Health Report

To have you in the best physical condition before major surgery many surgeons send you for a pre-operative assessment by a physician—does it help?When a child has persistent cold symptoms, it might be sinusitis and require antibiotics.If a child faints it's really only a worry when it causes an injury. But there might be an abnormality of the heart's electrical system, called congential Long QT syndrome, and prompt parents to have their child checked. Rehab after knee replacement is controversial because some hospitals keep you in for it, but if you go home soon after the surgery, maybe digital rehab will become an option.

The podcast explores the science of sleep and its impact on various aspects of our lives, including FIFO workers, people with PTSD, and overall sleep improvement. It highlights the connection between disrupted sleep and individuals with chronic insomnia and PTSD, and the significance of circadian medicine on sleep and health. The podcast also discusses the challenges faced by shift workers, the importance of managing exposure to light, and the potential connection between sleep and mental and physical health.

A clearer picture of where and how mistakes are made in medical diagnoses.Monkeys on some Caribbean islands are helping researchers understand more about addiction.Sydney's Liverpool Hospital developed a program using gaming to spur on patients recovering from traumatic brain injury.

A conference on Long COVID in Australia, the potential health benefits of worm infections, and the weight bias in healthcare are discussed in this podcast.

Mexico's labeling of processed foods with warnings, research into the dangers of sitting, misleading fertility tests, and the debate among surgeons about uterine surgery.

Mary Papanicolaou, the developer of the PAP test, discusses the challenges of detecting ovarian cancer early. The podcast also explores the safety of testosterone replacement therapy for men. Additionally, it highlights the unsung hero, Mary Papanicolaou, whose research led to the discovery of the Pap test. Finally, the podcast emphasizes the importance of sleep quality and its impact on thinking and memory.

The podcast explores topics such as polycystic ovary syndrome, the benefits of vigorous incidental physical activity in reducing the risk of developing cancers, and the evolution of cochlear implant technology.

The podcast discusses the importance of the voice referendum in Australia for Indigenous health, success of voice-like mechanisms in improving health outcomes, intergenerational trauma in Aboriginal children, challenges faced by Aboriginal communities, impact of the Western diet on Indigenous health, and the need to preserve traditional knowledge for Aboriginal health.

Exploring metastatic breast cancer and the need for more awareness. A program offering free gene analysis for rare cancers is introduced. The importance of clinical trials and accessibility to treatments for patients with rare mutations. The significance of clinical trials in treating fatal cancers and the barriers to accessing new medications. The effects of different exercises on blood pressure, including the benefits of running, aerobic training, and isometric exercises.

To assess the heart health and stroke risk factors of the population, Australian GPs and cardiologists have referred to a study from the population of Framingham, Massachusetts, but last week the Heart Foundation replaced it with a tool based on New Zealand and Australian populations.An abnormal heart rhythm can mean observations by a cardiologist with a cumbersome and expensive Holter monitor. A team at Westmead Hospital and the University of Sydney have compared a simple finger electrode linked to your mobile phone against Holter monitoring.Red and processed meats have an environmental cost and health implications. The World Health Organisation has flagged that, globally, we need to consume less. We discuss the evidence for cutting back, and what it could mean for Australia—a big producer and consumer of these meats.