12th Annual Women’s Health Conference

The Laverty Pathology 12th Annual Women’s Health Conference will be held this year on Saturday 15 March 2014 at the University of New South Wales

Click here to download the Invitation.

Click here to download the Registration Form.

Obesity problem most acute in rural areas

People in some rural areas of NSW are three times as likely to be obese as residents of Sydney’s north shore, according to data to be released on Thursday.

Sydney’s north shore and northern beaches have the lowest obesity rate in the nation, at 14 per cent, according to the figures from the National Health Performance Authority, which detail for the first time how the size of the obesity problem varies between different parts of the country. But in the Loddon-Mallee-Murray region, which includes communities such as Deniliquin, 41 per cent of people are obese. The figures are even more alarming when those who are merely overweight as opposed to obese are included. In the western NSW region, which includes Dubbo and Bathurst, almost four in five people are either overweight or obese. Even in the nation’s slimmest region by this measure, eastern Sydney, almost half of all people are carrying too much weight. Yet even these figures, which determine overweight and obesity according to body mass index, could significantly underestimate the scale of the problem. About 27 per cent of Australians have a body mass index which places them in the obese category. But researchers from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute and Monash University presented data to a Melbourne conference last week suggesting that according to their waist measurement – a more reliable predictor or disease – more than 40 per cent of Australians are likely to be obese. The authority’s figures showed rates of overweight and obesity increased with geographic remoteness and lower socio-economic status. A separate report from the authority showed a similar trend in rates of smoking, with Sydney’s north shore and northern beaches having the lowest proportion of adult daily smokers at 6 per cent. The part of NSW with the highest smoking rate was the Hume region, which includes Albury and Corowa, where 22 per cent of adults smoked daily. Nationally, the Grampians region of Victoria, which includes Ballarat, Ararat and Horsham, had the highest smoking rate, with 28 per cent of adults smoking daily. About 16 per cent of all Australians smoke daily. The Council of Australian Governments asked the authority to report rates of smoking, obesity and overweight by Medicare Local regions, the 61 organisations set up by the former Rudd and Gillard governments to plan and co-ordinate primary care. Performance Authority chief executive Diane Watson said the figures would help medical professionals and managers to target their efforts to the needs of their communities.

NSW FIGURES

MOST OBESE

Loddon-Mallee-Murray (includes Deniliquin) 41%

Central Coast 35%

Western NSW (includes Dubbo and Bathurst) 33%

Hunter 33%

Murrumbidgee (includes Wagga Wagga, Griffith and Gundagai) 32%

LEAST OBESE

Sydney north shore and northern beaches 14%

Eastern Sydney 15%

Northern Sydney 20%

Inner west Sydney 21%

Southern NSW (includes Moruya, Goulburn and Queanbeyan) 23%

Source: National Health Performance Authority

Measles warning for Sydneysiders

NSW Health has warned people to be on the lookout for measles symptoms after three Sydney men fell ill with the infectious disease.

The men, aged between 25 and 35, may have been infected when they recently spent time in Sydney’s inner suburbs, including Alexandria, Waterloo, Earlwood and Hurlstone Park. They also visited medical centres in Rozelle, Croydon and Rockdale and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital emergency department while infectious in the past week. NSW Health communicable diseases director Dr Vicky Sheppeard says measles is highly contagious among people who are not fully immunised. “Measles is highly infectious and is spread through coughing and sneezing,” she said. “Symptoms can include fever, tiredness, runny nose, cough and sore red eyes which usually last for several days before a red, blotchy rash appears.” Complications can range from ear infection and diarrhoea to pneumonia or swelling of the brain. Dr Sheppeard warned parents of infants or others not fully vaccinated to watch for signs of measles. “If symptoms develop, please phone ahead when seeking medical attention to ensure you don’t share the waiting area with other patients,” she said. Children should receive two vaccine doses, one at 12 months and another at 18 months, while anyone born after 1966 should have two vaccine doses at least four weeks apart, she said. NSW Health offers free measles, mumps and rubella vaccine for people up to 47 years old.

NSW Health urges parents to be aware but not alarmed about enterovirus

NSW Health is urging parents to be aware but not alarmed about enterovirus infection.

See video here.

The latest data provided to NSW Health today shows that the incidence of enterovirus cases has dropped since March 2013.

Enterovirus infections are not notifiable in NSW. However the NSW Ministry of Health has established a surveillance system to monitor severe enterovirus infections admitted to Sydney’s two children hospitals, together with monitoring NSW Emergency Department surveillance figures and testing results from the two enterovirus reference laboratories.

This surveillance is summarised in the weekly reports posted on the NSW Health website at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/Enterovirus-Alert.aspx

Earlier this year, clinicians on the Northern Beaches reported to NSW Health an increase in the number of young children presenting with enterovirus infection. Laboratory investigations revealed that some of the children had a type of enterovirus called enterovirus 71 which is fairly rare in NSW but which has been associated with outbreaks in other parts of the world. There is currently no vaccine for enteroviruses, including enterovirus 71, available in Australia.

General enteroviruses are relatively common in the community, particularly in the warmer months, and can cause a range of illnesses, including fevers, rashes, and the common childhood infection hand, foot and mouth disease, and very rarely lead to neurological complications, including inflammation of brain or spinal cord, leading to irritability, jerky movements, unsteadiness and weakness.

