WRITERS Dr Christolyn Raj and Dr Lewis Levitz

Over the last few months, the authors of this article have hosted a fortnightly show on the community radio station 91.4FM 3WBC.

Live from 9am on the second and fourth Saturday mornings of each month, the segment is introduced with the announcement, “The doctors are in the house”, just prior to the show ‘Your Health Matters’ going to air.

Why radio, we hear you ask?

Well, why not, would be the obvious answer. However, there is, as always, a little more to this venture. In a world where social media seems to have overtaken our leisure activities, including targeting specific audiences and employing clever marketing, radio still remains one of the most effective and accessible means of communication. In particular, tuning into radio can help us ‘disconnect’ from screens, reach large audiences, and build a sense of familiarity.

Apart from a medical disclaimer and a few words from the show’s sponsor – Keiser – there are no advertising gimmicks and there’s no promotion of presenters or guests. The overarching goal of our talk show is to begin important conversations about general health conditions that matter to our listeners. We present an open platform for learning, eliminate common myths, and promote an understanding of holistic medicine without the medical jargon.

Several studies have shown that information provided at medical consultations is often poorly retained by patients.1,2 Some studies quote 40% to 80%, and of the information that is recalled, up to 50% may be inaccurate.3,4 This is not surprising since we, as clinicians, tend to offer a lot of information when counselling patients. Information overload can be overwhelming, and, combined with emotional factors such as anxiety and stress, can negatively impact memory and recall. Additionally, we know that patients often reach out to friends and family to make sense of the information they have received, which may dilute the accuracy of important medical details.

To help separate fact from fiction, we wanted to provide an accessible forum for the community, where we openly discuss medical conditions and anecdotal myths surrounding them, with medical experts in their field.

THE THEMES WE EXPLORE

Our focus on ‘Your Health Matters’ is health education and primary prevention. If we can help our local community establish good habits, and healthy lifestyles and environments, we can likely prevent disease and injury before it occurs and help listeners to embrace ageing well.

In keeping with these themes, our shows have recently included a segment on exercise physiology, with a focus on core strength and muscle training, what to do when you have an injury, the process of rehabilitation, how to maintain endurance for both athletes and non-athletes, and how our bodies change with age.

Last month we were joined by a colorectal surgeon for a show focussed on bowel cancer, the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer affecting both men and women in Australia. Educating our listeners on the importance of embracing screening and how to access this, as well as practising good gut health and being aware of specific symptoms that may herald danger, were key messages.

We have also had an expert discuss different types of chest pain and explain when they should report it to their general practitioner or an emergency room.

Of course, we could not omit our own discipline – ophthalmology – and so we had an esteemed and experienced surgeon join us to offer our listeners an unbiased view on cataract and laser refractive surgery, amongst others procedures. They also spoke about how eye disease management and treatment paradigms have markedly advanced over the years.

Looking to the future, we hope to continue with our goal of health promotion as we delve into topical issues including mental health, and managing stress and anxiety, with a guest panel of psychiatrists and psychologists. Also embracing the radio waves will be expert clinicians in neurology addressing stroke, Parkinson’s and demyelinating disease, as well as anaesthesiologists, cardiologists, and several allied health professionals, celebrating the holistic nature of medical care today.

On radio, Drs Christolyn Raj and Lewis Levitz.

In doing so, we hope listeners will come to understand the day-to-day commitment of clinicians and allied health staff, that they will appreciate the delicate ecosystem that underpins medical care, and most importantly, they will become proactive in prioritising their health.

Community radio relies heavily on feedback from its listeners, and we are no different at 3WBC where we invite questions and comments via the website at health@3wbc.org.au.

We welcome you to tune in… perhaps we may inspire you to hit the radio waves in your neck of the woods!

Dr Lewis Levitz is a cataract and lid surgeon. He presents annually at the Australian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery meetings on diverse topics including the use of toric and multifocal lenses as well as cystoid macular oedema. He is also a reviewer for the American Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery and the Australian Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Journal. His talks, and multiple articles, explore evidence-based medicine in regard to ocular medication as well as laser cataract surgery. Dr Levitz completed a fellowship in oculoplastic surgery and works with Vision Eye Institute in Camberwell, Blackburn, and Coburg.

Dr Christolyn Raj is a cataract and refractive surgeon and retinal sub-specialist in Melbourne. Her philanthropic work is focussed on improving the vision of under resourced communities both locally and overseas especially through cataract surgery, surgical teaching, and mentoring through The Fred Hollows Foundation, Rotary International, and AusAID. Dr Raj serves on the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO) Public Health Committee where she communicates with the media and government policy advisors on issues regarding health promotion. She is a Lecturer and Examiner at The University of Melbourne and RANZCO.

References available at mivision.com.au.