Health Report - Separate stories podcast

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases and leader of the Fleming Initiative at Imperial College London, champions antimicrobial resistance education. She discusses teaching children about superbugs in schools. The conversation covers empowering kids to drive change, prevention strategies like vaccination and hygiene, and adapting programs for low-resource and farming contexts.

A review of evidence has cast doubt on the idea that exercise improves symptoms of osteoarthritis.But experts are warning people not to change their routines, pointing to the limits of these types of studies.We discuss what the study can and cannot tell us about osteoarthritis, and the best approach when you’re dealing with the disease.Guest/sProfessor Manuela Ferreira, program head in musculoskeletal health at the George Institute.  Professor David Hunter, rheumatologist at the University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital.  ReferencesEffectiveness of exercise therapy for osteoarthritis: an overview of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials

Studies in middle-aged adults suggest that daily aspirin can reduce the risk of cancer, but it’s a different story for people aged 70 or older.The ASPREE study found no effect on overall cancer incidence for healthy older adults taking low-dose aspirin.In fact, during the period of the trial there was an elevated cancer mortality risk among participants taking the drug.Guest/sDr Suzanne Orchard, associate professor in the school of public health and preventative medicine at Monash UniversityReferencesCancer Incidence and Mortality With Aspirin in Older Adults: Follow-Up of the ASPREE TrialThe effects of daily low-dose aspirin on white matter hyperintensity lesions and retinal vascular calibre in healthy older adults: the ENVIS-ion exploratory neuroimaging substudy of the ASPREE randomised clinical trial 

Gout is a type of arthritis where excess uric acid leads to sharp crystals forming in your joints.There are treatments available, but despite this, evidence shows gout is often poorly managed.Part of the problem can be stigma – meaning people delay addressing flare ups.Guest/sProfessor Catherine Hill, head of the rheumatology unit at the Queens Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide and clinical professor at the University of AdelaideReferencesTreat-to-Target Urate-Lowering Treatment and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With GoutArthritis Australia gout resourcesGout Medcast resources

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

After studies showed certain vaccines had a protective effect against Alzheimer's, researchers wanted to see if treating the virus might slow disease progression.However in a group of people with early Alzheimer's disease this had no effect on cognitive decline. Also, a new study urges us to rethink the side effects of statins. And GLP-1s under the spotlight for nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss. ReferencesValacyclovir Treatment of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: The VALAD Randomized Clinical TrialAssessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trialsNutritional deficiencies and muscle loss in adults with type 2 diabetes using GLP-1 receptor agonists: A retrospective observational study

Neil Munro, researcher at James Cook University and lead author of a major review, breaks down how exercise affects depression and anxiety. He explains why aerobic work shows the biggest gains for depression. He contrasts shorter, lower-impact programs that suit anxiety. He also highlights the added boost from supervised or group activities and who may benefit most.

In recent years more women have been opting for home births, and in some extreme cases women have eschewed medical support entirely.In some states, including recently in Victoria, new advice has come in to address gaps in the maternal care system that leave some women feeling disempowered.They’ve placed emphasis on open discussions between doctors and patients, and a woman’s right to deny certain aspects of care.Guest/sDr Nisha Khot, obstetrician in Victoria, and president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsReferencesRespectful Maternity and Newborn Care Framework

Beta blockers, which can slow down the heart rate, are often prescribed after a heart attack.But recent studies have painted a conflicting picture of how effective these drugs are in reducing heart problems in this scenario.While these studies have complicated the story, experts are cautioning people not to act without checking in with their doctors.Guest/sProfessor Jason Kovacic, director and CEO of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, and cardiologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in SydneyReferencesβ blockers after myocardial infarction with mildly reduced ejection fraction: an individual patient data meta-analysis of randomised controlled trialsBeta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction in Patients without Heart FailureBeta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction without Reduced Ejection Fraction