Loneliness is contagious – and here’s how to beat it

Loneliness is a common condition affecting around one in three adults. It damages your brain, immune system, and can lead to depression and suicide. The best way to escape it may lie in changing your perceptions of the world around you.

Nature and science join forces to fight surgical infections

South Australian researchers are embarking on a $20 million medical and manufacturing research project which could reduce the chance of infection after orthopaedic surgery, thanks to a little help from the humble dragonfly.

Think yourself thinner

New research by Curtin University has found that people who want to increase their participation in regular exercise and adopt a healthier lifestyle do better if they mentally visualise themselves doing it.

Teen drinkers face more alcohol problems in later life

A new study has produced robust evidence that adolescents who drink regularly are twice as likely to be binge drinkers and drink drivers as adults. This appears to debunk the idea that teen experimentation with alcohol promotes responsible drinking; instead, it can set a young person up for problem drinking in later life.

It’s time for hidden sugars to be unmasked

Improved added sugar labelling across all packaged foods would help guide Australians to healthier food choices, according to The George Institute for Global Health.

How pets help people with personality disorders

People living with borderline personality disorder may enjoy a better quality of life by owning a pet according to new research led by Curtin University.

Could mental health apps lead to over-diagnosis?

There are tens of thousands of commercially available mental health apps on the market, many hugely popular. But how do these apps portray mental health and how does this suggest mental health problems should be managed?

Time for a tax on sugary drinks

It’s time for a tax on sugary drinks, according to Australian experts. Two-thirds of adults and one-quarter of Australian children are overweight or obese, and it’s time the price of sugary drinks more closely reflected the price Australians pay with their health.

Hospital hand hygiene may be worse than reported

Hospital staff pay dramatically less attention to hand hygiene when they feel no one is watching, a new study reveals. The research suggests government reported compliance rates are overstated.

Cannabis does not relieve chronic pain

A four-year study suggests that the use of medicinal cannabis is not as effective at relieving chronic non-cancer pain as its proponents usually claim.

Indigenous Australians hit by chronic disease

Indigenous Australians are 2.6 times more likely than non-Indigenous Australians to have two or more chronic health conditions, according to NSW research. The authors analysed data from almost 5.5 million people and say the difference explains much of the difference in life expectancy.

Healthy diets offer a cost-effective treatment for depression

Simple improvements to diet have been shown to be a cost-effective way to help treat depression, in a world-first study from Deakin University.