Behind the data

Welcome to Behind the Data, a podcast from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). In each episode, we sit down with the authors behind our latest reports and data releases, alongside guests from across the health and welfare sectors, to delve beyond the numbers and explore the impact. Through expert insights and lived experience perspectives, we uncover how AIHW data is helping to shape policy, inform decisions and improve lives across Australia. The AIHW is an independent Australian Government agency and the nation’s leading source of authoritative health and welfare information. Each year, we publish more than 200 reports and data products covering over 75 topics, providing trusted evidence to help Australians better understand the health and wellbeing of our communities.

A report card on Australia’s health in 2026 07/08/2026

A report card on Australia’s health in 2026 In this episode, we unpack the findings from Australia's health 2026, the AIHW's 20th flagship report published every 2 years. It provides an overview of the current state of the nation's health as it experiences both progress and challenges. Head of the AIHW's Flagship Reporting Unit, Melanie Dunford, talks us through the trends shaping health outcomes in Australia, from rising life expectancy and improving cancer survival to the growing impact of chronic conditions, mental health challenges and pressures on the health system. View the report: For more information visit: Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Joshua Steel Royalty free music provided by Uppbeat: Blue Sea License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/42003555

How early detection of bowel cancer is saving lives: unpacking the data 06/26/2026

How early detection of bowel cancer is saving lives: unpacking the data It's the 20th anniversary of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program. Since the program begun in 2006, about 14.3 million screening tests have been completed. The AIHW has just published the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program monitoring report 2026 and the head of the Screening and Analysis Unit, Moira Hewitt takes us through the latest insights. Joining the conversation is Professor Vivienne Milch, Medical Director at Cancer Australia and Medical Advisor on cancer screening policy to the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. View the report: Learn more about the program and how to request a testing kit: For more information visit: Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Joshua Steel Royalty free music provided by Uppbeat: Blue Sea License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/41812340

Deaths in Australia: what the data reveals about dementia and other leading causes of death 06/18/2026

Deaths in Australia: what the data reveals about dementia and other leading causes of death Today's discussion is centred around the AIHW's newly released report. Michelle Gourley, head of Burden of Disease Unit, brings key insights from the report, including that dementia has overtaken coronary heart disease as the leading cause of death, and that while most deaths occur at older ages, almost half of deaths among people under 75 are potentially avoidable. The conversation also explores how causes of death have shifted over time toward more complex, chronic and age-related conditions and the implications this has for the health system. advocate, Dr Debra Graves OAM also joins us for the discussion. Debra provides a personal perspective on dementia and prevention. “To dementia with love: dealing with denial, diagnosis, daily life with dignity, and untimely death”, co-authored by Dr Debra Graves OAM, is available from the . For more information visit: Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Joshua Steel Royalty free music provided by Uppbeat: Blue Sea License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/41697555

The 'silent killer' connected to coronary heart diseases and strokes 05/28/2026

The 'silent killer' connected to coronary heart diseases and strokes It's May Measurement Month and today's discussion focuses on a medical condition known as the 'silent killer, due to lack of symptoms. In 2024, high blood pressure presented a risk factor to 4.4% of Australia's total disease burden and contributed to 13% of all deaths in Australia in 2023. To support greater awareness about the potentially significant impacts of hypertension, the institute has just released a new report - Hyptertension in Australia. Head of the institute's cardiovascular, diabetes and kidney unit Heidi Dietz and senior data analyst Dian Xu share their insights into the report. With hypertension contributing to around 37% of strokes, Stroke Foundation CEO Lisa Murphy also joins the chat to shed light on signs, symptoms and risk factors of strokes. Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Josh Steel For more information visit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/41446950

Increase in palliative care-related hospitalisations reflects expanding role of end of life services 05/15/2026

Increase in palliative care-related hospitalisations reflects expanding role of end of life services The Palliative care services in Australia – update shows end-of-life health service use has been steadily increasing in hospitals and outpatient settings, along with the costs to provide them. In this episode head of the AIHW's Aged Care Data Unit Dinesh Indraharan talks on the expanding role of palliative care within Australia's health system as the population ages. We also hear the end of life care services journey Interim CEO of Palliative Care Australia, Simon Waring experienced. Simon's son Marmaduke was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at fifteen months, and died three years later just five weeks after his wife Millsom succumbed to breast cancer. You can watch Marmaduke's Story here Find out more about Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Josh Steel For more information visit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/41304240

