Australia

Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications.

Former Australian Test Cricket Captain, Steve Waugh, AO, is joining his wife and stroke survivor, Lynette, 49, health professionals and stroke survivors, to champion public awareness of stroke, its often fatal consequences, and the importance of early detection this month.

With more than 60,000 Australians experiencing stroke each year,¹ one-in-430 (17,273) of whom are from NSW,² Steve and Lynette, who survived a devastating haemorrhagic stroke in August, 2006, are urging members of the community to visit their local Blooms The Chemist pharmacy for a free Stroke Risk Assessment this Stroke Risk Awareness Month (September).

According to Steve, his wife experienced a stroke at the age of 40, without warning.

“It was completely unexpected, and an extremely intimidating and terrifying experience for everyone. “Lynette has since spent the past nine years working to reclaim her speech, memory and hearing – a battle she continues to wage today,” Steve said. “Mistakenly, many of us tend to think of stroke as an older person’s condition. But stroke can strike anyone, at any age.

“One-in-six people will have a stroke during their lifetime. While stroke currently has no cure, importantly, the most common type of stroke can be prevented,” said Steve. “Your pharmacist represents a good first port of call to determine your risk of stroke.” Stroke is one of our nation’s biggest killers,^5,6 and the second most common cause of disability in Australia.¹

“Stroke is the third most common cause of death in men, killing more men than prostate cancer, and the second most common cause of death among women, killing more women than breast cancer,”⁶ said General Practitioner, Dr Richard Kidd, Nundah Doctors, Surgery, Brisbane. There are two major types of stroke: ischaemic stroke, the most common type, responsible for four-in-five (80 per cent) strokes, that is lifestyle-preventable; and haemorrhagic stroke, responsible for one-in-five (20 per cent) strokes.³

Risk factors for stroke include older age, gender, family history, medical conditions and lifestyle. Lifestyle factors that increase the risk of stroke include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, cigarette smoking, poor diet and exercise, and high alcohol consumption. “While certain stroke risk factors cannot be controlled, lifestyle risk factors for stroke can,” Dr Kidd said. “With the help of your family doctor and pharmacist, you can reduce your risk of stroke by reducing high blood pressure, quitting smoking, reducing excess weight, achieving good control of diabetes and reducing excessive alcohol. A significant family history may indicate investigation for less common risk factors. A healthy diet, regular physical activity, screening for stroke risk and regular visits to your doctor and pharmacist, are all measures that help prevent stroke.”^7,8

“I have no family history of stroke. I don’t smoke, and I’m not a big drinker. My stroke just happened,” explained the former Australian Test Cricket Captain’s wife, Lynette, who considers herself very fortunate to have survived stroke.  “It [stroke] was an unusual experience that left me cocooned. I didn’t understand why I was in hospital. I didn’t even know I’d had surgery on my head.” Lynette cites her biggest frustration with stroke has been its effect on her immediate family. “A stroke is sudden and abrupt to the blood supply to the brain, and that’s how it affects the family as well. It’s sudden and abrupt to a family.”

Reflecting on the arduous, ongoing recovery process from stroke, Lynette advises “It’s important not to be in a hurry when recovering from stroke. The re-learning process is ongoing. It’s something you need to keep working on every day.

“I was in speech therapy twice-a-week and had daily activities to complete. I had to learn to talk all over again,” said Lynette. As a stroke survivor, Lynette contends she is well-positioned to campaign for heightened public awareness of stroke and its often devastating consequences. “My message to the public is to be aware of stroke, to not ignore any potential signs of stroke, and if present, to jot these signs down.

“Having a Stroke Risk Assessment is an initial step toward stroke prevention,” Lynette said.  According to Kurt Smith, Working Partner and Pharmacist, Blooms The Chemist, Wyong, NSW, an ischaemic stroke can be prevented by addressing simple lifestyle factors through this type of assessment.^7,8

“A Stroke Risk Assessment takes less than 10 minutes. It involves a pharmacist taking your blood pressure and asking a series of simple questions designed to assess your overall risk of stroke. Should the pharmacist consider you to be at-risk of stroke, you will be advised to seek prompt medical advice,” Kurt said. “The results will be feature in a Doctor referral form for the patient to share with their doctor.”

