The Health News – 26 June 2015
Overview:
• A study from the University of Queensland’s School of Psychology by Leah Sharman has shown that listening to heavy metal or extreme kinds of music helps purge emotions like anger and depression.
• Dr Fares Al-Ejeh, head of the Personalised Medicine Team at QIMR Berghofer, and Dr Robert Smith from the Genomics Research Centre at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are both researching the opportunity for personalised medicine — the future of healthcare — where patients could receive exact medication tailored to them according to their genetic make-up.
• The Western Australian Government has refused to rule out treating people deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental illness in prison, together with convicted criminals requiring a similar level of care.
Health News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 26th June 2015. Read by Rebecca Foster.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-25/study-finds-heavy-metal-reduces-anger-depression/6571820
A study has shown listening to heavy metal or extreme kinds of music helps purge emotions like anger and depression.
Leah Sharman from the University of Queensland’s School of Psychology is researching the impact of music on society.
She said a study of … adults aged between 18 and 34 found they were inspired and calmer when they listened to heavy metal.
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Ms Sharman said the study refutes previous research which found a correlation between people who enjoy heavy metal and higher levels of anxiety and depression.
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“When I’m sad I don’t want to listen to Happy by Pharrell, I want to listen to something sad, something that understands me. [she said]
“It’s about connecting to the music that way.”
Ms Sharman said study participants spent 16 minutes in an ‘anger induction’ where they described relationship[s], employment and financial issues that upset them.
They then spent 10 minutes listening to songs of their choice followed by 10 minutes of silence.
Half of the participants chose songs that contained themes of anger or aggression with the remainder choosing songs about isolation and sadness.
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While the majority – 74 per cent – of participants were Australian-born, the remainder were born in Oman, Sweden, Indonesia, South Africa, New Caledonia, New Zealand and the USA.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-25/qld-researchers-lead-the-way-in-personalised-medicine/6572050
Queensland researchers are leading the way in personalised medicine — the future of healthcare — where patients could receive exact medication tailored to them according to their genetic make-up.
Recent advancements in technology and the lowering of test costs have enable Queensland researchers to advance quickly in the study of genomics and personalised treatments.
Dr Fares Al-Ejeh, head of the Personalised Medicine Team at QIMR Berghofer, and Dr Robert Smith from the Genomics Research Centre at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are both researching the opportunity for personalised medicine to be implemented in cancer, migraine and Alzheimer’s patients.
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The Western Australian Government has refused to rule out treating people deemed unfit to stand trial due to mental illness in prison, together with convicted criminals requiring a similar level of care.
At a budget estimates hearing … both Mental Health Minister Helen Morton and Commissioner Tim Marney said discussions were ongoing and no decision had been made.
In Western Australia, people accused of crimes who cannot be held responsible for their actions because of an intellectual impairment or mental illness can still be held under the Mentally Impaired Accused Act.
Their guilt or innocence remains untested in a court because they are deemed unfit to stand trial.
Currently, people in that bracket who require the highest level of care are held at the Frankland Centre at Graylands Hospital, while those needing less acute care are treated in other facilities.
During questioning, Ms Morton conceded the Government was considering treating people on prison sites.
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Ms Morton said there was a need for specific mental health services in prisons to ensure inmates did not need to be taken away to access treatment.
Mr Marney said he was in regular discussions with both the departments of Health and Corrective Services to discuss possible options.
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