Seven in 10 Aussies admit to faking sickie in past year
It was estimated sickies cost Australian businesses $7.3bn a year in lost productivity and 24.6 million days off.
The study conducted by iSelect found the most common reasons people took a sick day were a lack of sleep, to relax and recharge, mental health or personal issues to deal with family, or relationship problems.
The health insurance comparison service found when mental health issues were counted as personal leave, 68 per cent of Australians still admitted to taking a fake sick day.
The highest proportion of people pulling a sickie were workers aged 25 to 34 (84.5 per cent).
The most significant difference between men and women surveyed was that 26.6 per cent of women used a sick day for a mental health day compared with 19.5 per cent of men.
Men 12.9 (per cent) were more likely to take a sick day because they were hungover compared with women (8.5 per cent), but twice as many women (20 per cent) were more likely to take the day off to care for children than men.
Other excuses revealed some workers took sick days to attend a special event or they just wanted the day off for general leisure. Others avoided meetings or did not want to go to work because it was raining.
iSelect general manager of health Andres Gutierrez said the research found it was very common for Australians to take a sickie at least once a year despite not being physically ill.
'A lack of sleep, wanting to relax and recharge, and mental health are the top three reasons, highlighting how some Australians might choose to prioritise self-care,' he said.
'If you're finding it tough to get a good night's sleep or you're dealing with mental health challenges, it's important to reach out for support.'
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The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Birth trauma preventable yet affects too many women
Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Mushrooms to mice: our fears of nature are costing us
If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful." If you've ever steered clear of a spider, refused to manhandle a mushroom or opted out of an ocean dip because of sharks, you're not alone. These aversive reactions to the natural world - known as biophobias - are surprisingly widespread and they're shaping more than just our fears. One-in-five Australians have a biophobia and they are having an enormous impact on human health, wildlife survival and environmental sustainability. And while some fears serve a protective purpose, many biophobias are irrational. "We experience anxiety, fear, disgust when we don't need to," says Professor Melissa Norberg, a psychologist at Macquarie University, co-author of the article Beyond mental well-being: A One Health perspective on biophobias. "So yes, sometimes it's good to be anxious when there's a funnel web ... but do we need to be wearing gloves in our houses to protect us from spiders? No." Prof Norberg says disgust in particular plays a major role in food-related biophobias. "Disgust is often about disease," she explains. "So the dangerous aspect is, 'I might eat something that could make me very ill or could kill me or there could be a contamination somewhere ... that might get me sick'." That fear is heightened by a growing disconnect from nature, reinforced by urbanisation. "I would not know how to survive if there was a zombie apocalypse without grocery stores," Prof Norberg admits. "I think that is a tragedy of becoming more urbanised ... now we've become so reliant on it that we don't know how to take care of ourselves as we would just 100 years ago." Fear of mushrooms, for instance, can be traced both to lack of education and cultural taboos. "People have promoted ideas like, you know, mushrooms can kill you," Prof Norberg says. "So we might not even eat mushrooms that are in the store." The recent mushroom poisoning trial of Erin Patterson, which gripped Australia for months, reignited some of those fears. The deaths of three people after eating a meal laced with death cap mushrooms stunned the nation and the case became a media obsession. It is rare events like this that can run the risk of distorting public perception and reinforcing phobic responses. According to Prof Norberg's recent research, biophobias are more common than people realise. As many as 22 per cent of individuals irrationally fear insects, spiders and other natural elements. Yet these fears rarely align with actual risks: bees and wasps kill far more Australians each year than sharks, snakes or spiders. Worse, unchecked biophobias have broader consequences. "We waste a lot of food in Australia," she says. "'Best Before' (dates) are not for the public … but many people interpret it … and throw things away." Her research argues that biophobias are not only under-recognised in mental health settings but can harm ecosystems too - prompting people to kill harmless animals or avoid the outdoors altogether. She believes a "One Health" approach, which connects human, animal and environmental wellbeing, is needed to address these impacts. "We need people in schools who do know how to forage, who do know how to rub two sticks together and make a fire," she says. "Having kids do that repeatedly ... that would be immensely helpful."
