The Health News – 30 July 2015

Overview:

• Parents and sports coaches are being warned to be on the lookout for signs of concussion according to Professor Gary Browne from the Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney said that “if a child suffered a concussion, they should not return to the playing field.” He also added said that – if a child continued to play after suffering a concussion, it could lead to other problems.

• On July 28, 2015 launch the official Medical Research and Rural Health – Garvan Report 2015. It was published by the Garvan Research Foundation that brings together for the first time the most pertinent evidence-based data to better understand the health issues facing rural and regional population across Australia.

• Ian Vickers set off from the Northern Territory hauling a cart, a satellite phone, dehydrated meals, 115 litres of water, and a GPS pointed to the heart of the Simpson Desert.

Health news on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 30th July 2015. Read by Rebecca Foster.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-29/parents-coaches-warned-over-sports-related-concussions/6656646

Parents and sports coaches are being warned to be on the lookout for signs of concussion after an increase in sport-related head injuries.
Professor Gary Browne from the Westmead Children’s Hospital in Sydney said if a child suffered a concussion, they should not return to the playing field.

He said six children a week present to the Westmead Children’s Hospital emergency department with a concussion.
“We’ve also found that there’s been generally poor recognition, mostly at the grassroots sports level — the Saturday morning mums and dads, unfortunately — where for every child that we’re actually seeing in the emergency department we’ve found that 15 go unrecognised who actually have a concussion.”

He said if a child continued to play after suffering a concussion, it could lead to other problems.

http://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/garvan-launches-inaugural-rural-health-report

[This week] marks the official launch of ‘Medical Research and Rural Health – Garvan Report 2015’. This Report, published by the Garvan Research Foundation, brings together, for the first time, the most pertinent evidence-based data to better understand the health issues facing rural and regional populations across Australia.

Launching the Report at the Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC) in Melbourne … Garvan Research Foundation CEO, Mr Andrew Giles said, “This ‘first of its kind’ report provides a valuable and compelling insight into rural health in Australia.  For the past three years, Garvan’s “Healthy Families, Healthy Communities” program has taken us to many country towns in rural and regional Australia, sharing important messages about health and medical research with the community.  This Report continues to strengthen that community ‘conversation’ and build on the program’s initiative to increase understanding of the need for, and importance of medical research across the broader community.

‘Medical Research and Rural Health – Garvan Report 2015’, the first in a series of Garvan health reports, provides an up-to-date insight into the main health issues facing rural and regional communities today; who in those communities are affected; why the challenges exist and what is the outlook and way forward in starting to rectify some of these major health issues.

Examining health in line with the National Health Priority Areas (NHPAs) of asthma; arthritis; cancer control; cardiovascular health; diabetes; mental health; obesity, and dementia, the report provides context, where available, with the wider Australian population and these conditions. 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-29/walking-the-simpson-desert-for-cancer-charity/6655984

Ian Vickers set off from the Northern Territory hauling a cart, a satellite phone, dehydrated meals, 115 litres of water, and a GPS pointed to the heart of the Simpson Desert.

After several days scaling sand dunes, Ian Vickers was emotionally and physically confronted by his solo walking adventure.
“I had to dig very deep, as progress was very slow and extremely hard,” Ian [said]…

The Darwin man set out on June 30 alone and with the intention of walking east through the desert to Birdsville,

In those first few days, the Simpson Desert was a truly isolating landscape of ochre dust storms and sparse shrubs.
“I felt quite vulnerable and I needed to speak to loved ones. The satellite phone was great for that,” he said.
After four days, Ian realised he was walking too slowly, at only six or seven kilometres per day, to reach Birdsville within the month.

Ian eventually “pulled the pin” and changed course, instead heading south down the Colson Track towards Poeppel Corner: the intersection of the Queensland, South Australia and Northern Territory borders.

Ian’s adjusted course was still challenging, and was especially difficult after 60 kilometres and 10 days in the desert.

Ian arrived … on July 19 after 30 days in the desert — exhausted, exhilarated and still not precisely sure why he put himself through such a journey.

Ian raised $5,000 for the Australian Cancer Research Foundation with his 250-kilometre journey.

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