Health Report

ABC Australia
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Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world. 

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Do you need surgery after an ACL tear?

    ACL injuries are very common in Australia - and the common thinking has been that if you tear your ACL, you'll need surgery. Researchers are arguing the best evidence says we should be looking to rehab first, and that for many people they will recover without surgery. Microplastics in our food supply - from processing and production - mean all of us are ingesting some level of plastic into our bodies. A new study out of Western Australia shows that it is possible to reduce your exposure, but it takes a lot of work. There's a growing evidence base for the use of digital interventions for people with some categories of eating disorder. And they might have spillover benefits for mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, which can co-occur with an eating disorder. But how do you find one that you can trust? Plus, the renaming of polycystic ovary syndrome and the implications for people with the condition. References: Low-plastic diet and urinary levels of plastic-associated phthalates and bisphenols: the randomized controlled PERTH TrialTreatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament RuptureAcute, Longer-Term, and Transdiagnostic Outcomes After Digital Interventions for Eating DisordersAluminium adjuvants in vaccines and potential health effects: systematic reviewPolycystic ovary syndrome renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndromeThriving Kids - Services Australia

    51 min

  2. 8 MAY

    'Fitspo' content and mental health

    Urgent care clinics are getting $1.8 billion in this year's federal budget to make them a permanent part of Australia's health system. We speak to the Health Minister Mark Butler about the decision. 'Fitspo' content that sometimes glamourises a ripped bod or restrictive ways of eating could be flooding your social feed - what do we know about its effect on our mental health? And 'phage therapy' - a novel form of treatment aimed at providing an alternative to antibiotics. What are bacteriophages, how does this therapy work and how far off is it from showtime? Plus, success for Australia in eliminating trachoma - an infectious eye disease - as a public health issue.  References: Australia becomes the 30th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problemMpox disease epidemiology, vaccine uptake and vaccination coverage in Australia 2022–2024: a descriptive studyHantavirus-hit cruise ship leaves Cape Verde after three evacuatedMajor budget boost means Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are here to stayLifting the Screen on Fitspiration: A Meta-AnalysisCross-reactive anti-prophage antibodies and bacterial heteroresistance implicated in phage therapeutic failure

    45 min

  3. 1 MAY

    Markers of irritable bowel syndrome

    A new review suggests there may be biomarkers linked to irritable bowel syndrome, typically a diagnosis of exclusion. How you get followed up after going to the doctor with symptoms of bowel cancer is shaped in part by where you live. People can now access their diagnostic and pathology results digitally, and for one woman in Brisbane that meant spotting a breast cancer finding that might otherwise have been missed.  References: Serological and faecal markers of irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysisVariations in the investigation of colorectal cancer-related symptoms in Australian primary care: a retrospective cohort studyOutbreak of diptheria in the Kimberley.Nine-Valent Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Related Cancers in MalesAn estimated 450,000 diabetics will miss out on subsidised Mounjaro after negotiations stalled

    45 min

  4. 24 APR

    What do we know about brain fog in menopause?

    Two thirds of women report concerns over memory loss, concentration or other cognitive symptoms during menopause. What do we understand about what's going on, and how can it be managed? A new plan for improving asthma outcomes in Australia and ending that reliance on the blue puffer. Understanding how the genes we're born with could shape our risk of some cancers in childhood - with implications for adults too. And the links between home cooking and dementia - with studies suggesting slicing and dicing at home (instead of eating out more often) could have a protective effect for your cognition. References RSV Vaccine - Department of HealthHome cooking, cooking skills and dementia requiring long-term care: a population-based cohort study in JapanTypology of out-of-home eaters: a description of sociodemographic, lifestyle, nutritional and environmental characteristics in the NutriNet-Santé cohortGender and age differences in weekend eating habits: associations with fat mass percentage in a cross-sectional studyGlucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and risk of substance use disorders among US veterans with type 2 diabetes: cohort studyHeart-nosed bat alphacoronaviruses use human CEACAM6 to enter cellsAdvances in understanding of cognitive symptoms during menopauseA Bold Blueprint for Asthma Reform in AustraliaIntegrated germline and somatic molecular profiling to detect cancer predisposition has a high clinical impact in poor-prognosis paediatric cancer

  5. 17 APR

    Can ChatGPT Health tell when you should go to hospital?

