Health Report - Separate stories podcast

A brain training trial finds a reduction in dementia diagnoses after 20 years -- but for a very specific kind of training.New research into oral GLP-1 medications for diabetes and -- perhaps further down the track -- weight loss.And risk factors for developing an allergy. Some well known, others more peculiar.ReferencesImpact of cognitive training on claims-based diagnosed dementia over 20 years: evidence from the ACTIVE studyEfficacy and safety of once-daily oral orforglipron compared with oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes (ACHIEVE-3)Risk factors for the development of food allergy in infants and children

Most Australian children are eating too much salt, according to new research.The study found Victorian school children were getting too much sodium, but not enough potassium.A high salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, which in children can be an early warning sign for cardiovascular disease later in life.GuestDr Carley Grimes, Senior Lecturer in Population Nutrition, Deakin UniversityReferencesSodium, potassium and blood pressure in Australian schoolchildren: exploring differences by sex and weight status — a cross-sectional study

Currently, breast screening is recommended for women aged 50 to 74. Women over 40 can also have a free mammogram every two years.But researchers have looked at what happens when the type of screening is adjusted depending on your risk.High-risk women would undergo more intense screening, while screening for low-risk women wouldn’t happen at all until they reach 50.Guest/sProfessor Dorothy Keefe, CEO, Cancer AustraliaReferencesRisk-Based vs Annual Breast Cancer Screening: The WISDOM Randomized Clinical Trial

The diagnosis and management of endometriosis can be complex and difficult to navigate.What are the different ways in which the condition can be diagnosed? When is a laparoscopy called for and when don't you need one? And how do you seek a second opinion?Guest/sDr Nyash Gwata, Gynaecologist, Obstetrician and Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon in Melbourne

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

A study has found self-collection swabs are enabling more women to be screened for HPV, which is the leading cause of cervical cancer. Vaccination against HPV has also been shown not to wane in a long-term follow up of more than 300,000 girls and women. And another win for exercise — moderate to vigorous physical activity has been associated with a lower risk of death among survivors of bladder, endometrial, lung, rectal and ovarian cancers. ReferencesUptake and performance of self-collection offered through primary care to all eligible participants in a national cervical screening programme in Australia: a retrospective cohort studyExtended follow-up of invasive cervical cancer risk after quadrivalent HPV vaccination: nationwide, register based studyLeisure-Time Physical Activity and Cancer Mortality Among Cancer Survivors

There have been some cases where chats between vulnerable people and AI bots have gone horribly wrong.But it shows that people are turning to generative AI when they’re in need of support – whether that’s for general life advice or actual therapy.Given psychologists can be expensive and difficult to access, how can a person seek support from AI without it going off the rails?Guest/sProfessor Jill Newby, clinical psychologist and researcher at the University of New South Wales and the Black Dog Institute Dani ZetzerLauren OLoughlinReferencesInformed use of AI technologies for mental healthAI and mental health in Australia: what needs to happen next - Black Dog Institute

When you think of a pharmacist, you probably think of someone giving you medication to take.But for some, their whole job is to deprescribe – assess what drugs you’re on now, and which ones are no longer necessary.Research shows that for a portion of older adults, deprescribing drugs can even extend their life.Guest/sDeborah Hawthorne, consultant pharmacist in rural Victoria ReferencesPharmacists call for medicine review program to be expanded - ABC NewsThe effect of deprescribing interventions on mortality and health outcomes in older people: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

A report from the Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has raised concerns, after finding a steep increase in antibiotic resistance. An initiative in the UK is trying to tackle the issue of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites becoming resistant to treatments — starting in schools. Also, unpacking the results of a study that found menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is not linked to increased risk of death. And a major review finds intermittent fasting made little to no difference in weight loss or quality of life in overweight or obese adults compared to regular dietary advice.Guest/sProfessor Alison Holmes, Professor of Infectious Diseases at Imperial College LondonReferencesMenopausal hormone therapy and long term mortality: nationwide, register based cohort studySixth Australian report on antimicrobial use and resistance in human health (AURA report)Education and Behaviour Change - The Fleming Initiative's StanceIntermittent fasting for adults with overweight or obesity

