The rapid growth of genetic testing and data-gathering could revolutionize health and medicine if governments work to protect people against privacy and societal risks.
As cities in developing countries - like Lagos in Nigeria, pictured here - grow, so do obesity risks.
Reuters/Akintunde Akinleye
Governments must understand that the factors making cities convenient and productive also make their residents prone to obesity. They must confront this challenge with intelligent, focused policies.
Information on patients’ experiences with their hospital care is often not reported back to public hospitals at unit or ward level.
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One would think governments would do all they could to ensure palliative care is available to all who need it. This is not the case in Australia today.
Australia has more doctors per population than most comparable countries, yet many living in rural and remote areas don’t receive the care they need. Changing the way we train doctors will fix this.
A byproduct of Australia’s fractured federalism is that both the Commonwealth and state governments fund public hospitals.
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Leaked documents of a secret ‘taskforce’ to reform public hospital funding reveal some controversial proposals. So how are hospitals funded and why might this need changing?
Why have successive federal governments not regulated junk food marketing to control obesity? The reasons aren’t as obvious as you might think.
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No wonder obesity is a tough public health issue for governments to deal with. Our research has uncovered a range of barriers to tackling it, some more obvious than others.
Mental health remains chronically underfunded.
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The 30% subsidy for private health insurance was predicted to be a bad and costly policy many years ago. And 20 years later, the only thing that’s changed is the $6 billion-plus hole in the budget.
The NDIS rollout has been plagued with issues from the start.
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Republicans have tried dozens of times to repeal Obamacare, but their biggest challenge has been the lack of a workable replacement plan. Here’s an idea devised by two health economists.
The goal of healthy built environments has been missing from the NSW planning agenda for too long.
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The health impacts of urban and regional planning are undisputed. So why did the NSW government adopt and then discard health objectives as part of state planning legislation?
Women are confused about how the new test for human papillomavirus (HPV), pictured here, will help them prevent cervical cancer. Let’s fix that.
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The roll-out of a new screening program for cervical cancer has been delayed, leaving Australian women understandably confused about if or when they need Pap smears. Here’s what they need to know.
Some people will find it harder than others to choose a new home care service provider to help with gardening or getting out and about.
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Older Australians needing extra help at home with bathing or gardening can now choose who provides that service. So what do you need to know before choosing a new service for yourself or a family member?
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Labor leader Bill Shorten addressed the National Press Club on February 1 and January 31 respectively.
AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
In twin speeches to the National Press Club, Labor leader Bill Shorten said bulk-billing rates are falling, while Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said bulk-billing is at record levels. Who was right?
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne