REV CON KEOGH: DEATH OF LEADING MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE. Malcolm Brown’s excellent obituary of Father Con Keogh in The Sydney Morning Herald (8th Dec 2011) brought back many memories. Con Keogh, ordained a priest in Rome in March, 1945 was … Continue reading →

WHO DECIDES AFTER YOU ARE DEAD? This week the NSW Minister of Health Mrs Julian Skinner indicated she wanted community responses to how best handle the issue of the shortage of human organs after death. Although about 2 million Australians … Continue reading →

WHO DECIDES AFTER YOU ARE DEAD? This week the NSW Minister of Health Mrs Julian Skinner indicated she wanted community responses to how best handle the issue of the shortage of human organs after death. Although about 2 million Australians … Continue reading →

WATCH THOSE SUNSCREENS. Nanoparticles used to make some sunscreens transparent may also be toxic, according to Australian research. A study by Amanda Barnard, of the CSIRO, found the nanoparticles that provided the best transparency and sun protection also had the … Continue reading →

In a recent report on food labelling the RSPCA has pointed out that the terms “free-range”, “corn-fed”, and organic are not used in a consistent, standardised manner across the range of animal-derived food products, and are calling for mandatory national standards.

Last week Australia observed Teal Ribbon Day held to raise awareness of ovarian cancer and its impact on the community. Ovarian cancer has no screening test yet like a mammogram or ‘pap’ smear that women can have regularly to make sure they do not have other female cancers. It is important, therefore, for each woman to know the symptoms of ovarian cancer so they can monitor their own body for any indications that all is not well. Continue reading →

Public health Professor Dr Sunmin Lee’s research team at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, USA has focused on how various social variables can influence people’s health. As well as examining the effects of occupational stress, marital transitions, socio-economic status on cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline in elderly using cohort studies she has recently shifted her attention to the effect of childcare on older women. Continue reading →

The experts tell us that consuming small amounts of alcohol, the equivalent to just 2 standard drinks per day for men and 1 drink for women, is safe and may even offer protection to your heart. In 2001 the National Health and Medical Research Council published Australian Alcohol Guideline: Health Risks and Benefits in order to educate people about what risks they were taking by drinking any more than that. Continue reading →

Experts say that society is not facing the facts about the terrible effects of divorce. The saddest cases can lead to self-destructive behaviours and eventual suicide. Many divorced people let their good health habits go by the wayside and they no longer look after themselves properly. Men are particularly at risk. Continue reading →

The responsibility for taking care of older family members almost always falls to the women in the family, whether they have jobs outside the home or not. These responsibilities are going to be increasing greatly over the next decade, a report has found. Continue reading →