The evidence is clear and health professionals are taking notice, writes Melissa Sweet. Now it’s time for government to act
19 Apr 13 Comments (0)Germ warfare opens a new front
Overuse of antibiotics is not only creating resistant strains of bacteria but also changing the complex ecology of the human body, writes Melissa Sweet
07 Mar 13 Comments (4)Two suburbs, 167 lives: how the Life Chances study turned twenty-one
In 1990 a team of researchers began tracking a group of babies born in two inner suburbs of Melbourne. Their latest results paint a complex picture of obstacles, opportunities and resilience, writes Melissa Sweet
08 Oct 12 Comments (0)Overtested, overtreated and over here
The principles behind an American campaign to reduce unnecessary and often expensive medical interventions are gaining support in Australia, writes Melissa Sweet
04 Jun 12 Comments (0)Medicare goes local in search of “disruptive innovation”
Can local networks pull off the healthcare reforms that have eluded state and national governments, asks Melissa Sweet
04 Apr 12 Comments (0)“It’s like when a patriarch dies, and the will is read, and everyone starts squabbling”
Mental health had a big win in this year’s budget – and that’s when the fights began, writes Melissa Sweet in this joint investigation with Crikey
29 Nov 11 Comments (4)Sometimes, less is more
A growing movement among US healthcare professionals is arguing that medical treatment can cause more harm than good, reports Melissa Sweet
16 Jun 11 Comments (0)Primary healthcare reform: learning from the tough suburbs of Philadelphia
Public health nurses at the 11th Street Family Health Services Center are committed to developing long-term relationships with the community, reports Melissa Sweet
07 Jun 11 Comments (1)Understanding Miller
“Locational disadvantage” has an enormous impact on the lives of residents in many Australian suburbs. But an experiment in Sydney’s 2168 postcode area is yielding results, writes Melissa Sweet
28 Mar 11 Comments (2)“It’s much more fun in general practice. I can play in any field; I don’t regret it one bit.”
Talk about health policy reform often loses sight of the people in the system and their stories. Melissa Sweet watches two GPs in action in the south-west Sydney suburb of Condell Park
26 Oct 10 Comments (0)Swine flu, vaccination and other matters of trust
Amid renewed calls for mass vaccinations in Australia, Melissa Sweet looks at the latest chapter in the international debate about swine flu and its implications for future public health campaigns
03 Feb 10 Comments (4)Going Dutch? Let’s talk about it, at least
The Medicare Select proposal has opened up a new front in the health debate. Melissa Sweet talks to supporters and sceptics
21 Sep 09 Comments (7)
Is the media part of the Aboriginal health problem, and part of the solution?
Is the media stopping us from seeing the real problems and doing something about them, asks Melissa Sweet
03 Mar 09 Comments (8)
