Category Archives: alcohol

The Federal Budget and health: what’s on the table (or not)

May 8, 2012 – 11:41 am

Below is a short summary of items related to tonight’s Federal Budget and health: what is promised/likely; what has been asked for; and what seems to be missing. What is promised/likely in the federal budget • Expansion of the national bowel cancer screening program (Some reaction to this will follow in the next post.) • [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in cancer, complementary medicines, Federal Budget 2012-2013, mental health, private health insurance, rural and remote health, tobacco control | Tagged , | Comments (1)

To tackle our drinking problem, look to Newcastle – and closer to home too

April 24, 2012 – 5:55 pm

The NSW city of Newcastle is known for its port, coal, earthquake, surfing, lively arts scene, and for Silverchair, the Newcastle Knights and Joey Johns (did I miss anything?). But perhaps it should also get some kudos for its efforts to tackle alcohol-related harm, suggests Laurence Alvis, CEO of UnitingCare Moreland Hall. As well as turning to Newcastle [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in evidence-based issues, public health, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

The unhealthy trifecta: tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries

April 19, 2012 – 6:36 pm

While those with a concern for public health may be familiar with some similarities between the tobacco and alcohol industries, it’s time to include the gambling industry in this analysis. That’s the suggestion from Dr Charles Livingstone, from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University. *** Gambling needs to be tackled as [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in gambling, Health inequalities, public health, social determinants of health, tobacco control | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

The latest wrap of Croakey’s coverage of public health, health reform and the works

April 10, 2012 – 8:37 pm

Croakey readers are welcome to sign up for (rather irregular) summaries of posts. If you’d like to join the mailing list, please send your email or leave it below. Here is the latest compilation, covering articles posted since the beginning of the year. The latest readership figures are now also available, showing that more than 39,000 [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Food, general practice, Indigenous health, Media-related issues, Naked Doctor, physical activity, private health insurance, public health, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, The Conversation, tobacco control, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

The latest media coverage of Ben Cousins has been uninformed, simplistic and unhelpful

April 5, 2012 – 11:26 am

Laurence Alvis, CEO of UnitingCare Moreland Hall, writes: Media coverage of the latest developments in the life of Ben Cousins has done little to advance public debate on issues relating to alcohol and other drug dependence and recovery.  Much recent commentary has dealt heavily in uninformed opinion and has sought to pass simplistic judgement on [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in illicit drugs, Media-related issues | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The thinking behind Drink Tank, and other public health news about alcohol

April 5, 2012 – 10:14 am

The opportunities of the digital age are changing the way public health advocates engage with the wider community, as evidenced by the recent launch of Drink Tank, a new “conversation space” for discussions about alcohol. In the article below, Michael Thorn, Chief Executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), explains some of the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Media-related issues, public health, social media and healthcare | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Introducing a new watchdog for alcohol marketing

March 19, 2012 – 10:41 am

Relying on the alcohol industry to regulate alcohol marketing does not work. It’s time for a new approach, writes Rebecca Johnson, policy advisor with Cancer Council Western Australia. She invites Croakey readers to contribute to the Alcohol Advertising Review Board (AARB), which was launched last week. *** Alcohol marketers now face scrutiny by an independent [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health & medical marketing, health regulation, public health, Youth health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

The ‘Biggest Loser’ eviction: a lapse is not a failure

March 7, 2012 – 7:18 pm

Some important lessons about how to make health-promoting behavioural changes can be drawn from recent events involving the television show The Biggest Loser and a drunk contestant. So says Laurence Alvis, the CEO of Moreland Hall, an alcohol and other drug treatment and education service in Melbourne. *** When it comes to changing unhealthy behaviours, there is no quick fix [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Media-related issues, public health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

What did Minister Roxon achieve? Some wins. But the ambulance is still parked below the cliff

January 20, 2012 – 12:29 pm

When asked to assess Nicola Roxon’s tenure as Health Minister, Croakey contributors gave varying responses (see here and here) late last year. However, there was fairly wide agreement that she will be best remembered for her achievements in public health, especially tobacco control, where she helped to make Australia a world-leader in passing legislation mandating [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in diabetes, general practice, health reform, Hospitals, mental health, National Preventive Health Agency, plain packaging, public health, tobacco control | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (2)

A rather large wrap of recent Croakey articles: public health, health reform, media coverage of health and more

January 11, 2012 – 10:25 am

As previously mentioned, Croakey readers are welcome to sign up for (rather irregular) summaries of posts. If you’d like to join the mailing list, please send your email or leave it below. Here is the latest compilation, covering from 6 October – December 23, 2011. The latest readership figures are now also available, showing that [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in abortion, cancer, child health, childbirth and maternity services, climate change, complementary medicines, conflicts of interest, consumer health information, death and dying, dental care, evidence-based issues, Food, global health, health and medical research, health financing and costs, Health inequalities, health reform, health workforce, Hospitals, Indigenous health, infectious diseases, Media Doctor Australia, Medicare Locals, mental health, MyHospitals website, obesity, pain, palliative care, pharmacy, physical activity, prevention, primary health care, public health, quality and safety of health care, rural and remote health, SensaSlim, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, TGA, The Conversation, tobacco control, vaccination, vaccines, WHO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)