Topics
Environmental health
Designing Housing to Reduce Overcrowding-Related Harms: Rheumatic Heart Disease as the Canary in the Coal Mine
Household overcrowding is a major driver of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, along with other adverse social, cultural and health outcomes in remote Aboriginal communities. Overcrowding is compounded by poor thermal performance of current housing, energy insecurity and climate change. Despite strong evidence of the causes of rheumatic heart disease, upstream prevention through housing design remains underexplored. Wilya Janta, an Aboriginal-led organisation in Tennant Creek, has developed the Explain Home design: a culturally responsive, climate-adapted prototype designed to reduce overcrowding-related harms. With an unprecedented $4 billion investment in remote housing, health professionals have a critical role in advocating for evidence-informed, culturally safe housing as a form of preventive health intervention to improve equity and outcomes.
Simon Quilty, Veronica Matthews, Angus Baumann, James Marangou, Bo Remenyi, Gavin Wheaton, Serena Morton Nabanunga, Norman Frank Jupurrurla, Simon Robinson, Steve Mintern, Cary Duffield, Joshua R. Francis, Paul C. Memmott
Australian Climate Leadership in 2026: COP-Out or Step-Up for Health?
The world is on the brink of tipping points for climate disaster and transformative action. Decisions taken now will shape the health of millions. So, will the Australian Government use its COP31 Presidency of Negotiations to prioritise the health of current and future generations and champion the end of fossil fuels? Despite recent positive shifts in some areas of climate policy, Australia's status as the world's third largest exporter of fossil fuels means strong pressure must be applied from the health professions to maximise political, social and economic progress towards a health-focussed transition to a sustainable society.
Catherine G. A. Pendrey, Angie Bone, Aletha Ward, Francis Nona, Michelle Isles, Paul M. Kelly, Nicholas J. Talley
Shifting focus to adolescent wellbeing and inclusive participation in the digital age
Allyson R Todd · Elena Wang · Stephanie R Partridge
The impact of the Breast Screen NSW transition from film to digital mammography, 2002–2016: a linked population health data analysis
Rachel Farber · Nehmat Houssami · Katy J L Bell
Dousing the burning inequity of global warming for people experiencing homelessness
People experiencing homelessness face disproportionate risks from extreme heat, with higher rates of heat-related hospital admissions compared with housed populations
Timothy English · Alejandro Vásquez Hernández · Glenn Miller · Nuala Fogarty · Charles Cosgrove · Paul Rosenthal · Matthew Larkin · Jon Swain · Danielle Austin · Jo River
The CURE Asthma roadmap
Cures for asthma will require a sustained, decade-long program of discovery science partnered with best clinical expertise
Gary P Anderson · Anthony Flynn · Phil G Bardin · John D Blakey · Shyamali C Dharmage · Paul Foster · Peter G Gibson · Adam Jaffe · Alan James · Christine R Jenkins · Sundram Sivamalai · Peter D Sly · Guy B Marks · Vanessa M McDonald · Judy Wetttenhall
Protecting public interest journalism as a public health good
Journalism and independent media are important for supporting public health through contributing to a healthy information environment, fostering dialogue and respect for rights, making governments more transparent and accountable, and societies more informed, inclusive and sustainable
Bronwyn Fredericks · Neha Lalchandani · Melissa A Sweet · Alex Cramb · Carmel Williams
Vaping may be slowing Australia’s tobacco control progress
It is time to phase out the commercial tobacco industry and require that the industry pays for the costs our society incurs as a result of its activities
Michelle I Jongenelis · Mike Daube
A retrospective cross‐sectional analysis of the economic impact of environmental risk factors on inpatient hospital separations in the Northern Territory
Improving housing, water quality and sanitation will prevent disease and reduce health care expenditure. Delivering on environmental health commitments through meaningful partnerships and coordinated action across sectors is essential for closing the gap
Geetanjali Lamba · Danielle Esler · Yuejen Zhao · Tracy Ward · Christine Connors · Michael Spry (Marranunggu)
The early implementation phase of the Omega‐3 Test‐and‐Treat Program for reducing the risk of preterm birth, South Australia, 2021–22: an implementation evaluation study
The program could be integrated into routine antenatal care to reduce the risk of preterm birth in Australia
Karen P Best · Celine Northcott · Lucy A Simmonds · Philippa Middleton · Lisa N Yelland · Vanessa Moffa · Khoa Lam · Penelope Coates · Cornelia Späth · Carol WK Siu · Karen Glover · Rhiannon Smith · Robert Gibson · Maria Makrides
Addressing the unnatural divide: why health and education are the necessary foundations of equitable child outcomes
By investing in children and young people’s wellbeing, strengthening schools, engaging children and young people themselves, and supporting families, we can shift the trajectory from disadvantage to opportunity. Every step we take now will echo across generations
Pasi Sahlberg · Angelica Ojinnaka‐Psillakis · Sharon R Goldfeld
What fully funded public schools could do
The promise of equity will be realised not through rhetoric, but through bold, deliberate and sustained action
Pasi Sahlberg · Trevor Cobbold
