The National Mental Health Commission’s 2024 Report Card, released in July, shines a spotlight on the urgent need for a more coordinated and equitable mental health system in Australia.
Most of us have heard of Sjögren’s disease (or Sjögren’s syndrome), an autoimmune condition that targets moisture-producing glands. We associate it with dry eyes and dry mouth (sicca symptoms), and while those symptoms are certainly hallmark features, they are only part of the story.
An increasing number of people are using artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots such as ChatGPT for mental health and support. There are both benefits and risks associated with the use of AI for mental health. However, there are no policies or guidelines to inform the safe use of AI chatbots for mental health purposes.
Australia’s aged care system is undergoing a necessary transformation — one that places the rights and dignity of older people front and centre. At the heart of this is the need to minimise restrictive practices, including the use of chemical restraint.
Australia’s health workforce is under pressure. Wait times are growing. Burnout is rising. Yet the country is awash in policy – just not the kind that solves these problems at the root.
On oncology wards, busy clinicians are often burdened by time pressure and competing demands and may struggle to implement the 5As (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange) or ABC (Assess, Brief, Counsel) models for smoking cessation. However, despite various suggested models of care, implementation of cessation programs after a cancer diagnosis has been poor, with its management frequently perceived as being “out of scope” to core clinical care. But since the 2014 US Surgeon General’s (SG) report on smoking cessation, there has been increasing recognition that it is vital for improving patient outcomes.
Spirometry testing is necessary for an accurate diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is a cornerstone of optimised COPD management. A new report from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) highlights that the people who need it most are missing out.
Young LGBTQ+ Australians look to social media for mental health support and a sense of community. The social media ban risks exacerbating existing mental health inequity.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, either because of a blockage (called an ischaemic stroke) or bleeding (a haemorrhagic stroke). Around 83% of strokes are ischaemic.
