Olivia Willis

2 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Olivia Willis

While Australia eliminated local transmission of measles in 2014, a recent rise in cases globally has seen a local surge of the highly contagious viral illness. Only a quarter of the way into 2025, Australia has already recorded 53 measles cases — almost as many as the total recorded across all of last year (57).

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Jacinta Bowler |Olivia Willis

Scientists may have produced the strongest evidence yet that the shingles vaccine is linked to reduced dementia risk. Using the health records of more than 280,000 older adults in Wales, researchers found those who received the shingles vaccine were 20 per cent less likely to develop dementia over the next seven years than those who did not receive the vaccine.

3 weeks ago | abc.net.au | Olivia Willis

For Australians living with a life-limiting or terminal illness, palliative care services are designed to prevent their suffering and improve their quality of life. To do this, doctors often prescribe strong pain medications, but many have been unavailable or difficult to access in the past 18 months. "We've seen people who have just not received pain relief at all," Meera Agar, professor of palliative medicine and deputy chair of Palliative Care Australia, said.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Olivia Willis

In the throes of managing toddler sleep, it's understandable that some parents turn to bottle feeding their children before naps and at bedtime. Often used to help calm an unsettled child or encourage them to drift off to sleep, new Australian research shows 30 per cent of kids are still bottle fed to sleep at two years of age. But despite the practice being relatively common, the study also shows it comes with health risks, which parents may not be aware of.

1 month ago | abc.net.au | Olivia Willis

Initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes, drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy (brand names for semaglutide) have become household names in recent years. They belong to a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which lower blood sugar levels and suppress appetite, and can help people lose weight. For many people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, the new generation of drugs are a "game changer". But for others, their rapid rise and surging popularity has been fraught.