Health Check

The number of new Covid-19 infection cases worldwide has jumped by 10%. Tabitha Mwangi, Programme Manager at Cambridge Africa at Cambridge University, gives us a rundown of how that overall increase is playing out in different parts of the world.Hong Kong had been one of the most successful places at controlling Covid-19 but recently faced the highest death rates in the world. What went wrong? We hear from Vivian Wong, a public health advisor and honorary professor of Chinese Medicine at the University of Hong Kong. And how are pandemic restrictions impacting people’s mental wellbeing? Christian Chan, an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Hong Kong and a warden at a student residence, shares his thoughts.Also, do you think you’re more likely to catch Covid-19 from a friend or a stranger? Ashley Whillans, a social psychologist at Harvard Business School in the US, tells us what happened when she asked people this very question.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Samara Linton(Picture: A worker cleans an area of Hong Kong International Airport on 21 March 2022 amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo credit: Dale de la Rey/AFP/Getty Images.)

Although the world might not feel like a very kind place at the moment, this might be just the time when acts of kindness matter the most. This week, Claudia Hammond reveals the results of the world's largest public science project on kindness. With over 60,000 participants from 144 countries, this unique study helps to fill some of the research gaps and learn more about how kindness is viewed within society at large. What is kindness? Are we more or less kind than before? Where do acts of kindness take place? Are certain types of people kinder than others? Is kindness good for us? Professor Robin Bannerjee, University of Sussex, led the study and joins Claudia in the studio to unpick the results. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Samara Linton

Claudia Hammond explores how children think with two psychologists; Dr Victoria Simms from Ulster University who researches how children’s understanding of maths develops and professor Teresa McCormack from Queens University Belfast who researches how children understand time. The discussion was recorded in front of an audience at the Northern Ireland Science Festival in February 2020. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Caroline Steel (Photo: A group of preschool children sitting on the floor with their legs crossed and their arms raised in the air. Credit: FatCamera/Getty Images)

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world. Hundreds of thousands are fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, and not all of them are Ukrainians. The country has a sizeable population of overseas medical students, many from African and Asian countries. Mathew Kalu is a Nigerian-born medical doctor who has lived in Ukraine for 12 years. He tells us why Ukraine is the go-to destination for so many future doctors and how he is helping them leave the country safely. Is the news cycle making children anxious? Consultant Clinical Psychologist Jane Gilmour tells us that children may be more aware of the news cycle than we may think and shares tips for comforting them in the face of uncertainty. And Monday marked Rare Disease Day. We hear from Alan Bentley, whose rare skin condition baffled more than a dozen doctors, and how Professor Edel O'Toole helped him access a life-transforming drug. This week's guest is Dr Graham Easton, family doctor and Professor of Clinical Communication Skills at Queen Mary University. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Samara Linton(Main Image: Children watching television. Image credit: Peter Cade / Getty Images)

This week on Health Check, polio makes an unwelcome return to the African continent and measles cases are soaring among children in Afghanistan. We hear from WHO spokesperson Dr Margaret Harris and Médecins Sans Frontières’ Sarah Vuylsteke and Maxime Pirard who are based at Herat Regional Hospital in western Afghanistan. We also hear how the pandemic has impacted children worldwide, from disruption to routine vaccination services to studies suggesting high mortality rates among children with Covid-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. Now Covid-19 has exposed gaps in health care systems and inequalities in societies around the world. We discuss how the pandemic has galvanised calls for healthcare independence for African countries, and Dr Yen Lam Minh and Dr Louise Thwaites tell us about the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit programme which will develop high-quality intensive care in Vietnam. Our guest is public health expert Dr Tabitha Mwangi who managed the Cambridge Africa programme at Cambridge University. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Samara Linton and Ilan Goodman(Picture: Afghan internally-displaced children stand outside their mud house at Shaidayee refugee camp in Herat province in February 2022. Photo credit: Wakil Kohsar/AFP/Getty Images.)

People die waiting for replacement hearts, lungs and kidneys. Could genetically modified pigs be the solution to a worldwide shortage of organ donors? We meet the teams that have had impressive recent successes transplanting pig organs into people. We’ll explore the huge leaps of genetic engineering that are making 'xenotransplantation' possible and ask if it’s even ethical to try. In the studio with Marnie Chesterton, Dr Graham Easton guides us through the science of getting pig organs to work in human bodies. We also hear from transplant surgeon Dr Devagourou Velayoudam and Professor Nadey Hakim, on how these breakthroughs might benefit India and Nigeria, and other countries which don’t have the same medical and research resources of the US. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Ilan Goodman (Picture: Two pigs on a farm. Photo credit: Charity Burggraaf/Getty Images.)

