Welcome to the Christmas edition of the HealthInsite newsletter, and a special welcome to any new subscribers! Another year has flown by and much has happened in the areas of health and wellbeing. We've sought to keep you informed about some of the noteworthy developments, and, with your ongoing support and interest, will continue to do so in 2008.
In this edition, a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) considers whether increased national prosperity translates into a better life for most Australians. Kidney Health Australia is encouraging all Australians to give the gift of life by registering as an organ donor.
Another AIHW report highlights the fact that the flouridation of our drinking water means that Australian children have oral health that is superior to that of children in many other countries. The final news item also has a dental theme: the Australian Dental Association is urging people who have been prescribed, or who are already taking bisphosphonate medications for bone diseases to get a referral from the medical practitioner to consult a dentist to ensure that the chance of adverse side effects is diminished or prevented altogether.
The last 15 years have seen ever-increasing prosperity in this great country of ours, but a new report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) asks whether this wealth has been shared equitably, and whether life has actually become better for most Australians . The report, Australia's Welfare 2007, marks 15 years since the AIHW began reporting on the nation.s welfare. It shows that median weekly disposable household income rose by 34% in the 10 years from 1995-96. "This does not necessarily translate into a guarantee of wellbeing for all members of society", said the Institute's Director, Dr Penny Allbon.
"Australia is a very diverse society, [and its people are] from diverse backgrounds with diverse needs, as our report shows. There are some universal needs such as having a home. It has important social, emotional, and health benefits, as well as economic benefits for everyone. But housing stress is becoming more common and it is now harder to own a home - outright home ownership levels are down, and it takes longer to pay off home mortgages. For as many as 100,000 people in Australia, homelessness is a problem," Dr Allbon said. Some common reasons for this tragic homelessness include domestic violence, and relationship breakdown and conflict.
It also reports that most older people (94%) live in their own homes, and only 6% live in non-private dwellings such as nursing homes and hospitals. In 2006, there were 145,000 older people in residential aged care.
Kidney Health Australia is urging Australians to use the lead up to Christmas to register as an organ donor and 'give the gift of life'.
Anne Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of Kidney Health Australia, said, "The number of new kidney failure patients commencing dialysis or transplant in 2006 was 2,378 representing an increase of 8% from the 2210 people entering these programs in 2005. The number for 2006 was the highest ever recorded. "This is increasing pressure to lift organ donation rates, with kidney transplants making up around 53% of all solid organ transplants in Australia in 2006."
Dr Tim Mathew, Medical Director of Kidney Health Australia, said that kidney transplantation is successful in over 90% of cases, and Australia has one of the best success rates of kidney transplant survival in the world.
Optimal water fluoridation was associated with better dental health for both five to six year-old, and 11 to 12 year old children regardless of the socioeconomic status of the area in which the children lived.
Even so, in 2002 over 47% of six year olds had cavities in their baby teeth, and over 42% of 12-year-olds had cavities in their permanent teeth. On average, for every six year old child in Australia there were approximately two decayed, missing or filled baby teeth. For every 12 year old in Australia, there was approximately one decayed, missing or filled permanent tooth.
Levels of dental decay in children also varied around Australia, reflecting underlying population levels of disease as well as differences in the targeting of services.
More information about the report is available in the AIHW.s media release.
HealthInsite has a topic page on Dental Health for Children, with links to information on protecting developing teeth, dental checks and general dental health.
The Australian Dental Association (ADA) has issued a public statement for dental patients taking bisphosphonates following a story on the 7.30 Report on the ABC earlier this month. Bisphosphonates are a group of medications prescribed for the management of bone diseases such as osteoporosis, Paget.s disease, cancers which spread to bone (especially breast and prostate), multiple myeloma, and other bone conditions.
A number of our readers have asked if we could revisit some of the Christmas tips provided in previous Christmas editions of the newsletter. Needless to say, we're happy to do that and you should note that all of the ones highlighted below have been updated to reflect the current science.
Diet plans and sensible eating resolutions usually go out the window at Christmas time, as Christmas parties tend to include eating lots of celebratory foods that can be high in fats and sugar. HealthInsite information partner, Nutrition Australia, provides some tips on how to manage your Christmas eating habits so that you don't end up regretting your indulgences.
Christmas is also a time when many people indulge in a celebratory glass of champagne or three. For tips on how to manage alcohol intake over the festive season, check out this resource from MyDr:
The Christmas season can be a stressful time, with so much to do and so little time to do it! Then there's the inevitable stress when the whole family gets together for a day of good will and togetherness! But for many, it is also a time of loneliness, especially following the death of a loved one or when circumstances mean that they have to be away from the people they care most about. These HealthInsite resources can help with coping with the holiday blues:
The summer holidays are a time when many of us like to have fun in the great outdoors, be it on a beach, camping, playing sport, or just soaking up the sights and sounds of summer. Unfortunately, the summer holidays are also a time for soaking up the solar ultra violet (UV) radiation that can cause painful sunburn, and may lead to skin cancer later on in life. HealthInsite has a number of resources on how to stay safe in the sun:
Hope that one, some, or all of these tips may be helpful to you! Please be safe this Christmas.
Information Partners
NSW Health, one of our trusted and longstanding Information Partners, has added a new information source to their website. The Centre for Genetics Education has been established to provide current and relevant genetics information to health professionals, individuals and family members affected by genetic conditions. In addition to the information provided by the Centre, HealthInsite has a Genetic Diseases and Disorders topic area, with links to information on wide range of genetically-related conditions.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP),
Australia.s largest representative general practice organisation, is reaffirming the benefits of immunisation as a simple, safe, and effective step to take against preventable diseases. The College is making this statement in light of a recent US medical review championing the successes of immunisation.
The review - Historical Comparisons of Morbidity and Mortality for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in the United States - published this month by the Journal of the American Medical Association, found significant decreases in the number of cases, hospitalisations, and deaths for each of the vaccine-preventable diseases examined,
including diphtheria, mumps, pertussis, and tetanus. In addition, the polio virus and rubella virus had been eradicated in the US, and smallpox had been eliminated worldwide.
.There is no doubt that prevention is better than the cure, and immunisation is a key plank of preventive medicine in Australia,. said Dr Vasantha Preetham, RACGP President.
.Immunisation is not compulsory in Australia but, as general practitioners, we have a responsibility to advise our patients of the benefits and risks of these vaccinations, depending on the health of each patient,. said Dr Preetham.
The Immunise Australia Program has led to an almost 90 percent reduction in incidence of 13 common preventable diseases, including Hepatitis A and B.
.The latest initiative from the Department of Health and Ageing is a vaccine that may protect young women against some types of cervical cancer. The vaccine may protect women against certain types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) which are known to cause 70 percent of cases of cervical cancer, and 90 percent of cases of genital warts. All women and girls aged between 12 and 26 have access to this potentially life-protecting vaccine through the National HPV Vaccination Program", Dr Preetham emphasised.
Source: AHHA News
Latest Resources
The
HealthInsite team regularly adds new items to the database including new
information partners, new topic pages and news items. Why not take a look
at the list
of new and updated material added to the database in the past months, but again the list will be quite extensive!
What's in the Next
Edition?
The HealthInsite Team wishes you all a safe and merry Christmas, and a happy and healthy 2008! The next edition will be out next month. But for now, that's it from all of us here at HealthInsite!
