A NATIONWIDE Deakin University survey of health and wellbeing in Australia\u2019s fishing industry has found fishers are enduring levels of psychological distress almost double that of the general population.<\/p>\n
Lead researcher Dr Tanya King from Deakin\u2019s School of Humanities and Social Sciences said the results of the study were confronting.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe results show levels of \u2018high\u2019 and \u2018very high\u2019 psychological distress among fishers that are higher than would be reasonably expected in a random sample \u2013 the levels are almost double those reported by the general public.\u201d<\/p>\n
Close to 1,000 registered commercial fishers from around the country responded to the survey, demonstrating a 19 per cent rate of depression among industry workers compared to the estimated national diagnosis of 10 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs worrying as this data is, it isn\u2019t surprising,\u201d Dr King said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor many years those working in the fishing industry have shared their stories of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicide but we\u2019ve never had the statistical data with which to support the overwhelming anecdotal evidence \u2013 until now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Only 9 per cent of respondents said they had experienced no bodily pain in the month prior to the survey, with 58 per cent saying they had experienced moderate to very severe pain.<\/p>\n
Dr King said many respondents felt their work was \u201cculturally undervalued\u201d or misunderstood \u2013 39 per cent reported they had been dissuaded from addressing their physical and mental health problems because they felt their GP didn\u2019t understand the pressures of the fishing industry.<\/p>\n
Deakin University Centre for Farmer Health director Professor Susan Brumby said her centre had been working with Dr King to adapt their Sustainable Farm Families health and wellbeing workshop program for fishers.<\/p>\n
\u201cSustainable Farm Families has been enormously successful, assisting more than 2,300 farm families across the country, but one of the areas we haven\u2019t engaged with is fishing families.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have adapted the program for fishers and it has certainly proven popular \u2013 we delivered our first workshop in the Bellarine earlier this year, with another workshop and pilot program launching over the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you or anyone you know is dealing with thoughts of suicide or psychological distress, 24\/7 crisis counselling services are available. Phone Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue on 1300 22 4636, or head to lifeline.org.au or beyondblue.org.au.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A NATIONWIDE Deakin University survey of health and wellbeing in Australia\u2019s fishing industry has found fishers are enduring levels of psychological distress almost double that of the general population. Lead researcher Dr Tanya King from Deakin\u2019s School of Humanities and Social Sciences said the results of the study were confronting. \u201cThe results show levels of […]<\/p>\n