An additional 160,000 Australians are now able to access subsidised COVID-19 antiviral treatments after the federal government expanded eligibility criteria under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). There are two oral COVID-19 antiviral medicines approved for...
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics more than eight Australians die every day by suicide and 75% of those who take their own life are male. That’s more than double the road toll. When someone says they are thinking about suicide, it’s a key...
A parliamentary inquiry into Long COVID and repeat COVID infections has recently handed down its final report. The recommendations included: Establishing a better COVID and Long COVID data collection system Reviewing antiviral eligibility Providing more support and...
What was your favourite song growing up? What was the tune you danced to on your wedding day? Does a familiar melody bring you back to when you first heard it played? A recent study has found that when prompted, people from different age groups recall more personal...
Each year slips, trips and falls cause thousands of preventable injuries. Falls are a major cause of injury for older people. A new Cochrane review found that decluttering and reducing hazards around the home can significantly reduce the risk of falls for older people...
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful time, with many people stuck at home for extended periods. We know this led to an increase in some unhealthy behaviours, like increased alcohol use and online gambling – and now new findings suggest smoking and nicotine use...
With flu season fast approaching, it’s essential that General Practices are prepared for the upcoming flu season. General practice plays a critical role in ensuring that patients, especially vulnerable patients and practice staff are vaccinated against influenza. The...
A good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets a person wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems and don’t get the rest they need. Poor sleep can seriously affect a person’s quality of life and increase...
Most people with COVID-19 recover completely within a few weeks of their first symptoms. However, some people may experience longer-term effects from their infection. Long COVID is described by the World Health Organisation as an illness occurring after a COVID-19...
Teenagers spend on average over 4 hours per day on a mobile device. A lot has already been written on the perils of too much screen time – that it’s sapping our willpower and ruining our concentration. Could mobile devices be messing with the brain’s development? In...
Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have long been looking for the reason why, and it may be due to what’s called ‘cognitive reserve’—brain heft built up through things like education and time...
Dementia has overtaken coronary heart disease as the leading cause of premature death in older Australians. Mild cognitive impairment, or MCI is a condition which affects cognitive abilities like memory and language. Those with MCI may have more difficulty...
