Skip to main content

The Health Report podcast

Program: Health Report

Source:ABC Radio National

Brought to you by

ABC Radio National

ABC Radio National

Presented by

Dr Preeya Alexander

Covering the health stories that make a difference. Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander make sense of the latest and breaking news in the medical world.

Airs Saturday 9am, Monday 4pm and Friday 1am

Includes the podcast What's That Rash.

Episodes

Sorted by latest

Why some women are in the dark about breast density

Victoria is starting to notify women when they have dense breasts on their mammogram, following Western Australia and South Australia. So what does this information mean? And what should you be doing with it?

Published: FriFri 21 Feb 2025 at 10:00pmwith Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander

Duration: 41 minutes

What four years of RFK Jr could do to our health

A portrait of RFK Jr against a black backdrop.

Duration: 11 minutes 34 seconds

More to the story of youth mental health

Teen mental health counselling

Duration: 4 minutes 52 seconds

Why density matters when it comes to breast screening

Breast density

Duration: 10 minutes 49 seconds

Returning to First Knowledges for better health

First Knowledges cover

Duration: 10 minutes 49 seconds

Mailbag: Salt substitutes

A blue felt envelope with email notification

Duration: 3 minutes 24 seconds

Bowel cancer is happening younger — so why aren't people getting screened?

Australia has been highlighted in an international report on the rising incidence of bowel cancer in young people. Our screening age was dropped last year to 45, however the overall uptake of bowel cancer screening remains at about 40 per cent.

Published: 14 Feb 2025Fri 14 Feb 2025 at 10:00pmwith Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander

Duration: 41 minutes 25 seconds

As bird flu mutates, are eggs still safe to eat?

There's a shortage of eggs in Australia, and it might not let up as we brace for the arrival of the H5N1 strain of bird flu. That strain has shown is can make the jump into humans. But how does it manage?

Published: 7 Feb 2025Fri 7 Feb 2025 at 6:00pmwith Dr Norman Swan and Dr Preeya Alexander

Duration: 41 minutes 19 seconds

How an online coach can keep your brain young

There are some things you can do to guard against cognitive decline, and a study has found a hands-on approach is best. Also, rates of vaccination in pregnancy are falling in New South Wales.

Published: 31 Jan 2025Fri 31 Jan 2025 at 6:00pmwith DrNorman Swan and Tegan Taylor

Duration: 42 minutes 4 seconds

A Stroke of Luck: Kylie's story

Kylie and Gillian had been friends for years when Kylie had a stroke in her early 30s. It turned Kylie's work-driven life upside down, and forced her and husband Chris to re-evaluate everything.

Published: 29 Jan 2025Wed 29 Jan 2025 at 1:05pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

Kylie outside in a chair with baby in her lap.

Duration: 9 minutes

A Stroke of Luck: Gillian's story

When Gillian suffered a stroke at age 50, Kylie was one of the first friends she reached out to. It wasn't Gillian's first life-altering medical emergency, having gone through cancer treatment years earlier.

Published: 29 Jan 2025Wed 29 Jan 2025 at 1:04pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

Gillian and husband

Duration: 9 minutes

A Stroke of Luck: Downs and ups of recovery

Despite their strokes being 20 years apart, Kylie and Gillian were left with similar disabilities. Both faced a long and often gruelling period of rehabilitation — thankfully with partners and friends by their sides.

Published: 29 Jan 2025Wed 29 Jan 2025 at 1:03pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

Gillian in a wheelchair outside with husband hugging her to his side.

Duration: 8 minutes

A Stroke of Luck: Asking for help

When Kylie had her stroke, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) didn't exist. It took Gillian's stroke, 20 years later, for Kylie to fully understand how much support she was missing out on.

Published: 29 Jan 2025Wed 29 Jan 2025 at 1:02pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

Kylie and Gillian

Duration: 7 minutes

Why BMI is being sidelined in the diagnosis of obesity

For a long time many have assumed they can tell how healthy a person is because of their weight. Now, a major global collaboration of experts is challenging that.

Published: 24 Jan 2025Fri 24 Jan 2025 at 6:00pmwith DrNorman Swan and Tegan Taylor

Duration: 40 minutes 17 seconds

How much sugar are you feeding your toddler?

We try to give little kids the best start in life, and in supermarkets there's an ever-expanding range of foods marketed specifically for them But how much sugar is in them?   Plus, we peer into the evidence around ultra-processed foods.

