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Ruth McHugh-Dillon

@ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social

280 followers 550 following 69 posts

👋🏼 Assistant Health Editor at The Conversation @aunz.theconversation.com 👓I’m a journo with a background in academia ✨Looking for health stories and the next good read. (Views are my own)

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Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

Stacey Matthews @staceymatthews1.bsky.social · 2d

Hospitals are the single biggest contributor to green house gas emissions from healthcare sources. Our study showed a simple change, replacing single-use “blueys” with reusables is safe for patients and saves almost half a tonne of landfill waste ♻️ Read more: @deakinuniversity.bsky.social

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 2d

Health care is responsible for up to 7% of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the use of disposable products could reduce this footprint.

👉 Read the full story: theconversation.com/reusing...

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · 15d

More silencing of those risking their lives to tell us what is going in Gaza's hospitals. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...

Fiona Stanley ‘ashamed’ after hospital bearing her name cancelled event featuring Palestinian Australian doctors

Exclusive: Distinguished professor says she considered asking hospital to remove her name after event on doctors’ experiences in Gaza was abruptly called off

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

Kill Your Darlings @kydmagazine.bsky.social · 25d

Need some weekend reading? Today, we're resharing Nina Culley’s essay on what society's shifting perspectives on love and marriage have meant for contemporary literary fiction.

bit.ly/3IiLHFU

Nina Culley
Why Literary Fiction Isn't
in the Mood
for Love
ICYMI

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 16d

A new survey shows children’s chronic pain is often dismissed as anxiety or attention-seeking.

Not just ‘growing pains’: 1 in 5 Australian kids live with chronic pain, but it’s often invisible

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 16d

Could a cancer drug really treat autism? The evidence is far from certain. Here’s what we know so far.

What is leucovorin, the drug the Trump administration says can treat autism?

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 16d

It’s safe for pregnant women to take paracetamol at any stage of pregnancy. Here’s what the research says about the risk of autism.

It’s OK to use paracetamol in pregnancy. Here’s what the science says about the link with autism

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 27d

For the first time, the experiences of Muslim Australians have been systematically documented and addressed. The government must now act decisively.

Landmark report makes 54 recommendations to combat Islamophobia in Australia. Now government must act

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

Ben Eltham @beneltham.bsky.social · Sep 8

If Melbourne University Publishing doesn’t want to keep publishing Meanjin, they should hand over the journal to someone worthy of the responsibility. Me in The Conversation theconversation.com/the-decision...

The decision to close Meanjin misunderstands its wider importance. Australian culture deserves better

The decision to close Meanjin is the latest in a string of recent decisions that suggest universities are not safe harbours for priceless cultural institutions.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

Deepcut News @deepcutnews.bsky.social · Aug 18

On Sunday, The Age commissioned an opinion piece from Palestinian author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah - only to decline publishing it after it was submitted.

Thanks to Randa for letting us publish it here.

www.deepcutnews.com/p/pro-israel...

Pro-Israel groups have attacked me for years. The Bendigo Writers Festival is a turning point.

Randa Abdel-Fattah writes of her experience as a target of the pro-Israel lobby

www.deepcutnews.com

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · Aug 22

They're sometimes seen as "diseases of affluence" but eating disorders can affect anybody. This new study shows coming from a lower income family may actually increase your risk.

Eating disorder symptoms in teens can be traced back to family hardship, new study shows

It’s a stereotype that eating disorders mainly affect people from wealthy backgrounds.

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Aug 12

Breasts are ‘sisters, not twins’. So while your bra is symmetrical, it’s normal your breasts aren’t.

Will my boobs sag if I don’t wear a bra? And 5 other common questions about breasts and bras

theconversation.com

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · Aug 14

We only have news from inside Gaza because they risk their lives.

MEAA @withmeaa.bsky.social · Aug 14

While international media remains locked out of Gaza, Palestinian journalists work under fire, starvation and sickness to report the reality on the ground.

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · Aug 12

+ Ismail Al-Ghoul who survived being disappeared and tortured once only to be murdered a few months later in July 2024.

‘I risked everything’: remembering six media workers killed by Israel in Gaza

CJP says the period since 7 October 2023 has been the most deadly for journalists since it began gathering data in 1992

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Aug 7

Campaigns designed to help us cut back on alcohol don’t always reach those most at risk of harm. Here’s what we should be doing instead.

Why alcohol policies miss those at the highest risk from drinking

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Aug 7

While it can work as a good rule of thumb, there’s more to nutrition than just the number of ingredients.

Is it true foods with a short ingredient list are healthier? A nutrition expert explains

theconversation.com

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · Aug 6

It's true runners are prone to knee injuries. But does this mean it's actually bad for your knees? Hunter Bennett untangles the evidence in this great piece @hunterbennett.bsky.social

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Aug 6

Runners tend to have thicker cartilage in their knees – which cushions and protects the joint – compared to non-runners.

Does running ruin your knees? And how old is too old to start?

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Aug 5

Data from the Mental Health Commission shows the proportion of people finding it ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’ to cope on their income has doubled.

Financial stress is on the rise in Australia. Here’s what to do if money worries are affecting your mental health

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Jul 15

The dose and quality of over-the-counter products can vary significantly. But there is some evidence several supplements may help with mild to moderate depression.

Supermarket treatments for depression don’t require a prescription. But do they work?

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Jul 14

Two litres of tap water in the regional New South Wales town of Walgett has as much sodium as an entire large bag of sea salt popcorn.

How much salt is OK in drinking water? Without limits, Australia’s health gap widens in remote and regional areas

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Jul 13

After a day, you’ll feel less dehydrated. After a week, your mood and sleep improves – and the benefits keep going.

👉 Read the full story: theconversation.com/even-a-...

Even a day off alcohol makes a difference – our timeline maps the health benefits when you stop drinking

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · Jul 8

Some studies indicate children with pets may be less likely to have allergies. But the evidence can be tricky to interpret.

If you have a pet as a kid, does this lower your risk of asthma and eczema?

theconversation.com

Reposted by Ruth McHugh-Dillon

Esther Anatolitis @anatolitis.bsky.social · Jul 3

Valuable piece by Grace McQuiltern—

Jane Howard @janeannehoward.bsky.social · Jul 3

The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality
theconversation.com/the-takeaway...

The takeaway from the Venice Biennale saga: the art world faces deep and troubling structural inequality

Creative Australia has reinstated Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino as the creative team for the 2026 Venice Biennale – after facing much criticism.

theconversation.com

Ruth McHugh-Dillon @ruthmchugh-dillon.bsky.social · Jul 3

Liz Westrupp's Conversation piece, repubbed in the Guardian: Some resources and words for any parents feeling worried – here's what you can do right now.

Guardian Australia @australia.theguardian.com · Jul 3

In the wake of childcare allegations, how should I talk to my kids about body safety?

In the wake of childcare allegations, how should I talk to my kids about body safety?

Using the right words gives children the language to ask questions and tell a trusted adult if something feels wrong * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Hearing about alleged child abuse in trusted places such as childcare centres is every parent’s worst nightmare. So how can we talk to our kids about it and help them stay safe? Continue reading...

www.theguardian.com