Breast cancer makes up a third of all cancer diagnoses for black women and for those with the most common type of cancer, ER-positive (estrogen or oestrogen positive) cancers, black women are 42% more likely to die of the disease than white women. The reasons for these disparities are complex and include socio-economic factors and racism. There is also a historical absence of samples from black women in research databases and lack of inclusion in clinical trials. Researchers at Stanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute at La Jolla, California in the US have discovered significant differences at the molecular level which could explain some of the disparities. In research published in the journal, Therapeutic Advances in Medical Oncology, Dr Svasti Haricharan and her team found significant differences in black women in the all-important DNA damage repair genes, the proteins which form our body’s first line of defence against damage to our DNA. Dr Haricharan tells Marnie Chesterton that these findings have real-world implications for the treatments black women should be offered and when. GP Dr Ann Robinson joins Marnie to discuss a new study which suggests people with high blood pressure who take paracetamol on prescription, could be increasing their risk of heart attacks and strokes. University of Edinburgh researchers published in the journal, Circulation, trial results which suggest that although taking the painkiller for headaches and fever is safe, doctors should think twice about the risks and benefits to patients taking it over many months. The trial tracked volunteers, two-thirds of whom were taking drugs for high blood pressure, or hypertension. Paracetamol, the results showed, increased blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Group B Streptococcus is an infection which causes almost 100,000 new-born deaths, at least 46,000 stillbirths, and significant long-term disability for babies around the world. The bacterium is harmless for most pregnant women who carry it but it can be extremely serious when it passes to babies during pregnancy, childbirth or in the early weeks of life. James Gallagher reports on the merits of testing for Group B Strep and talks to Dr Kate Walker, Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Nottingham in the UK about a large, randomised controlled trial she is leading which will provide much-needed evidence about how best to protect babies from this dangerous infection. And Dr Ann Robinson shares with Marnie new research which focuses on the best ways to avoid and treat gout and how playing games on your mobile could help you to quit smoking. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producers: Paula McGrath and Fiona Hill (Picture: A senior woman looking through a window. Photo credit: FG Trade/Getty Images.)

The pandemic has caused many people to die alone in hospital intensive care units - whilst others have died at home without the support and pain relief they needed. The Lancet Commission on the Value of Death is calling for a radical change in how we approach death. Co-author Dr Libby Sallnow explains what makes a good death, and palliative care consultant Dr M R Rajagopal shares how communities have transformed palliative care in Kerala, India. Mixed messaging around Covid vaccines for pregnant women have resulted in a low uptake, leaving mothers and babies at risk of infection and serious complications. Dr Sarah Stock, an Honorary Consultant and Subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, reassures us that vaccines are safe in pregnancy. Following the Spotify misinformation row, Marnie Chesterton asks how should streaming platforms respond to false claims about Covid-19? Professor Matt Fox from Boston University says they have a responsibility to tackle misinformation but warns that censorship may do more harm than good. Also, how a new scan is revealing hidden lung damage in long Covid, and should our chocolate treats come with picture warnings of clogged arteries?Presenter: Marnie Chesterton Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: A senior woman being comforted by a doctor in a hospice. Photo credit: Pornpak Khunatorn/Getty Images.)

Positive results for a handful of patients on a trial in the United States offers hope for the millions of people around the world living with sickle cell disease. Doctors say the gene-editing therapy literally 'turns back the clock' by reducing the number of red blood cells that are sickle-shaped and increasing the type that a baby has, which can carry more oxygen around the body. Other cheaper, more widely-available medications can work, but we hear how the health of sickle cell patients depends on where they live. After two years of caring for patients with Covid-19, many healthcare workers are exhausted. This week’s guest, Graham Easton, who is Professor of Communication Skills at Barts and The Royal London Hospital, explains how mistakes can happen when doctors carry out repetitive tasks when they are tired. Could changing your asthma inhaler be better for you and the planet? We hear from Caroline and her son Sebastian, who found that switching to dry-powder inhalers transformed their lives.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: Scientist analysing a blood sample in a laboratory. Photo credit: Krisanapong Detraphiphat/Getty Images.)

As Omicron spreads across the US, Claudia Hammond is joined by Professor Matt Fox from Boston University to discuss the latest Covid-19 news, including President Biden’s pledge to make high-quality masks available across the country.Wheezing and feeling breathless is a fact of life for the 262 million people around the world who have asthma. Some worry that exercise will worsen their asthma symptoms. But UK researchers say that evidence shows that all people with asthma can exercise safely – even if that’s just walking across a room. Lung specialist Andrew Wilson says that the risks are low as long as the symptoms are controlled with medication. Health psychologist Leanne Tyson recommends setting small goals and regular rewards to help keep up the habit. Asthma patient Bill Day, who’s in his 50s, says now that his asthma is under control, he can swim two miles a day to keep fit and healthy. Yellow and green boxes on social media feeds mean that your friends have been sucked into the world of Wordle, the increasingly popular free online word game. Guessing a new five-letter word every day sounds simple, but Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster, explains just how much work the brain does to help solve the puzzle.Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Paula McGrath and Samara Linton(Picture: A young jogger using an asthma inhaler on the beach. Photo credit: Westend61/Getty Images.)