    Can you trust the advice ChatGPT Health gives about whether you should go to the hospital or not? Who is using GLP-1 weight loss drugs and how common are they? New guidelines for supporting young people with suicidal ideation or who self-harm. And more findings that drugs removing amyloid from the brain don't help prevent dementia. References: Intensive LDL Cholesterol Targeting in Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular DiseaseMunicipal water fluoridation, adolescent IQ, and cognition across the life courseAndrographis paniculata (Andrographis) and anaphylaxis - updated safety review and supplementary reportAmyloid‐beta‐targeting monoclonal antibodies for people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s diseaseChatGPT Health performance in a structured test of triage recommendationsInitiators of Semaglutide in General Practice in New South Wales, 2020–2023: A Retrospective Cohort StudySuicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Children and AdolescentsSuicide and intentional self-harm hospitalisations among young peopleGenerational effects in self-reported age of onset for youth suicidal ideation, self-harm and attempted suicide: A retrospective analysis using data from the Australian National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020–2022

    50 min

  6. 10 APR

    Treating a medical emergency ... in space

    When a medical emergency happens in space, how is it treated? And what does life in Antarctica have to teach us about staying healthy on a spaceflight? Findings from a large study of Australian teenagers find links between school connection, sleep and mental health trajectories through adolescence. If you have a shoulder injury and suspect it's the rotator cuff, should you have a scan? You might find more than you bargained for. And how badly should you want to hang on to your appendix in the case of appendicitis? Is it better to jettison it or keep it in there? References: Association between GLP-1 receptor agonist use and worsening mental illness in people with depression and anxiety in Sweden: a national cohort studyRetraction: Cosmetic talc powderOncologic Risk of Missed Appendiceal Tumors in Acute AppendicitisFuture Proofing Study - Research Insights 2026Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

    43 min

  7. 3 APR

    What to expect this flu season

    Which flu strains are likely to be dominant this flu season - and what's the story with the new nasal spray vaccine? Speaking of sprays ... there's a simple saline spray that might help kids with sleep apnoea avoid surgery. And a treatment for enlarged prostate that doesn't involve going under the knife. Plus, a new review finds vaping is likely to cause certain types of cancer. References: The carcinogenicity of e-cigarettes: a qualitative risk assessmentCost-Effectiveness of Oral Immunotherapy Treatments vs No Treatment for Peanut Allergy in ChildrenAnnual Immunisation Coverage Report 2025Vaping likely to cause cancer, new Australian review of evidence finds (ABC News)Influenza (flu) vaccine - Department of HealthInfluenza immunisation resources - National Centre for Immunisation Research and SurveillanceHistoric 1994 influenza vaccine cohorts define breadth of antibody and B cell responses toward future influenza A and B virusesLab Notes: Super-K flu is here … but it's not our biggest problemIntranasal Treatments for Children With Sleep-Disordered Breathing: The MIST+ Randomized Clinical TrialProstate artery Embolisation Assessment of Safety and feasibilitY (P-EASY): a potential alternative to long-term medical therapy for benign prostate hyperplasiaThe ‘Prostate Embolisation AS first-line therapY compAred to meDication in treatment naïVe men with prostAte eNlargement, a randomised ControllEd trial’ (P-EASY ADVANCE): a randomised controlled trial of prostate embolisation vs medication for BPHProstate artery EmbolisAtion Safety and efficacY: Preliminary and foLlow-Up urodynamic Studies (P-EASY PLUS)

    42 min

  8. 27 MAR

    3D printing in healthcare

    3D printing is becoming an incredibly versatile modern tool - with scope to apply it to engineering, manufacturing, architecture and design challenges. And it's increasingly being used in ... healthcare. Plus, Kylie and Gillian had been friends for years when Kylie had a stroke in her early 30s. It turned Kylie's work-driven life upside down, and forced her and husband Chris to re-evaluate everything. This week's Health Report features stories from our archive. We'll be back with a new program next week.

    39 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander dissect the latest and breaking news in the medical world. 

Information

  • Creator
    ABC Australia
  • Years Active
    2005 - 2026
  • Episodes
    314
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All right reserved.
  • Show Website
    Health Report

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