Medicines are central to managing arthritis and osteoporosis, to improve musculoskeletal functions, slow disease progression and reduce pain and inflammation. Pharmaceutical innovations over the last several years have improved the efficacy and diversity of medicines available to manage these conditions. However, the adoption of new and more effective drugs is often costly.

This report provides information on what medicines Australians are using to manage their musculoskeletal problems, how much do these medicines cost them and trends in the prescription of newer medicines.

Go now to: Medication use for arthritis and osteoporosis (AIHW)

In issue 148 of of disAbility e-news

• Paralympians to act as champions of diversity
• Review of the National Disability Services Standards - progress so far
• Small grants for small rural communities
• Disability Services Standards posters and easy English booklets are now available on the FaHCSIA website
• 45th ASSID Australasian Conference, Brisbane
• Australian Disability Enterprises website email addresses.

• Scheduling of your Quality Assurance Recertification Audits - what you need to know
• 'CRN is not unique' error message when entering a new Client record
• FOFMS changes - February 2010.

Go now to: disAbility e-news | Issue 148, Monday 22 February 2010

The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government's independent research and advisory body on a range of economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians. I'ts role is to help governments make better policies in the long term interest of the Australian community.

The Commission's focus is on ways of achieving a more productive economy - the key to higher living standards. As an advisory body, it's influence depends on the power of its arguments and the efficacy of its public processes.

Contribution of the Not-for-Profit Sector - Research report

Key points

A total of 687 submissions were received during the consultations held in June and July 2009.

The consultations sought feedback about a new Australian Disability Parking Scheme that will be implemented by 2011.

National Consultations about the Harmonisation of Disability Parking Permit Schemes in Australia Summary Report has now been released.

Go now to: Disability Parking Permit Schemes

Four Corners - 15/02/2010: Breaking Point Reporter: Wendy Carlisle

Will Australia's flawed disability support system be reformed in time to save the families now at breaking point?

The system of assistance for people with a disability in Australia is broken.

Carers know it, charitable organisations know it and so do the governments.

Now the federal government says something must be done. It's holding an Inquiry, with the intention of creating a new and fairer system. It's even considering a national disability insurance scheme. But will the system be reformed in time to save the families now at breaking point?

Go now to: Four Corners - 15/02/2010: Breaking Point

ALL Australians need a no-fault insurance scheme for everyone who has, or aquires a significant disability.

A National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) would be a landmark social and economic reform, transforming the lives of Australians with disabilities and their families.

Yooralla in conjunction with Guest speaker Bruce Bonyhady are offering a FREE community information session.

Go now to: National Disability Insurance Scheme Community Information Sessions

Psychiatrists Propose Revisions to Diagnosis Manual: Health experts are taking a fresh look at how some mental illnesses are diagnosed. Planned revisions to the field of psychiatry's primary manual would be the first in a decade.

Watch the video and read the transcript at Psychiatrists Propose Revisions to Diagnosis Manual | PBS NewsHour | Feb. 10, 2010 | PBS

A commitment to training is a commitment to personal, professional, organisational and community development through continual improvement.

At Infoxchange Training you can explore by category the specific training courses currently on offer through their training calendar and proceed to the On-line Registration Service when you decide which course you want.

Go now to: Training Courses

Always feeling under the weather? Always not in the mood to be around others and have a good time? If you’re suffering from prolonged sadness for quite some time now, you should face these bouts of depression and get yourself diagnosed by a psychiatrist, they’re doctors who can actually help you out with your problem.

Depression or prolonged sadness is actually quite common in the United States, around 9.5 percent of the American population actually suffer from this illness, however, not all of them get to be treated, thus, depression and its ill-effects continue to be a burden to some individuals. This illness may seem quite simple to treat but in reality, it takes more than a little cheering up to actually cure depression.

Visits to a cognitive behavior therapist is a must as well as taking the prescribed medicines that the doctor will ask the patient to take – none of these exactly come cheap, but the amount of suffering that a person is going through because of depression is enough reason already for others to start taking notice and face depression head on.

Depression sometimes can easily get in the way of an individual’s daily activities and his or her’s normal functions, one’s zest for life can quickly and easily dissipate due to depression.

People who may be suffering from depression actually exhibit or show each and every kind of symptom of depression that doctors will tell you that depressed people have. Sometimes it’s actually quite easy to overlook such symptoms and not be able to help one’s self or others who are suffering from depression for that matter.

There are a lot of symptoms of depression that depressed people may actually posses but they don’t have to suffer from each and every one of them before you help them get diagnosed and be treated for this illness. Also, since symptoms of depression actually vary, the time of their "attacks" varies as well.

Here are some common examples of symptoms of depression:

Prolonged period of sadness or not feeling "up to it,"  people who are always feeling not in the mood, who’d rather mope around the house and feel sorry for one’s self is the best example for this symptom of depression.

Feels hopeless, perennial pessimist: speaking of feeling sorry for one’s self, another common symptom of depression is when a person actually feels like he/she has nothing to look forward to in his or her life. As for being the perennial pessimist, those who show this symptom of depression are usually very negative about things, again, the feeling of hopelessness comes in to mind.