Health Check

BBC World Service

4.7 (80)
HEALTH & FITNESS
UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Health issues and medical breakthroughs from around the world.

3D AGO

Why do some people hoard?

Many of us can empathise with that feeling of keeping stuff for years and years. We might keep treasured objects with real sentimental value, or we might have items for a long time - and yet we can't really explain why. For those of us who don’t like getting rid of our belongings, life can feel very full of stuff. But when does a tendency to hold on to things become more worrying? It can be difficult to put a figure on just how many people have what's known as hoarding disorder. So what causes this complex and little discussed issue – and is it more than just a problem of too much stuff? Claudia visits a woman who describes how hoarding has taken over her life to the extent that she doesn’t let anyone into her home. We also meet her psychologist to understand what underpins hoarding disorder and how it’s treated. And joining us in the studio is Catherine Loveday, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Westminster to look at whether our state of mind when we get vaccinated affects how well the vaccine works. They also discuss why the menopause might be bad for the brain whereas grandparenting might be good for the brain. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Jonathan Blackwell & Gerry Holt

26 min
JAN 28

South African coming-of-age initiations

For some communities in South Africa coming-of-age initiations are a hugely significant moment, but there have been rising concerns over the safety of the circumcisions at the heart of this ritual. Forty-eight young men died last year and the government are now introducing measures to tackle the issue. BBC’s southern Africa correspondent Pumza Fihlani reports on the latest. Research suggests our hair does not grow by pushing up and out but by being pulled by a coordinated network of moving cells. Our studio guest Graham Easton, professor of clinical communication skills and former family doctor discusses the significance. What is the best way to encourage more people to give blood? New research from China evaluates system where donors were offered incentives such as free access to public bus services. Professor of Health Psychology Eamonn Ferguson puts this in the context of different approaches used worldwide. And should doctors use emojis in communications with patients? A new paper analyses how many are used and which ones by clinicians and patients in Michigan, USA. We discuss the pros and cons of their use. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant producer: Jonathan Blackwell Researcher: Anna Charalambou

26 min
JAN 21

Could the shingles vaccine really slow down the ageing process?

Joined by BBC Brazil reporter Camilla Mota, presenter Claudia Hammond discusses new research from the U.S. that has found that people who have had a vaccine against shingles seem to be aging more slowly. We hear from James Tibenderana, Chief Executive of Malaria Consortium about research from Brazil that shows that as deforestation expands, mosquitoes are increasingly using humans as a blood source instead of wildlife. What does this mean for the spread of mosquito-borne diseases? Plus, why does Brazil have a particularly high number of supercentenarians? And could swearing make you stronger? Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Anna Charalambou

27 min
JAN 14

What effect does exercise really have on depression?

We are often told exercise is good for boosting your mood, but a new Cochrane review has looked at what the evidence says about how much difference exercise can really make when treating depression. Many patients with chronic conditions fail to take medications as prescribed. We discuss a novel pill casing that can send a signal once it has been broken down in the stomach. Prof Giovanni Traverso, gastroenterologist and director of the Laboratory for Translational Engineering at MIT, explains how it works. A year on from the USAID freeze, global health journalist Andrew Green unpicks America’s radically different influence on world health today. In Malawi’s townships, many families can no longer afford charcoal or gas. Instead, they turn to burning plastic waste as cooking fuel. This keeps food on the table but fills kitchens and markets with toxic smoke, contributing to respiratory illness, pregnancy complications, and environmental damage. We hear from our reporter, Carrim Mpaweni. And we look at auto-brewery syndrome as researchers search for why some people’s gut microbes produce high alcohol levels. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant producers: Jonathan Blackwell and Anna Charalambou

26 min
JAN 7

China’s latest bid to boost its birth rate

China has just brought in taxes on contraception including condoms in a bid to increase the nation’s birth rate. What impact could this have when considered alongside other “fertility-friendly” policies? Global Health reporter Dorcas Wangira gives her verdict. Could RSV vaccination dramatically reduce childhood asthma? Professor Bart Lambrecht from Ghent University shares his latest research suggesting just that. How school-based vaccination programmes for HPV may provide cancer protection through herd immunity. Plus, BBC reporter Erika Benke takes us to a Finnish sauna to understand what we do, and don’t know about the impact the ancient practice has on our health and wellbeing. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett

26 min
12/31/2025

How can we eliminate malaria?

