabetes and cancer

Scientists have visualised and investigated a key molecular pathway that could one day help treat inflammation, diabetes, cancer, infectious diseases and potentially even COVID-19.