Resources for Journalists

Sourdough or #sourfaux?

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0900 AEST | 1100 NZST

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition

Sourdough has had a renaissance in Australia in recent years. This has been partly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown baking; from March to April 2020, Google searches for ... Grafenauer says. Read more about Sourdough or #sourfaux?

Has the pandemic changed our drinking habits?

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0300 AEST | 0500 NZST

Drug and Alcohol Review

Adult men and those aged 35 or over were most likely to increase their alcohol consumption during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Australian and international researchers Read more about Has the pandemic changed our drinking habits?

Sleeping well linked to a lower risk of long COVID

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

JAMA Network Open

The team looked at 1,979 women who reported testing positive for COVID-19, and gave them a pre-pandemic sleep score of 0-5 based on a number of factors ... They found those with a pre-pandemic sleep score Read more about Sleeping well linked to a lower risk of long COVID

Over 250,000 COVID-19-related hospitalisations recorded across 2021-2022

Publicly released: Wed 31 May 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

3% required ventilation and 2% died in hospital. The report says about 1 in five COVID-19-related hospitalisations were in patients with at least one other chronic health condition. ... 3% required Read more about Over 250,000 COVID-19-related hospitalisations recorded across 2021-2022

COVID-19 vaccine builds powerful immune response in First Nations peoples

Publicly released: Tue 30 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Immunology

An Australian study has shown that vaccination against COVID-19 elicits an effective immune response in First Nations peoples, who are at higher risk of respiratory virus infections. ... We found Read more about COVID-19 vaccine builds powerful immune response in First Nations peoples

New compounds give important pandemic therapeutic option

Publicly released: Wed 24 May 2023 at 0600 AEST | 0800 NZST

Clinical & Translational Immunology

the ability of influenza virus to replicate in the lung, and protect against damaging inflammation. ... damaging. ” A/Prof Tate said. COVID-19 has shown us the damage that can be done by out-of-control Read more about New compounds give important pandemic therapeutic option

Australia is not on track to drop smoking rates to 5% by 2030

Publicly released: Tue 23 May 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

Tobacco Control

New study shows smoking rate target unreachable without strong actionNew research from the Daffodil Centre, a joint venture between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney, shows the Read more about Australia is not on track to drop smoking rates to 5% by 2030

Rental housing standards a threat to resident health and wellbeing

Publicly released: Mon 22 May 2023 at 1230 AEST | 1430 NZST

Regional Studies, Regional Science

Prior to COVID-19, research found an estimated one million Australians were living in poor to very poor housing. ... Dr Daniel says rising interest rates and other factors are likely to have drastically Read more about Rental housing standards a threat to resident health and wellbeing

Masks and air cleaners reduced the amount of COVID-19 in the air in classrooms

Publicly released: Fri 19 May 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

PLOS Medicine

The researchers consistently detected salivary and airborne SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in air samples and samples from students throughout the study period. ... The levels of airborne Read more about Masks and air cleaners reduced the amount of COVID-19 in the air in classrooms

Donor hearts from those who died with active COVID-19 could pose risks for recipients

Publicly released: Thu 18 May 2023 at 0400 AEST | 0600 NZST

Journal of the American College of Cardiology

York. The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges for heart transplantation since transplant centers had to continuously modify their recipient and donor management protocols as the pandemic and Read more about Donor hearts from those who died with active COVID-19 could pose risks for recipients

Genetic links to severe COVID-19 could help us improve treatments

Publicly released: Thu 18 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature

The findings, which build on previous analyses, improve our understanding of the factors that underlie severe COVID-19 and highlight targets for drug development. ... In the latest update, Kenneth Baillie Read more about Genetic links to severe COVID-19 could help us improve treatments

Evidence update finds masks may help stop the spread on COVID-19

Publicly released: Tue 16 May 2023 at 0700 AEST | 0900 NZST

Annals of Internal Medicine

The final update of an ongoing review of the evidence around masks and COVID-19 has found that masks may be linked to a small reduction in risk for ... The initial review was followed by eight brief Read more about Evidence update finds masks may help stop the spread on COVID-19

Environmental researchers could be (accidentally) capturing identifiable human DNA

Publicly released: Tue 16 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Ecology & Evolution

These samples can be used to monitor wild populations and invasive species, reconstruct past environments and screen wastewater samples for human pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2. ... Time Authors David Duffy, Read more about Environmental researchers could be (accidentally) capturing identifiable human DNA

Youth input key to addressing pillars of the mental health crisis

Publicly released: Mon 15 May 2023 at 0430 AEST | 0630 NZST

Te Hiringa Mahara - Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission

Dr Stubbing says internationally, organisations such as the World Health Organization and the International Association of Youth Mental Health are also recognising young people’s perspectives on Read more about Youth input key to addressing pillars of the mental health crisis

Sending at-home HPV test kits to under-screened women can help boost testing rates

Publicly released: Fri 12 May 2023 at 0830 AEST | 1030 NZST

The Lancet Public Health

Cervical cancer disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic women in the USA, with the highest incidence among Hispanic women and the highest mortality among Black women. ... The trial was also Read more about Sending at-home HPV test kits to under-screened women can help boost testing rates

Your COVID immunity could wane faster if your BMI is high

Publicly released: Fri 12 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Nature Medicine

The team also looked at the relationship between BMI, hospitalisation and mortality due to COVID-19 among 3. ... 6 million people in Scotland using their COVID-19 surveillance platform, and found Read more about Your COVID immunity could wane faster if your BMI is high

AI helps map the postal workers in cells

Publicly released: Fri 12 May 2023 at 0100 AEST | 0300 NZST

Cell

University of Queensland researchers have used artificial intelligence to build a 3D map of key cell components to better understand dementia and infectious diseases including COVID-19. ... Viruses such Read more about AI helps map the postal workers in cells

Most children with COVID-19 don’t require hospital treatment

Publicly released: Fri 12 May 2023 at 0001 AEST | 0201 NZST

The Medical Journal of Australia

The research, led by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and published in The Medical Journal of Australia, found more than half of children with COVID-19 who visited an emergency department Read more about Most children with COVID-19 don’t require hospital treatment

Over the last decade nobody has been improving the rate of preterm births

Publicly released: Wed 10 May 2023 at 1530 AEST | 1730 NZST

The researchers say regional conflict, climate change and COVID-19 are increasing the risks around preterm births as the world struggles to reduce the rates. ... The report also highlights that the Read more about Over the last decade nobody has been improving the rate of preterm births