Health – Views & Research – The Conversation

Woman holds her chest while talking to her GP

What is lipoprotein(a) cholesterol, or Lp(a)? And can you lower yours?

Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland and Kirsten Adlard, The University of Queensland

What do the proposed NDIS changes mean for people with disability living in supported accommodation?

Libby Callaway, Monash University; Jack Francis Kelly, University of Technology Sydney; Phillippa Carnemolla, University of Technology Sydney, and Sally Robinson, Flinders University

Woman sits in waiting room next to her child, who is holding a teddy

Intimate partner violence is a hidden contributor to women’s suicide

Victoria Rasmussen, UNSW Sydney

Why does squishing NeeDoh, slime, or putty feel so satisfying?

Susan Rowe, Bond University; Amy L. Kenworthy, Bond University, and Daniel Brennan, Bond University

Hold your nose and don’t stop for a selfie: why getting up close to a beached whale is a really bad idea

Samuel Cornell, The University of Queensland; UNSW Sydney

A man taking a selfie in front of a sperm whale carcass in Sydney

Wastewater data suggests meth use is at a record high. Here’s why we don’t need to panic

Nicole Lee, Curtin University

What do people mean when they say their nervous system is overloaded or needs a reset?

Amy Loughman, The University of Melbourne

Woman works on laptop with her son sitting on the table next to her

Floral tribute at makeshift memorial at the Bondi Pavillion following a shooting at Bondi Beach

The Bondi Beach terror attack mobilised a team of volunteer medics. Here’s what we learned

Aidan Baron, University of Tasmania; University of Notre Dame Australia; Kingston University

From fake medicines to watches, counterfeits are everywhere and getting harder to catch

Gediminas Lipnickas, Adelaide University

A woman in a mask and surgical gloves holding out what looks like a vial of Botox

How to model good eating and body image habits for your kids

Courtney P. McLean, Monash University and Chelsea Arnold, Monash University

Latest health news and analysis

In the news

Tea tree oil may affect fertility, the EU says. A pharmacologist explains why that’s so misleading

Ian Musgrave, Adelaide University

We can’t know if Donald Trump has dementia. Even if he did, it wouldn’t excuse his actions

Joyce Siette, Western Sydney University and Paul Strutt, Western Sydney University

Research news

Not getting enough physical activity may be harming your health: Here’s what being sedentary does to your body

Scott Lear, Simon Fraser University

A teal sofa showing the legs and feet of a person lying on it

Dying for a drink? How midlife women think about alcohol – and its long-term risks

Kate Kersey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau and Antonia Lyons, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

Nurses with higher cultural competence don’t always perform better – new study

Emmy van Esch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau; Hanoku Bathula, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, and Laszlo Sajtos, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

A nurse's hands holding those of a patient

Is mouthwash bad for the heart? Here’s what the research actually says

Joanna L'Heureux, University of Exeter

A woman holds a bottle of blue mouthwash in one hand and the cap in the other hand. She is swishes the mouthwash around in her mouth.

Winter health

Older woman holds her t-shirt sleeve up to get vaccinated

What is RSV? And why should older Australians have this free vaccine?

Allen Cheng, Monash University

Can I get a free flu shot? And will it cover ‘super K’? Your influenza vaccine questions answered

Allen Cheng, Monash University

When is the best time to get your flu shot? 2 infectious diseases experts explain

Meru Sheel, University of Sydney and Allen Cheng, Monash University

Woman looks at a bandaid on her arm after getting vaccinated

What is Flumist, the new flu vaccine for kids that’s sprayed in their noses?

Allen Cheng, Monash University and Christopher Blyth, The University of Western Australia

Woman's hand holding tissue to kid's face blowing nose.

Advice to live by

Why eating disorder recovery is about more than what you eat or weigh

Catherine Houlihan, University of the Sunshine Coast; Andrew Allen, University of the Sunshine Coast; Dan Fassnacht, University of the Sunshine Coast, and Kathina Ali, University of the Sunshine Coast

Wondering if you’re a ‘light’ or ‘deep’ sleeper? The science isn’t that simple

Kelly Sansom, Murdoch University and Peter Eastwood, Murdoch University

Young woman sleeps soundly in a double bed.

6 ways your smartwatch is lying to you, according to science

Hunter Bennett, Adelaide University

Person wearing teal T-shirt, adjusting smartwatch

AuDHD means being autistic and having ADHD. And it can look very different to a single diagnosis

Tamara May, Monash University

Girl sits on a windowsill with her phone in hand

Will retatrutide help me lose weight or look ‘shredded’?

Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland and Timothy Piatkowski, The University of Queensland

Disability policy

NDIS eligibility will be based on ‘functional capacity’, not diagnostic labels. But what does that mean?

Georgia van Toorn, UNSW Sydney

Tightened eligibility and cuts to plans: what the NDIS changes mean for participants

Helen Dickinson, UNSW Sydney and Ebe Ganon-Davey, UNSW Sydney

Disabled woman talks to a friend while drinking tea in her patio

The Coalition wants NDIS reform to focus on 3 things. Here’s what this would mean for users – and the budget

Libby Callaway, Monash University and Lloyd Walker, Monash University

Vision impaired person leaves the supermarket

Aged care

Nurse or Cader brushing hair of smiling elderly woman

A free shower is the least older people can expect. But aged care funding misses one key point

Tracy Comans, The University of Queensland; The University of Melbourne

First Robodebt, now NDIS and aged care: how computers still decide who gets care

Laura Davy, Australian National University

Older woman in kitchen sifting flour into green bowl.

Australia’s aged care algorithm is under fire. At last, someone’s listening

Hal Swerissen, La Trobe University

Cost of living

Woman lying in hospital bed, with needles in arm

‘No gap’ private health insurance can save you money. But there’s a catch

Yuting Zhang, The University of Melbourne

Fed up with health insurance costs? 5 expert tips to negotiate a better deal

Lisa Farrell, RMIT University and Meg Elkins, RMIT University

Pregnant woman lying down, laptop on legs, on phone

Money’s tight but food prices are up. Here’s how to save on your grocery bill

Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Southern Cross University

Woman checks a package at the supermarket

Medicinal Cannabis series

Should clinics prescribe medicinal cannabis that they also supply? We asked 5 experts

Barbara Mintzes, University of Sydney; Betty Chaar, University of Sydney; Christine Mary Hallinan, The University of Melbourne; Christopher Rudge, University of Sydney, and Wendy Lipworth, Macquarie University

Can medicinal cannabis help kids’ autism, ADHD or Tourette’s? Here’s what we know so far

Daryl Efron, The University of Melbourne and Kaitlyn Taylor, Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Will medicinal cannabis help my mental health? Here are the evidence and the risks

Suzanne Nielsen, Monash University and Myfanwy Graham, Monash University

Can I drive when taking medicinal cannabis? Is it safe?

Tom Arkell, Swinburne University of Technology

Hospitals in Crisis series

Just 2 in 3 patients are treated on time in emergency departments. Check how your public hospital performs

Anam Bilgrami, Macquarie University

A composite image showing clinicians wheeling a person on a trolly, in front of a clock and ambulances

Can Urgent Care Clinics actually take pressure off hospitals? Yes, but they’re not the only way

Jonathan Karnon, Flinders University and Charmaine Gray, Flinders University

A composite image showing clinicians talking in front of a Medicare card and an Urgent Care Clinic

No control, no regulation. Why private specialist fees can leave patients with huge medical bills