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
Birth trauma preventable yet affects too many women
Australian women who give birth are experiencing "obscene" rates of trauma as advocates call for universal continuity of care, midwifery leadership, antenatal education and respectful healthcare practices. But experts say trauma can be prevented and is not a given when it comes to birth. Giving birth is one of the most profound and life-changing events in a woman's life and should be predominantly positive. Yet one in three women will experience birth trauma, either physically or emotionally, affecting their lives for years to come. Birth Trauma Awareness Week is held each year to highlight the issue and provide support to women and their families who have experienced it. It is also an opportunity to examine maternity care and ensure better outcomes for women and their babies. Jess Pigram suffered from a life-threatening postpartum haemorrhage after giving birth to her daughter Shiloh in 2019. She had to undergo two surgeries shortly after her birth and ended up losing 3.6 litres of blood - more than 60 per cent of her body's total amount - which resulted in her needing multiple transfusions. "I'd just had my baby and all of a sudden there's all these people and I'm being rushed into the operation room ... there was a point where I thought I was going to die," she tells AAP. While the physical recovery has been complicated by permanent pelvic floor damage, the mental trauma from the experience has also stuck with Ms Pigram for years. It is often most acute around the time of her daughter's birthday which can be difficult to navigate. "When you go through trauma, you never forget it," she says. "I'll never be the same person I was, but that's okay because I have my daughter." Ms Pigram said her wife Katie, who was also mistreated by hospital staff during Shiloh's birth, has been instrumental in her recovery. Connecting with Birth Trauma Australia, the peak national charity dedicated to supporting women, people, fathers, partners and families after birth-related trauma, was also hugely important. But looking back, Ms Pigram wishes she'd known how many women experience trauma during birth. "It was so isolating at the time and I felt like no one understood," she says. "I wasn't aware that one in three women experience birth trauma and it took a long time to realise how many other women are affected." Rates of trauma indicate maternity services are doing something seriously wrong, former president of the Australian College of Midwives Jenny Gamble says. "It's obscene that 30 per cent of women report that they had a traumatic childbirth," she says. "The system is scaring and traumatising women about having a baby." Studies have found women who have a traumatic birth experience will subsequently choose to either birth completely outside the system, invest in a private midwife or seek a planned caesarean. Some may even decide not to have another baby after a previous traumatic experience. A landmark inquiry into birth trauma by the NSW parliament attracted international attention as well as thousands of submissions from patients, doctors, midwives and experts around Australia. The final report released in 2024 found the rates of birth trauma were unacceptable and made 43 recommendations, including an overhaul of the health system. Chief among the recommendations was the need for accessible continuity of midwifery care, which experts have been calling for for years. Hospitals that provide continuity of care, where a woman has access to the same midwife throughout her pregnancy, during the birth and postnatally, often have better outcomes for the mother, baby and care provider. It's also more cost effective. "We have this fantastic evidence that shows what needs to change but we have all these road blocks," midwife and Monash University lecturer Joy Kloester said. "Birth trauma can be prevented, it's not a given, and the best way to prevent it is continuity of care." Queensland recently appointed a chief midwifery officer, which Professor Gamble said was something all states and territories needed. "We need to stop treating having a baby like an acute medical event," she said. "It's a physiological event that requires a social and primary model of healthcare." Research shows women who consider their birth experience positive do so not because of what happened medically but because they were heard and respected throughout the process. For those who do experience trauma it's often because they felt like a body on a table. "It's not about avoiding intervention but about ensuring the woman feels like the central person in that care ... being informed and respected is so essential," Ms Kloester says. Birth trauma occurs on a spectrum, with obstetric violence at the extreme end. One in 10 women experience obstetric violence in birth, recognised by the United Nations as a form of gendered violence. Bernadette Lack is a midwife of almost 20 years and also works in pelvic health supporting women through her business Core and Floor Restore. Her practice includes birth debriefs and she says many women apologise to her for becoming emotional when they share their stories. "You carry your birth experiences with you until the day you die," Ms Lack says. "Birth isn't just about a baby being born, it's about a mother being born too. "Trauma isn't a memory, it's a reliving ... when people have experienced previous trauma, it can easily be triggered again by the smallest thing: a smell, a sound, a touch, a tone." Recovering can also be financially inaccessible to many women who may have to see multiple care providers to address mental and physical trauma. "Healing from birth can require huge investment," Ms Lack says. But she wants women to know that it's never too late to begin the process of healing. "There's often a lot of grief and people can feel scared to lean into their feelings (but) I believe the body is so capable of healing when you meet with the mind and body together," she says. "I would love for more older women to come (for a birth debrief) because it would enable them to support the current birthing generation better and also so they don't have to continue living their life holding onto their trauma." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
