Olivia Willis is a health reporter for ABC Science. She has worked as a journalist and producer for the ABC since 2014, including for Radio National and the ABC's Specialist Reporting Team. Olivia's work has appeared in the Best Australian Science Writing, and in 2019, she was the recipient of a Logan Science Journalism Fellowship in the United States. In 2021, Olivia and her colleagues were awarded the Eureka Prize for Science Journalism for their podcast series Patient Zero. Olivia has a master's degree in global health from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
Dementia researchers are calling for changes to the way one of the most common forms of younger-onset dementia is diagnosed, arguing current guidelines are overly restrictive and could delay access to treatment and clinical trials.
In university classrooms across the country, gynaecological cancer survivors are sharing their lived experience with health professionals to improve understanding and reduce delays in diagnosis.
Topic:Solutions
Mapping the vast number of environmental and lifestyle factors that influence our health is an enormous task — but one researchers say could hold the key to better understanding disease development.
While many people aim for 10,000 steps a day, new research finds 7,000 daily steps can provide meaningful health improvements and may be a more "realistic" goal.
Hopes of ending the global HIV epidemic anytime soon are fading among health workers and scientists, who say new infections could increase for the first time in decades.
The number of Australians vaccinated against influenza is "worryingly low", health experts say, as new data reveal the winter flu season has begun.
Scientists have used personalised gene-editing therapy to successfully treat a baby with a rare genetic condition. Could this technique help to unlock treatments for others?
Women's health experts have welcomed new national guidelines for the treatment of miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy up to 14 weeks gestation.
Two thirds of Australian dental practitioners recently surveyed support expanding Medicare to include subsidised dental services, with many reporting patients are struggling to afford oral health care.
Less than half of Australia's aged care residents aged 75 years and older are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, despite being at highest risk of severe health outcomes.
Adults can catch and spread the disease, especially if they are under-vaccinated — a category many Australians might find themselves in. Here's what you need to know about getting fully vaccinated against measles.
Topic:Explainer
The shingles vaccine could be an effective intervention for dementia, with a large "natural experiment" in Wales finding a substantial drop in dementia risk for those who received the vaccine.
Doctors often prescribe strong medications to relieve pain, distress and discomfort in palliative care, but many of these drugs have recently been unavailable or difficult to access.
An Australian study has found that bottle feeding toddlers to help get them to sleep is linked to dental cavities and overweight in early childhood. But there are other strategies that can help settle them.
Health experts are concerned Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonist drugs may be inappropriately prescribed to people experiencing disordered eating.
A major international study has found children and adolescents in Australia have experienced some of the fastest transitions to obesity in the world.
An ongoing avian influenza outbreak in the US shows no signs of abating, as thousands of staff at the nation's leading health and science agencies have been let go.
From boosting fertility to managing menopause, women are being targeted with supplements and diets promising to "rebalance" their hormonal health. But what does that mean, and how can you tell if something is really awry?
Topic:Explainer
Australian researchers dependent on US funding are facing an uncertain future as the Trump administration attempts to slash funding and slap restrictions on medical and scientific research.
Public health experts are concerned the alcohol industry may have deliberately delayed the inclusion of pregnancy warnings across products after research found one in three alcoholic beverages didn't have warning labels around the time labelling was made mandatory.
An online program aimed at improving diet, exercise and other modifiable risk factors for dementia has resulted in better cognition in older adults, Australian research has found.
As a growing number of "sun protective" make-up and beauty products hit the shelves, experts say there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you're properly protected from the sun.
A major review of evidence on ADHD treatment in adults has found stimulant drugs and one type of non-stimulant are the only effective treatments for reducing core symptoms in the short term.
A range of supplements from cinnamon to chromium claim to improve metabolism and lower blood sugar levels. What's the evidence for them?
Topic:Explainer
Online scammers are exploiting the faces and names of real Australian doctors to sell dietary supplements and peddle harmful medical advice, putting patients' health at risk.