These symptoms can also be caused by other types of serious infections, including meningococcal bacteria, so any child or adult with these symptoms should see a doctor immediately so the cause can be investigated and managed quickly.

Between January 1 and June 9 2013, 124 children were admitted to Sydney or Westmead Children’s Hospitals with suspected severe enterovirus infection. 103 of these have been confirmed as being due to enterovirus. NSW Health is aware of four deaths in small children linked to enterovirus infection: to date two have been confirmed as being due to enterovirus and two remain under investigation by the coroner.

The best way to reduce your chances of infection is to practice good hand hygiene, especially washing hands with soap and water after going to the toilet, before eating, after wiping noses, and after changing nappies or soiled clothing.

Children should also be taught to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue. If no tissues are available then coughing or sneezing into your elbow is better than into your hands. Child care centres routinely receive detailed information and protocols about infection control and how to prevent and respond to infectious diseases.

In March 2013, NSW Health wrote to childcare centres in NSW advising of an increase in enterovirus and hand, foot and mouth disease cases and reminding them to practice routine hygiene. Children with hand, foot and mouth disease should not return to school or childcare until their blisters have dried.

Further information on enterovirus can be found at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/infectious/handfootmouth.html

Smartphone app to track NSW baby health

NSW parents will be able to use a smartphone app to access their child’s health records for the first time.

The eBlue Book and smartphone app is an electronic version of the hard copy blue book which NSW Health has been distributing to parents since 1988 to record their babies’ growth into early childhood.

It’s also used to log and monitor information such as height and weight milestones and immunisation history.

The online book and app has now been made available to parents, their GPs and other eligible health workers in the Western Sydney and Blue Mountains Local Health Districts and Medicare Locals.

Health Minister Jillian Skinner says the eBlue Book allows parents access to their child’s health data, “wherever they want it, whenever they want it”.

“It allows parents and carers as well as health-care providers to enter information,” she said.

“This creates a truly shared health record, a very modern tool for parents and carers.”

Parents outside the eBlue Book implementation sites are being urged to continue to use the hard copy of the blue book, with plans to roll out the online version to more sites in the future.

NSW nurses warned against taking action

A western Sydney health boss has warned nurses at Nepean Hospital of “consequences” if they turn away pregnant women because of maternity staff shortages.

Fairfax Media reports that Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District chief executive, Kay Hyman, issued the warning about the proposed action at Penrith’s Nepean Hospital.

Nurses reportedly plan to turn away pregnant women from the hospital from Monday due to concerns about staff shortages.

Nurses have assured the community that no emergency or “high risk” patients will be rejected from the hospital.

Health focus for region

ON May 1 the Western New South Wales Local Health District Board held a meeting at the Robey Centre at the Multi Purpose Service with the Bathurst Board members and Health Council representatives from Oberon, Blayney, Bathurst, Rylstone and Cowra. New chief executive Scott McLachlan discussed the development of a strategic plan for the district with a focus on five main health areas. 

These are smoking, obesity/diet/alcohol, diabetes, early childhood intervention and mental health. 

Scott is taking a proactive role in working with the community to identify gaps and promote available health services. 

He is keen to work with the health council in achieving this and discussions about physiotherapy and palliative care services for Oberon community were held. 

The strategic plan will also focus on the prevention of disease and illness. Scott also took this opportunity to meet with the mayor, John McMahon and General Manager of Oberon Council Alan Cairney. 

They were able to discuss the aged care services being developed for Oberon and the future of services in the district. 

He was very impressed with the level of services available to the Oberon community compared to similar sized towns in the WNSW Local Health District and acknowledged the role of Council and the Community in supporting the development of the Aged Care Facility with Columbia Homes. 

NSW committee approves medical cannabis

A NSW parliamentary committee has taken the bold step of recommending cannabis be available in leaf form to ease the suffering of the terminally ill.

Patients with cancer, full-blown AIDS or other fatal diseases would be allowed to possess and use up to 15 grams of dry cannabis.

But they wouldn’t be able to grow their own cannabis and would need to buy the drug from illegal dealers.

Committee chair Sarah Mitchell said people at the end of their life who used cannabis to relieve their pain or stimulate their appetite shouldn’t be criminalised.

The upper house committee is calling on the government to amend the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act, describing the move as “both appropriate and compassionate”.

Patients would need to be certified by a treating specialist, who would put them and their carers on a register overseen by the NSW Ministry of Health.

Labor MP and committee member Adam Searle said they had heard “compelling evidence” from individual sufferers as well as clinicians.

“The unanimity across the political spectrum sends a very clear signal to the government that these recommendations should be very closely considered,” he told reporters.

The committee – which included Liberal, National, Labor, Greens and Shooters party members – was unanimous in its findings.

“The challenge now is to the leaders of all political parties to come on board with what now is a humanitarian relief effort,” Greens MP John Kaye said.

“This is not going to feed any recreational use of cannabis. We are talking about people who are mostly about to die.”

The report stated its preference for cannabis-based pharmaceuticals but noted only one such product, used to treat multiple sclerosis, was available in Australia.

It also called on Health Minister Jillian Skinner to write to the commonwealth – which governs the regulation of drugs – to advocate expanding the current scheme.

Committee member and Labor MP Amanda Fazio conceded the issue of supply was a tricky area that needed further investigation.

Labor MP Luke Foley said the issue was now firmly back on the political agenda.

Eighteen states in America have legalised the use of cannabis for medical purposes, along with Canada and Israel.