Health Report - Separate stories podcast

STI testing has its challenges - the turnaround between the time a sample is taken and when the result is returned can mean delays in treatment, losing people to follow up and stress and anxiety as someone waits for results.To solve some of these problems, a new point-of-care treatment that can test for sexually transmitted infections in under an hour is currently being developed by the Doherty Institute.Guest/sDr Shivani Pasricha, Laboratory Head, The Doherty InstituteReferencesCRISPR-Cas-based diagnostics for point-of-care detection of sexually transmitted infections: a laboratory development and evaluation study

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week: from pronunciation problems to the chemistry of heated citrus. You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

They discuss a large review finding daily screen use shifts bedtimes but has little effect on sleep duration or quality in youth. They cover pain relief for children's limb injuries and evidence that ibuprofen alone works as first-line treatment. They explore a trial testing multivitamins and epigenetic clocks and the limits of using supplements to slow biological ageing.

MDMA psychotherapy for PTSD was approved in Australia back in July 2023.Near to three years on, what do we know about how it’s being used, whether people are finding it effective and how well we’re tracking the possible side effects of these treatments?Guest/sAssociate Professor Gill Bedi, Head of Substance Use Research, OrygenReferencesSide-effects of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysisExperiences of Australian clinicians, researchers, and patients with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A framework-guided qualitative analysis

If you’ve fallen behind on vaccinations for yourself or your kids - does getting a nudge from the doctor reminding you to come in encourage higher vaccination rates?With vaccination among young children in decline post-pandemic, a new trial shows potential pathways to improving uptake.Plus, some insights on how the framing of the message might matter too - whether it's more neutral or persuasive.Guest/sProfessor Tom Snelling, School of Public Health, University of SydneyReferencesThe AuTOMATIC trial: a multicentre digitally-automated, Bayesian, adaptive, parallel, factorial randomised controlled trial of SMS reminders for childhood vaccination

With more tools at our fingertips than ever for capturing how we feel day-to-day - smartphones, apps, wearables and more - is there a way to better utilise that data to improve mental health outcomes?Researchers from the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney argue an approach to treatment that captures and analyses these data - called measurement-based care - can help clinicians more effectively monitor and treat patients.Guest/sAssociate Professor Frank Iorfino – Brain and Mind Centre, University of SydneyReferencesThe necessity of digital measurement-based care for navigating complexity in youth mental healthDynamic learning of individual-level suicidal ideation trajectories to enhance mental health care

They tackle whether salt is harmful for everyone, exploring salt sensitivity and population risk. Heated citrus drinks and possible tooth damage get a lively discussion. Personal dental habits and listener mail spark entertaining back-and-forth. The segment also teases related listening recommendations.

A brain training trial finds a reduction in dementia diagnoses after 20 years -- but for a very specific kind of training.New research into oral GLP-1 medications for diabetes and -- perhaps further down the track -- weight loss.And risk factors for developing an allergy. Some well known, others more peculiar.ReferencesImpact of cognitive training on claims-based diagnosed dementia over 20 years: evidence from the ACTIVE studyEfficacy and safety of once-daily oral orforglipron compared with oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes (ACHIEVE-3)Risk factors for the development of food allergy in infants and children

Most Australian children are eating too much salt, according to new research.The study found Victorian school children were getting too much sodium, but not enough potassium.A high salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, which in children can be an early warning sign for cardiovascular disease later in life.GuestDr Carley Grimes, Senior Lecturer in Population Nutrition, Deakin UniversityReferencesSodium, potassium and blood pressure in Australian schoolchildren: exploring differences by sex and weight status — a cross-sectional study

Currently, breast screening is recommended for women aged 50 to 74. Women over 40 can also have a free mammogram every two years.But researchers have looked at what happens when the type of screening is adjusted depending on your risk.High-risk women would undergo more intense screening, while screening for low-risk women wouldn’t happen at all until they reach 50.Guest/sProfessor Dorothy Keefe, CEO, Cancer AustraliaReferencesRisk-Based vs Annual Breast Cancer Screening: The WISDOM Randomized Clinical Trial