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Silent and Deadly (Kidney Disease)
Think you could be at risk of kidney disease? Don’t delay – get checked today. Kidney disease is having an even greater impact on Indigenous communities than previously realised, particularly in the Northern Territory, where it is estimated that up to 50 per cent of Indigenous people over 35 years old have kidney disease. New […]
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Giving Something Back
AMA Indigenous Scholarship winner has her eye on community health. A medical student with a passion for improving health in remote communities has won the AMA Indigenous Peoples’ Medical Scholarship for 2008. AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, awarded the scholarship to Gemma Johnston, a medical student at the University of Western Australia, on Wednesday, May […]
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Be Winter Wise (Flu Vaccination)
It’s not just old fellas who should be getting a flu shot to protect themselves from a possibly life-threatening winter illness. Specialists are now recommending that babies and toddlers now get a regular flu shot to keep them safe. According to the Department of Health and Ageing, influenza was responsibly for 2725 deaths in 2006, […]
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Pathways to Progress
One of the most important ways to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous people in rural and remote communities is to encourage more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work in the health industry. And there is so much more to a career in health than just being a doctor or nurse, which […]
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Air Supply (Lungs)
style=”MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt”> Your two lungs form one of the largest organs in your body. They are kept safe inside your rib cage, and surrounded by muscles that help your lungs breathe in and out. How Do Lungs Work?Although from the outside your lungs may look like two giant bags, on the inside they […]
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Itchy Issues (Eczema)
Don’t let your eczema drive you crazy! What is eczema?Eczema (pronounced Ex-mah) is a recurring, non-infectious, inflammatory skin condition affecting one in three Australians at some stage in their lives. Although eczema is not a life-threatening disease, it can certainly affect quality of life. Itching can cause sleepless nights and can place a strain upon […]
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The Eyes Have It (Eye Health)
Your eyes are not just the windows to your soul; they’re also how you see. So look after ’em! Our eyesight is essential for so many things. We need our sight to read, to drive, to learn and to spot danger. If you have a problem with your eyesight, it can make life very difficult. […]
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Flu Jab
Flu can be a killer. Winter is flu season and it’s on the way. Many people think that because flu is so common, that it’s not serious. But it is. The flu can really kill people. It can be a real problem if you’re in a high-risk group such as older people, people who already […]
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Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers that women – both young and old – have to deal with these days. Breast cancer is often thought of as a disease of ageing. This is because more than 70 per cent of cases occur in women over 50. However it is not unknown for […]
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Cancer answers
Cancer is one of the most feared – and the most misunderstood – diseases. Although it’s often thought to be a disease that old people get, cancer rates among young people are getting higher. And Indigenous Australians are at a greater risk than the rest of the population. The most common cancers in Indigenous communities […]
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Breathe easy
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the air passages that run from your windpipe to your lungs. It affects many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and children. Bronchitis is contagious and can be spread by direct or indirect contact. It may be caused by a virus, bacteria, smoking or the inhalation of […]
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The eyes have it
rong>The eyes have it Losing sight of eye health It’s easy to take your eyesight for granted, but imagine what life would be like without it! Blindness is a big problem in our communities, with rates of blindness about 10 times that of mainstream Australian communities. However, up to 80 per cent of blindness or […]
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Early Warning
The Pap smear – a simple test that can save your life. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and curable of all cancers. Despite this, each year in Australia more than 300 women die from it. But the good news is, up to 90 per cent of the most common type of cervical […]
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Have a Heart?
Give others a second chance – consider organ donation. For people suffering from a serious or life-threatening condition, organ donation can mean a second chance at life. More than 30,000 Australian have received transplants over the past 60 years, with improved survival rates now meaning that more recipients of donated organs or tissue can look […]
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Our Health, Our Future
Together we are building a happier, healthier community. The recent release of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey 2004-2005 revealed that there are still lots of health problems in our community. But it also showed that we are becoming more responsible about getting the health care we need. According to the survey, […]
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Dr Ngiare: Medicine Woman
Story: Dr Ngiare If you’ve ever been lucky enough to meet Dr Ngiare Brown, you sure won’t forget about her in a hurry. Funny, vivacious, down-to-earth and compassionate, Ngiare’s a dynamic young woman who takes her work in Aboriginal health and education very seriously indeed. Yet she still has time for a joke and a […]
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