News & opinion Archives - Sax Institute

Do cancer patients get equal access to radiotherapy?

19 February 2020. Radiotherapy is one of the mainstays of cancer treatment, with one estimate suggesting half of cancer patients should undergo radiotherapy at some time point post diagnosis. But new research shows that some patients are missing out, and the actual take-up is lower than previously thought –...

When health research becomes traumatic

Photo of Dr Anne-Marie Eades standing outdoors wearing a polka-dot shirt, she is smiling towards the camera.

19 February 2020. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers are leading research that empowers Indigenous women to share their stories of health and wellbeing. But what happens when health researchers relive the trauma of their participants?

Same condition, different treatments: the problem of unwarranted clinical variation

The high of antibiotic dispensing is an example of clinical variation between countries.

11 February 2020. Recent years have seen an upsurge of interest among public health experts in what’s known as unwarranted clinical variation. It’s a problem that arises when similar groups of patients or populations are treated for the same conditions with different medications or procedures for no clear, evidence-based...

Video: Co-creation in Aboriginal health research

5 February 2020. Aboriginal communities have long called for research methods that embrace Aboriginal leadership and expertise, and challenge traditional researcher-driven approaches. But how do we get it right?

After suicide: how can we help the bereaved?

3 February 2020. Two new Sax Institute Evidence Checks have found encouraging results for improving post-suicide services and support.

Kicking goals in men’s health

30 January 2020. The figures are stark and sobering: Australian men have a shorter life expectancy than women and die from heart disease at nearly twice the rate – statistically men seek medical advice much later in the course of their illness.

Mapping the genetics of healthy ageing

Image of person giving a blood donation.

24 January 2020. Why do some people lead healthy lives into their 70s and beyond, while others develop debilitating conditions such as cancer, heart disease or dementia? The Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study is involved in a groundbreaking initiative that may go some way towards answering the genetic...

What the 45 and Up Study showed us in 2019

Cheerful senior woman on a swing at the park

22 January 2020. Over the past 12 months, researchers from around the world have been using the 45 and Up Study to make new discoveries into healthy ageing and what we can all do to live longer, happier, healthier lives.

For older women with heart disease, depression is a barrier to better health

19 December 2019. Depression is preventing middle-aged women with hypertension or heart disease from taking up healthier lifestyles, according to new research based on data from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study.

A long-term vision for Australian cognitive health research

11 December 2019. This is part of a series of articles showcasing Sax Institute members, and the diverse range of research that’s informing future health policy and practice. Professor Kaarin Anstey, Director of the Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration, and the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute, is moving cognitive health research...

The 45 and Up Study