Social media manager, Deb, 53, Sydney, lost her mother, Sylvia, 70, in July this year, following four ischemic strokes over the past four years.

The heavy smoker, mother-of-three and grandmother-to-four, lost her ability to walk and talk, her independence and eventually, her ability to care for herself. After her third stroke last year, her husband, Edward, became her full-time carer.

“It was hard for Mum because, eventually, she couldn’t even make a cup of coffee, feed herself, get dressed, go to the toilet or have a shower,” said Deb. “Mum was in and out of hospital after her second stroke, until she passed away. It was devastating to see what stroke can do to a loved one.

“A Stroke Risk Assessment could have prevented Mum’s stroke, and had I known they existed at the time, I would have encouraged her to have had one, because stroke prevention is key,” Deb said. “Dealing with stroke and the impact it has on the individual and their family, is heart-wrenching. I would urge anyone to undergo a simple Stroke Risk Assessment to help prevent the devastation that results from stroke,” she said.

About stroke

Stroke is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage or even death.^9,10 Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage in an artery, or a bleed in the brain.¹¹ Interrupted blood flow stops nutrients and oxygen reaching affected parts of the brain, resulting in brain cell death in those areas.⁹

If you suspect you, a family member or friend is at-risk of stroke, visit your local Blooms The Chemist pharmacist for a Stroke Risk Assessment this Stroke Risk Awareness Month. Stroke Risk Assessments are being run throughout major metropolitan and regional areas of NSW, QLD and in Melbourne. For further information, head to http://www.blooms.net.au/monitoring-management/.     

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References

1. Neuroscience Research Australia. Stroke. Available at: https://www.neura.edu.au/health/stroke [last accessed August 2015].
2. Stroke Foundation Australia. Stroke in Australia – No postcode untouched, 2014. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/~/media/strokewebsite/resources/research/nsf952_nopostcodeuntouched_web2.ashx?la=en [last accessed August, 2015].
3. Stroke Foundation Australia. About stroke. Available at https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/types-of-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
4. Stroke Foundation Australia. Preventing stroke: Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/preventing-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
5. Australian Institute of Health & Welfare. Leading Causes of Death. Available at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/deaths/leading-causes-of-death/ [last accessed August, 2015].
6. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2012. Australia’s Health 2012. Available at http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737422169 [last accessed July, 2015].
7. Health Direct Australia. What causes a stroke. Available at: http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/what-causes-a-stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
8. Stroke Foundation Australia. Stroke risk factors. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au/about-stroke/preventing-stroke/stroke-risk-factors [last accessed August, 2015].
9. Health Direct Australia. Stroke. Available at: http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
10. Better Health Channel. Stroke. Available at: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/stroke [last accessed August, 2015].
11. Stroke Foundation Australia. What is a stroke. Available at: https://strokefoundation.com.au [last accessed August, 2015].

What factors do you consider when selecting a doctor? In Australia as in other countries, payment is a hot topic of discussion. Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications.

In Australia, patients may soon begin to see higher bills each time they visit their local doctors as the government has chosen to freeze Medicare rebates for general practitioner (GP) services. This move is expected to generate approximately $1.3 billion in government savings that would otherwise have been directed to GPs by 2018.

In preparing to launch an extensive Medicare review after ruling out a Medicare co-payment, The Federal Health Minister, The Hon. Sussan Ley MP, was reported by The Sydney Morning Herald on April 22, 2015 to have said, “Basically, there’s wide agreement the Medicare system in its current form, is sluggish, bloated and at high risk of long-term chronic problems, and continuing to patch it up with band-aids won’t fix it.”

This brings about a larger question about how co-payments fit into the broader set of considerations that patients must address when selecting a provider.

GPs have warned the ongoing freeze on Medicare fees may attract an additional $8.43 co-payment for non-concession patients by 2018, which is all the more reason why Australians should be asking their GPs if their billing processes are changing.

Factors to consider when selecting a doctor:

If you’re on the hunt for a new general practitioner (GP), there are certain items you need to take into account, including gender, age, availability, qualifications and specialisation, other service provisions and of course, billing.

Associate Professor Helena Britt from The University of Sydney’s Family Medicine Research Centre was reported by The Age on June 16, 2015 to have said age and gender are important considerations in GP selection.