The power of recognising more: a qualitative study of young people’s perspectives on broader recognition for learning and wellbeing
Redefining success in education to include recognition of broader learning — shaped by learners and their contexts — can enhance engagement, improve outcomes, disrupt disadvantage, and support more equitable systems that promote wellbeing and lifelong learning
Charlie Connell‐Tobin · Linh Dang · Mietta Symmons‐Joyce · Annette C Cairnduff · Andrew PR Kellett · Lauren Langley · Philippa Collin
The detection of avian influenza virus in human pathology laboratories in Australia, New Zealand, and South Pacific nations
Avian influenza viruses can be detected by human diagnostic testing platforms routinely used for testing for influenza A viruses
Lisa M Sedger · Vishal Ahuja · Katherine A Lau · Deane L Byers · Torsten Theis · Peter D Kirkland · Catherine Pitman
The first Australian evidence‐based guidelines on male infertility
These first Australian evidence-based guidelines will serve as a clinical aid to practitioners who provide services to men with infertility and will facilitate evidence-based care for the most common areas of male infertility
Darren J Katz · Liza O’Donnell · Robert I McLachlan · Tim J Moss · Clare V Boothroyd · Veena Jayadev · Sarah R Catford
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with anaesthetic gases in Australia, 2002–2022: a retrospective descriptive analysis
Continuing to reduce the use of anaesthetic gases will advance the decarbonisation of Australian health care
Krista Verlis · Jessica F Davies · Forbes McGain · Hayden Burch · Alexandra L Barratt · Luise Kazda
The importance of universal child and family health services for equitable early development
By optimising existing investments and leveraging Australia’s strong universal foundation, we can enhance child and family health services and improve outcomes for all children and their families
Anna MH Price · Elodie O’Connor · Sharon R Goldfeld
Socio‐economic position and the prevalence of ten chronic diseases in Australia, 2021: a whole of population census data analysis
Knowing whose health is most affected by socio-economic disadvantage is integral for effective, targeted health interventions
Joanna Y Gong · Emily D Williams · Agus Salim · Spiros Fourlanos · Jonathan E Shaw · Dianna J Magliano
Clinical practice guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance for people at high risk in Australia: summary of recommendations
A summary of recommendations and practice points for key population subgroups who were identified as potentially benefitting from routine hepatocarcinoma surveillance in the form of ultrasound scans, with or without ?-fetoprotein testing
Jacob George · Nicole L Allard · Stuart K Roberts · Leon A Adams · Jane Davies · Behzad Hajarizadeh · Jennifer H MacLachlan · Suzanne E Mahady · Rosalie Altus · Catherine Brown · David C Fry · Belinda Greenwood‐Smith · Natali Smud · Patricia C Valery · Nafisa Yussf · Kate Broun · Denise Campbell · Karen Canfell · Chelsea Carle Harrison · Victoria Freeman · Paul Grogan · Catherine Holliday · Suzanne Hughes · Anna Kelly · Cathelijne Kemenade · Claire Latumahina · Amanda McAtamney · Megan Varlow · Joachim Worthington · Susan Yuill · Eleonora Feletto
The forgotten pandemic: Hong Kong influenza in Australia (1968–1970)
Without advance knowledge of the virulence and behaviour of a novel pathogen, pandemic response planning is difficult. Australia’s ability to manage future pandemics will depend not only on robust scientific and health care systems but also on fostering public trust and resilience
Matthew Brown · Alan W Hampson · John Gerrard
Country revealing the way: evaluating Elder‐governed cultural therapy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people with mental health conditions
Cultural therapy may be an effective intervention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people with mental health conditions and should be offered alongside but separate from Western mental health management
Alasdair Vance · Janet McGaw · Jo Winther · Naomi Tootell · Herb Patten · Sandra Eades
A precautionary approach to social media: protecting young minds in an evolving digital world
We present a multilayered approach focused on systems-level change, including policy action, social media platform accountability and school-based initiatives, individual-level strategies and the critical need for a research agenda co-designed with young people
Ivana Stankov · Yonatal Tefera · Melissa Bradley · Alison Pickering · Emma Willoughby · Carmel Williams
Silicosis research priorities for health care, research, and health and safety professionals, and for people exposed to silica in Australia: a research priority setting exercise
Eliminating exposure, early diagnosis, preventing disease progression, and reducing its impact are the top research priorities
Hayley Barnes · Sharna Mathieu · Deborah C Glass · Malcolm R Sim · Lin Fritschi · Joanne L Dickinson · Daniel C Chambers · Tim R Driscoll · Graeme Edwards · Nikky LaBranche · Catherine Jones · Jane E Bourke · Ryan F Hoy · Christine R Jenkins · Simon Apte · Anne Holland · Gabriella Tikellis
The 2024 report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia emerging as a hotspot for litigation
Rishu Thakur · Supriya Mathew
The 2024 report of the MJA–Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Australia emerging as a hotspot for litigation
Paul J Beggs · Alistair J Woodward · Kathryn Bowen