In the past decade there has been little progress in lowering malaria cases, with over half a million people still dying from the mosquito-borne disease every year. We look at the big ideas and innovations of the future that could help us eliminate malaria once and for all. What would happen if we got rid of the insect responsible for spreading the malaria parasite? Claudia heads to Imperial College London where she is joined by Dr Federica Bernardini and their 120 colonies of mosquitos to find out how revolutionary genetic technologies are aiming to do just that. Picking up on Imperial’s work in the field is Principal Investigator at Target Malaria in Uganda, Dr Jonathan Kayondo. His job is to understand what it would mean to release these modified mosquitos into the wild. Looking at the existing tools that need levelling up is Dr Rob Moon, from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Dr James Tibenderana, Chief Executive at the Malaria Consortium. Alongside Claudia they look at the next generation of vaccines and the importance of accessible rapid diagnostic tests. But is all this going to be enough to eliminate malaria? Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Katie Tomsett

27 min
12/24/2025

2025: A big year for tackling malaria

Malaria is still the third biggest killer on the planet and despite decades of serious investment it’s a disease that is still very much with us. But that investment is starting to pay off - 2025 has been a big year for new ways of tackling the disease. This week we’re reflecting on the progress made in 2025 – but also asking what impact unprecedented cuts to global health funding might have on whether children living in hot and humid regions of the world contract malaria. Our expert guide is James Tibenderana, an epidemiologist from Uganda. He is Chief Executive at the Malaria Consortium, an organisation that advises governments on best practice for tackling malaria as well as delivering their own programmes. We also hear from Nigeria, the country with the highest rates of malaria in the world. Dr Onyinye Echedike-Elekwa at The University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital on the south coast of the country tells us how it’s been in the clinic this year. The drug known as GamLun marks a huge breakthrough in the treatment of malaria. Abdoulaye Djimdé is Professor of Parasitology and Mycology at the Malaria Research and Training Centre University of Bamako, Mali. He led clinical trials of the medication and explains how it works. In September, the World Health Organisation announced conditional approval for indoor use of spatial emanators, a device which continually releases a mosquito toxin into the air for up to a year. Epidemiologist Ellie Sherrard-Smith from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the UK explains the potential benefits and concerns for this tool. Plus, we reflect on the progress made in the malaria vaccine roll out this year and how a new formulation of a pre-existing drug is offering hope to the very youngest patients And could we ever eliminate malaria completely? Next week, we consider the big ideas hoping to do just that. With thanks to Karina Igonikon Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins

26 min
12/17/2025

Behind the Huntington’s disease breakthrough

James Gallagher joins Claudia Hammond to share his pick for health breakthrough of 2025 – the world's first gene therapy to treat Huntington’s disease. Popular science author Mary Roach joins Claudia to discuss the future of prosthetics. Also on the show, James shares his latest reporting on how sperm from a donor with a cancer-causing gene was used to conceive almost 200 children. We hear from Mohsen Rajabi how teachers in Iran are providing first-line mental health support to refugee students as they cope with settlement traumas. Plus, how an electronic nose could help detect mould in the home. Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producer: Katie Tomsett

27 min

See All (286)

4.7

out of 5

80 Ratings

Great show

04/13/2018

incognito82

I love it
The world's health briefing

07/10/2017

dettifoss

The podcast is very professionally presented, with reports on issues in world health - literally tackling issues and bringing news from every corner of the globe - followed by a studio discussion with a healthcare professional (usually a doctor, but occasionally a journalist specializing in health). Note: this is serious journalism, not faddy health infotainment. I am a better person for listening to Health Check: more knowledgeable and more thoughtful.
Highly recommended

03/31/2013

minarcik

Claudia Hammond, you rock! Thank you for the awesome podcast :)
Outstanding Presentation of a Fascinating Case

09/04/2010

Professor 134

Everyone who studies psychology learns about H.M.--the man who lost his memory. This presentation explains the whole amazing case in considerable detail--but as a very interesting story. And not only do you learn all about H.M.--you hear him too. A real nice guy. An outstanding presentation.