“Female GPs are more likely to conduct longer consultations and ask about psycho-social issues, and some male GPs avoid offering procedures such as pap smears for women altogether.”

Furthermore, older GPs are known to rely more on clinical experience and patient examinations, while younger GPs order more tests to verify their suspicions.

Importantly, you need to be able to establish a connection with your doctor and to be able to engage in open, honest dialogue.

Availability is also critical. On what basis does your GP work, and can you afford to wait? Large corporate clinics tend to operate after-hours and cater to walk-ins, but may involve longer waiting times. On the flip side, small, family-oriented GP practices are open during business hours and offer a more personalised service.

It’s also important to consider a GP’s area of specialisation in order to best meet your healthcare needs. For instance, does your GP specialise in women’s, men’s or sexual health, pediatrics, obstetrics, dermatology, travel medicine, addictions, complementary medicine, or other therapeutic areas?

Furthermore, what other services does your GP offer (e.g. pathology, diagnostic imaging) and are they conveniently located (i.e. in-house, next door, down the road)? In addition, does your GP practice house allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians and nutritionists?

Perhaps a locum doctor service (such as the Home Doctor Service and Australian Locum Medical Service) is more suited to your healthcare needs? These bulk-billed services operate from 4pm to 8am, seven days a week, with an average waiting time of up to three hours, and cater for sickness that does not warrant hospital attention.

Recently, Ley has vocalized that her views on GP services in general remain the same. She shared her opinions with The Sydney Morning Herald on August 4, 2015, “We are committed to finding better ways to care for people with chronic and complex conditions and ensure they receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.” Ley agrees with the public that the Medicare system is not supportive enough of chronic and complex health conditions.

So remember to think twice when selecting your GP.

Interested in more details regarding the Australian government’s freeze on indexation of Medicare rebates to GPs? Head over the VIVA! blog for a more in-depth look.

 

 

Today’s post comes to us from GLOBALHealthPR Australia Partner, VIVA! Communications.

An inspiring group is helping rural Australian families overcome the ‘tyranny of distance’ and expensive treatment costs for children living with life-threatening and chronic illnesses.

This year, Little Wings will coordinate over 300 flights for children and their families, enabling them to access treatments at three major, Sydney-based hospitals. For parents who struggle to balance work and travel times often lasting over 12 hours, this relieves a significant economic burden.

“Being taken care of by Little Wings has just changed our lives dramatically,” said Mick Knowles, father to a little boy living with the life-threatening Hunter Syndrome and a quadriplegic daughter.

Learn the uplifting story behind Little Wings here on the VIVA! blog.

Also share with us:

What healthcare services cater to those living in outlying communities in your country?

Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner VIVA! Communications.

Have needles got you dreading your next trip to the doctor’s office or hesitating to get that annual flu shot? If so, this new advancement in vaccine technology may change your mind.

[Read more…] about Needle-Free Vaccines on the Horizon

Today’s post comes to us from our GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner VIVA! Communications.

With diagnoses on the rise, today we shed light on a condition society most frequently deems to be of concern to women and girls – anorexia nervosa. As you may know, anorexia nervosa is characterized as an eating disorder that affects its victims through obsessive fears of weight gain and obesity.

What you might not know is that despite being deemed a “woman’s disease” since the 1970’s, anorexia nervosa affects 1 in 10 males and recent studies even suggest an equal number of males and females suffer from the condition.

More surprisingly, anorexia in males seems to be increasing at a much faster rate than in females, though the treatment for the illness continues to be largely female- oriented. The Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative (ANGI) has been working diligently to reduce the gender stigmatization associated with the disease, mostly by conducting studies to specifically pinpoint the genetic differences in those with anorexia nervosa, thus finding ways to treat men and women more effectively.

[Read more…] about Male Anorexia Nervosa – M.A.N.

Today’s post comes to us from Kirsten Bruce of GLOBALHealthPR Australia partner, VIVA! Communications. The views expressed herein are those of the author.

In the wake of two tragic incidents involving the abandonment of unwanted newborn babies in Sydney, Australian authorities are considering introducing ‘baby hatches’, a safe haven where people (typically mothers) can bring their unwanted babies and leave them anonymously, predominantly for adoption. [Read more…] about Australian ‘Baby Hatches’ a Potential Solution to Abandonment