Beating back pain

Back pain is the number one cause of disability globally – but a new high-value, low-risk intervention informed by Australian research is being hailed for its potential to have major human and economic impact.

Lead with the jab

Out-of-pocket costs, limited appointment availability, lack of opportunities to discuss vaccination with providers and eroding trust are stopping some Australian parents and caregivers from vaccinating their kids on time. New research by Australian experts outlines practical strategies to help improve childhood vaccine uptake.

Move on up

Nearly one in four older adults with poor wellbeing were able to get their life back on track later on, according to a new Canadian study on aging which also found that people with better psychological wellbeing at their lowest point were almost five times more likely to improve their wellbeing over time.

Who wants to live forever?

A booming longevity industry wants to sell us the idea that medical intervention can grant us ‘immortality’ but, of course, there are hidden personal and social costs.

Hunting down dementia

Researchers are decoding the earliest biological signs of dementia, clinicians are learning to spot it sooner, and technological advances are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to treat it.

100 not out

Understanding the mechanisms behind healthy ageing in centenarians may offer valuable insights for promoting longer, healthier lives for all.

Tackling genetic conditions with CRISPR

CRISPR – Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats – is the basis of gene-editing technology that allows genetic diseases to be cured by replacing damaged DNA with healthy sequences.

A bigger role for private hospitals

Lobbyists for the private health sector want changes to health insurance rules to create a bigger role for private hospitals.

The natural path to better mental health

Mental health services should increase their investment in lifestyle interventions to improve care and help close the 15-year life expectancy gap faced by people with mental illness, according to a new Lancet Psychiatry Commission report.

Up in smoke

Australia’s remarkable progress in reducing adolescent smoking slowed significantly from 2010 onwards, which coincides with the emergence of vaping, according to Australian research.

Better environments mean healthier brains

A 13-year study has found that living in walkable, green, and well-connected neighbourhoods may protect against memory loss and cognitive decline in older age.

Learning the lessons of COVID-19

International inquiries into the public health reactions to COVID 19 have come to a variety of sometimes contradictory conclusions.