A review of evidence has cast doubt on the idea that exercise improves symptoms of osteoarthritis.But experts are warning people not to change their routines, pointing to the limits of these types of studies.We discuss what the study can and cannot tell us about osteoarthritis, and the best approach when you’re dealing with the disease.Guest/sProfessor Manuela Ferreira, program head in musculoskeletal health at the George Institute.  Professor David Hunter, rheumatologist at the University of Sydney and Royal North Shore Hospital.  ReferencesEffectiveness of exercise therapy for osteoarthritis: an overview of systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials

Studies in middle-aged adults suggest that daily aspirin can reduce the risk of cancer, but it’s a different story for people aged 70 or older.The ASPREE study found no effect on overall cancer incidence for healthy older adults taking low-dose aspirin.In fact, during the period of the trial there was an elevated cancer mortality risk among participants taking the drug.Guest/sDr Suzanne Orchard, associate professor in the school of public health and preventative medicine at Monash UniversityReferencesCancer Incidence and Mortality With Aspirin in Older Adults: Follow-Up of the ASPREE TrialThe effects of daily low-dose aspirin on white matter hyperintensity lesions and retinal vascular calibre in healthy older adults: the ENVIS-ion exploratory neuroimaging substudy of the ASPREE randomised clinical trial 

Gout is a type of arthritis where excess uric acid leads to sharp crystals forming in your joints.There are treatments available, but despite this, evidence shows gout is often poorly managed.Part of the problem can be stigma – meaning people delay addressing flare ups.Guest/sProfessor Catherine Hill, head of the rheumatology unit at the Queens Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide and clinical professor at the University of AdelaideReferencesTreat-to-Target Urate-Lowering Treatment and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With GoutArthritis Australia gout resourcesGout Medcast resources

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

After studies showed certain vaccines had a protective effect against Alzheimer's, researchers wanted to see if treating the virus might slow disease progression.However in a group of people with early Alzheimer's disease this had no effect on cognitive decline. Also, a new study urges us to rethink the side effects of statins. And GLP-1s under the spotlight for nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss. ReferencesValacyclovir Treatment of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer Disease: The VALAD Randomized Clinical TrialAssessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trialsNutritional deficiencies and muscle loss in adults with type 2 diabetes using GLP-1 receptor agonists: A retrospective observational study

Cardio might be the most effective way to relieve depression and anxiety symptoms, according to a new review of the evidence.It also suggests the kind of class, and how long you exercise for, should differ depending on whether you’re addressing depression or anxiety.It indicates exercise could be prescribed as a first-line therapy, being as good as, or better than, medication and talking therapies.Guest/sNeil Munro, James Cook UniversityReferencesEffect of exercise on depression and anxiety symptoms: systematic umbrella review with meta-meta-analysis

In recent years more women have been opting for home births, and in some extreme cases women have eschewed medical support entirely.In some states, including recently in Victoria, new advice has come in to address gaps in the maternal care system that leave some women feeling disempowered.They’ve placed emphasis on open discussions between doctors and patients, and a woman’s right to deny certain aspects of care.Guest/sDr Nisha Khot, obstetrician in Victoria, and president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and GynaecologistsReferencesRespectful Maternity and Newborn Care Framework

Beta blockers, which can slow down the heart rate, are often prescribed after a heart attack.But recent studies have painted a conflicting picture of how effective these drugs are in reducing heart problems in this scenario.While these studies have complicated the story, experts are cautioning people not to act without checking in with their doctors.Guest/sProfessor Jason Kovacic, director and CEO of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, and cardiologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in SydneyReferencesβ blockers after myocardial infarction with mildly reduced ejection fraction: an individual patient data meta-analysis of randomised controlled trialsBeta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction in Patients without Heart FailureBeta-Blockers after Myocardial Infarction without Reduced Ejection Fraction

A look at some of the Health Report correspondence this week.You can email us at healthreport@abc.net.au

Two cases of Nipah virus have been identified in India, but this isn't the first outbreak of the bat-borne disease. The World Health Organization says there's a low risk it will spread beyond India. Also, the Victorian Government makes a controversial decision that could see people with ADHD receive six months worth of medication over the phone. ReferencesNipah and Hendra Viruses: Deadly Zoonotic Paramyxoviruses with the Potential to Cause the Next Pandemic - PMCUrgent ADHD Top-Up Prescriptions Even Easier And Cheaper