More Australians hospitalised from falling 04/13/2026

More Australians hospitalised from falling AIHW data shows falls are landing thousands of Australians in hospital each month. April is Falls Prevention month, providing the opportunity to discuss fall types and resulting injuries. Stats show about 680 people a day are hospitalised after tripping or stumbling, and that in the decade up to 2022-2023, over half of all injury deaths were due to falls among women aged 65 years and over. Joining this episode are Jacqueline Rek who heads up the institute's injury data team and Roisin Sweeney, General Manager of Injury Prevention. Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Josh Steel For more information visit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/40821525

Greater awareness leading to earlier endometriosis diagnoses 03/25/2026

Greater awareness leading to earlier endometriosis diagnoses This episode features the latest data on endometriosis - a condition that impacts thousands of Australian girls and women. March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, providing an opportunity to speak about the deep-reaching impact of this potentially debilitating health condition including number of emergency department presentations, hospitalisations and medical treatments and procedures. Two of the institute’s data experts join the discussion – Richard Hurley, head of the Chronic Conditions Unit and Melissa Wilson, Senior Data Analyst as well as Donna Ciccia, Deputy Chair and Co-founder of Endometriosis Australia. Host: Lauren Adcock Intro and Acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Outro: Josh Steel For more information visit: The AIHW acknowledges endometriosis can affect women and girls, transgender, non-binary, and gender-diverse people assigned female at birth. Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/40613875

Data shows Australia's cancer survival rates improving 02/25/2026

Data shows Australia's cancer survival rates improving In this episode, we take a look at ovarian, prostate and breast cancer statistics in Australia. The institute's head of cancer data and monitoring, Justin Harvey discusses how cancer survival rates have improved across the board. Justin's joined by Chair of Cancer Council's Public Health Committee, Anita Dessaix who speaks on how the AIHW's data is used to support targeted cancer screening and prevention initiatives. For more information about the AIHW visit Credits Host: Lauren Adcock Opener & acknowledgement of Country: Jasmine Dempsey Closer: Joshua Steel Interviewees: Justin Harvey, head of AIHW cancer and data monitoring unit & Anita Dessaix, Chair of the Cancer Council's Public Health Committee Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): License code: EXRIELMIAGDYIWRK /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/40224885

What's it like to be an AIHW graduate? 06/30/2021

What's it like to be an AIHW graduate? In this special episode, guest host and 2021 AIHW Graduate Kimberly Dunbar is joined by Sally Mills, head of the Children & Families Unit who also started out as an AIHW Grad. They discuss their experiences with the AIHW Graduate Program. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/19653449

Australia's youth 06/24/2021

Australia's youth In this episode of Behind the data, we discuss the health & wellbeing of Australia's young people aged 12-24. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent government agency that produces authoritative and accessible information and statistics on the health and welfare of Australians. The AIHW publicly released over 200 reports and data analyses annually, covering over 75 health and welfare topics. Music credit: Bensound /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/19589522

Dementia mortality during COVID-19 in Australia 04/21/2021

Dementia mortality during COVID-19 in Australia In this episode of Behind the data, host Elise Guy discusses dementia deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic with Dr. Fleur de Crespigny of the AIHW’s Dementia Unit. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent government agency that produces authoritative and accessible information and statistics on the health and welfare of Australians. The AIHW publicly released over 200 reports and data analyses annually, covering over 75 health and welfare topics. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/18804605

Golden staph bloodstream infections in Australian public hospitals 03/24/2021

Golden staph bloodstream infections in Australian public hospitals In this episode of Behind the data, host Peter Jean talks to Dr Heather Swanston of the AIHW about golden staph bloodstream infections associated with hospital care in Australia. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/18444881

Looking back at health in 2020 12/16/2020

Looking back at health in 2020 CW: This episode contains discussion relating to suicide from 17:45 – 18:28. If you, or someone you know is distressed, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/17211521

Exploring the short-term health impacts of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season 11/24/2020

Exploring the short-term health impacts of the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season In this episode of Behind the data, host Peter Jean discuss AIHW's new report ‘Australian bushfires 2019–20: exploring the short-term health impacts' with Richard Juckes & Claire Sparke of the AIHW. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/16928339

Cancer screening and COVID-19 in Australia 10/07/2020

Cancer screening and COVID-19 in Australia Meet the faces ‘behind the data’. In this episode, host Peter Jean discusses the release of the AIHW's new report 'Cancer screening and COVID-19 in Australia' with Richard Juckes and Fan Xiang of the AIHW. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) is an independent government agency that produces authoritative and accessible info & stats on the health and welfare of Australians. The AIHW publicly releases over 200 reports and data analyses annually, covering over 75 health and welfare topics /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/16302644

Australia's health 2020 07/23/2020

Australia's health 2020 Meet the faces ‘behind the data’. /episode/index/show/aihwmedia/id/15311048

Behind the data

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