Published: 17 Jan 2025Fri 17 Jan 2025 at 6:00pm

Duration: 37 minutes 4 seconds

A Stroke Of Luck

A Stroke of Luck: Kylie's story

Kylie and Gillian had been friends for years when Kylie had a stroke in her early 30s. It turned Kylie's work-driven life upside down, and forced her and husband Chris to re-evaluate everything.

Kylie outside in a chair with baby in her lap.

Duration: 9 minutes

Published: 28 Jan 2025Tue 28 Jan 2025 at 10:53pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

A Stroke of Luck: Gillian's story

When Gillian suffered a stroke at age 50, Kylie was one of the first friends she reached out to. It wasn't Gillian's first life-altering medical emergency, having gone through cancer treatment years earlier.

Gillian and husband

Duration: 9 minutes

Published: 28 Jan 2025Tue 28 Jan 2025 at 10:54pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

A Stroke of Luck: Downs and ups of recovery

Despite their strokes being 20 years apart, Kylie and Gillian were left with similar disabilities. Both faced a long and often gruelling period of rehabilitation — thankfully with partners and friends by their sides.

Gillian in a wheelchair outside with husband hugging her to his side.

Duration: 8 minutes

Published: 30 Jan 2025Thu 30 Jan 2025 at 11:40pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

A Stroke of Luck: Asking for help

When Kylie had her stroke, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) didn't exist. It took Gillian's stroke, 20 years later, for Kylie to fully understand how much support she was missing out on.

Kylie and Gillian

Duration: 7 minutes

Published: 30 Jan 2025Thu 30 Jan 2025 at 11:41pmwith Gillian Coutts and Kylie Betts

What's That Rash Podcast

Which hair loss treatments actually work?

Hair loss is common, but there are many different causes and potentially many different treatments. From topical ointments to light therapy, to scalp massage routines. What works to slow, or even reverse, hair loss?

Duration: 18 minutes

Published: TueTue 18 Feb 2025 at 10:35pmwith Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan

We're answering your questions LIVE! March 30!

What's That Rash? is returning to the World Science Festival Brisbane for another year. Norman and Tegan will be answering the health questions everyone (at WSFB) is asking, 10am on March 30 at Queensland Museum Theatre.

What's That Rash on orange with a magnifying glass.

Duration: 1 minute 19 seconds

Published: 17 Feb 2025Mon 17 Feb 2025 at 3:46amwith Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan

Can functional mushrooms really help treat cancer?

The use of mushrooms in medicine goes back centuries, but there’s still a lot to learn about the bioactive compounds in fungi.

What's That Rash on orange with a magnifying glass.

Duration: 20 minutes

Published: 12 Feb 2025Wed 12 Feb 2025 at 3:04amwith Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan

Why are people taping their mouths?

Depending on your corner of the internet, you might have seen people swearing by this new sleep hack, mouth taping.

What's That Rash on orange with a magnifying glass.

Duration: 18 minutes

Published: 4 Feb 2025Tue 4 Feb 2025 at 10:37pmwith Tegan Taylor and Dr Norman Swan

Feature articles

Melbourne doctor finds himself at centre of deepfake scam

Online scammers are exploiting the faces and names of real Australian doctors to sell dietary supplements and peddle harmful medical advice, putting patients' health at risk.

A doctor sitting behind a desk. Subtitles say 'Do you honestly think metformin is the answer by now?'

Duration: 1 minute 44 seconds

Published: 9 Dec 2024Mon 9 Dec 2024 at 6:30pmby Shelby Traynor and Olivia Willis

Australians seeking hip replacements tripped up by health insurance fine print

Smart people are getting caught out on private health insurance — so do they need to be more savvy, or does the system need to change?

An X-ray printout showing a pelvis with two hips replaced.

Published: 8 Apr 2024Mon 8 Apr 2024 at 7:02amby Tegan Taylor

Lampreys, carcinoma and haemophilia: The royals who didn't have it as lucky as the Queen

It's fair to assume Queen Elizabeth II enjoyed relatively good health, given she lived to the ripe old age of 96. However, we can't say the same for these other royals …

A cartoon depicting King George III, known as 'Farmer George', with his wife Queen Charlotte, talking to a farm hand

Published: 20 Sep 2022Tue 20 Sep 2022 at 8:17amby Shelby Traynor

Addie died from cancer at just 16. Genetic testing had revealed a painful truth

In the past few decades, many hereditary mutations have been discovered that put people at risk of cancer. Doctors are now racing to identify ways to stop the onset of these cancers.

A girl wearing a dark beanie and white jacket smiling for the camera.

Published: 24 Jun 2022Fri 24 Jun 2022 at 4:44amby Sarah Sedghi

Discover more podcasts

Download the ABC listen app to hear more of your favourite podcasts

Footer