Category Archives: public health

Sounding the alarm over cutbacks to Qld organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health

May 21, 2012 – 6:28 pm

It seems that some high-need areas are being targeted for cuts by the new Queensland Government. The prison advocacy group Sisters Inside has been in the news over its concerns about the future of services to women inside Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre (TWCC) – most of whom are Indigenous. As the tweet below suggests, there are [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Health inequalities, HIV/AIDS, Indigenous health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , | Comments (5)

Introducing a wealth of ideas for new online health-related publications

May 16, 2012 – 8:11 pm

Entrepreneurs and philanthropists take note: below are some terrific ideas for new health-related online publications. Croakey recently put out a call on behalf of the Public Interest Journalism Foundation for ideas for online publications covering health-related areas of need. One of the pitches will be developed during a session at the New News conference, which will [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in aged care, climate change, disasters, evidence-based issues, Health inequalities, legal issues, Media-related issues, rural and remote health, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, women's health | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

A local council takes on fast food: is this the future for improving public health?

May 16, 2012 – 6:17 pm

In case you missed it, there has been an interesting development for public health at Darebin in northern Melbourne – the local council is reportedly considering hiking rates for fast food chains. It’s part of a wider move in Victoria to improve public health through local government. In the article below, Jane Martin, Executive Manager of [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Food | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

When will policy catch up with the science on drug prohibition?

May 16, 2012 – 2:09 pm

The previous post examined some of the health implications of Victoria’s plans to build a new prison. In the article below, Dr Alex Wodak, President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, suggests that drug law reform offers a more effective and humane alternative to prison-building. *** Crime and drugs: get tough or get smart? The Victorian [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in illicit drugs, legal issues, social determinants of health | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

What are the health implications of building more prisons?

May 16, 2012 – 1:51 pm

Update, May 22: Extra material has been added at the bottom of this post about an assessment of the likely impact of a new correctional facility in Gatton, Queensland. *** Health journalists (and our audiences) might get better stories come budget time if we looked beyond the health department papers. That is one of the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in education, evidence-based issues, Federal Budget 2012-2013, health impact assessment, Health inequalities, Hospitals, illicit drugs, Indigenous health, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

A wrap of recent news on McDonald’s, marketing and health (and some parallel universes)

May 14, 2012 – 7:28 pm

When it comes to food and health, it seems that we are living in parallel universes. In one universe, there is a new report from The Institute of Medicine in the US, Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation, urging governments and decision makers (including those in the private sector) “to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, Food, health and medical research, obesity | Tagged , , , , | Comments (3)

The budget failed to address health risks from climate change

May 9, 2012 – 2:23 pm

Where is the national strategy to protect our health from climate change? Where are the efforts to help health organisations transition to a low carbon sector? The budget failed to address these and other important health concerns around climate change, according to Fiona Armstrong, Convenor of the Climate and Health Alliance. *** The budget’s black hole on [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in climate change, Federal Budget 2012-2013 | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Budget cuts to foreign aid: what will they mean for global health?

May 9, 2012 – 1:29 pm

The budget cuts to foreign aid are bad news for global health but should be seen in the wider context of efforts to improve the effectiveness and scale of Australia’s aid program, says Joel Negin, Senior Lecturer in International Public Health at the University of Sydney. *** The cuts will have “an immediate and direct impact”  Joel [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in Federal Budget 2012-2013, global health | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

At last, a REAL cancer breakthrough (and why some politicians deserve a cuddle)

May 8, 2012 – 12:03 pm

Among the many announcements ahead of tonight’s Federal Budget was this one of an expansion of  bowel cancer screening. In the article below, Terry Slevin, Education and Research Director at Cancer Council WA, explains some of the background to the announcement, and also suggests that the Ministers responsible “deserve a cuddle”. *** How this “historic [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in cancer, evidence-based issues, Federal Budget 2012-2013, screening | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (4)

In case you missed this series on the need for drug law reform

May 2, 2012 – 7:30 pm

Australia21 is an independent, non-profit organisation involved in multidisciplinary research and inquiry on issues of strategic importance to Australia. Its concern with public health is not surprising given that its board members include Emeritus Professor Bob Douglas and physician/law reform advocate Dr Alex Wodak. It recently released a report titled “The prohibition of illicit drugs [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, illicit drugs, legal issues | Tagged , , | Comments (1)