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Would you be happy as a long-term single? The answer may depend on your attachment style

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-pepping-1524533">Christopher Pepping</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/geoff-macdonald-1527971">Geoff Macdonald</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-toronto-1281">University of Toronto</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-cronin-415060">Tim Cronin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuthika-girme-1494822">Yuthika Girme</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a> Are all single people insecure? When we think about people who have been single for a long time, we may assume it’s because single people have insecurities that make it difficult for them to find a partner or maintain a relationship. But is this true? Or can long-term single people also be secure and thriving? Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jopy.12929">latest research</a> published in the Journal of Personality suggests they can. However, perhaps unsurprisingly, not everybody tends to thrive in singlehood. Our study shows a crucial factor may be a person’s attachment style. <h2>Singlehood is on the rise</h2> Singlehood is on the rise around the world. In Canada, single status among young adults aged 25 to 29 has increased from <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220713/dq220713b-eng.htm">32% in 1981 to 61% in 2021</a>. The number of people <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220713/dq220713a-eng.htm">living solo</a> has increased from 1.7 million people in 1981 to 4.4 million in 2021. People are single for many reasons: <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/ebook/9780520971004/happy-singlehood">some choose</a> to remain single, some are focusing on <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12147-020-09249-0">personal goals and aspirations</a>, some report <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/08/20/nearly-half-of-u-s-adults-say-dating-has-gotten-harder-for-most-people-in-the-last-10-years/">dating has become harder</a>, and some become single again due to a relationship breakdown. People may also remain single due to their attachment style. Attachment theory is a popular and well-researched model of how we form relationships with other people. An <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=attachment+theory">Amazon search for attachment theory</a> returns thousands of titles. The hashtag #attachmenttheory has been viewed <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/why-attachment-theory-is-trending-according-to-dr-amir-levine.html">over 140 million times</a> on TikTok alone. <h2>What does attachment theory say about relationships?</h2> Attachment theory suggests our relationships with others are shaped by our degree of “anxiety” and “avoidance”. Attachment anxiety is a type of insecurity that leads people to feel anxious about relationships and worry about abandonment. Attachment avoidance leads people to feel uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness. People who are lower in attachment anxiety and avoidance are considered “securely attached”, and are comfortable depending on others, and giving and receiving intimacy. Single people are often stereotyped as being <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/01461672231203123">too clingy or non-committal</a>. Research comparing single and coupled people also suggests single people have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-6494.2012.00793.x?casa_token=6iiCm5PjHgkAAAAA:0kBeofx3M-72YrkVppmNxdWBIAImFwm3lAakCnuiNXL20SVP1zaW7UeDIahW_43imAjSRXgtyN0hLVI">higher levels of attachment insecurities</a> compared to people in relationships. At the same time, evidence suggests many single people are choosing to remain single and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17456916221136119">living happy lives</a>. <h2>Single people represent a diverse group of secure and insecure people</h2> In our latest research, our team of social and clinical psychologists examined single people’s attachment styles and how they related to their happiness and wellbeing. We carried out two studies, one of 482 younger single people and the other of 400 older long-term singles. We found overall 78% were categorised as insecure, with the other 22% being secure. Looking at our results more closely, we found four distinct subgroups of singles: <ul> <li> secure singles are relatively comfortable with intimacy and closeness in relationships (22%) </li> <li> anxious singles question whether they are loved by others and worry about being rejected (37%) </li> <li> avoidant singles are uncomfortable getting close to others and prioritise their independence (23% of younger singles and 11% of older long-term singles) </li> <li> fearful singles have heightened anxiety about abandonment, but are simultaneously uncomfortable with intimacy and closeness (16% of younger singles and 28% of older long-term singles). </li> </ul> <h2>Insecure singles find singlehood challenging, but secure singles are thriving</h2> Our findings also revealed these distinct subgroups of singles have distinct experiences and outcomes. Secure singles are happy being single, have a greater number of non-romantic relationships, and better relationships with family and friends. They meet their sexual needs outside romantic relationships and feel happier with their life overall. Interestingly, this group maintains moderate interest in being in a romantic relationship in the future. Anxious singles tend to be the most worried about being single, have lower self-esteem, feel less supported by close others and have some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction across all sub-groups. Avoidant singles show the least interest in being in a romantic relationship and in many ways appear satisfied with singlehood. However, they also have fewer friends and close relationships, and are generally less satisfied with these relationships than secure singles. Avoidant singles also report less meaning in life and tend to be less happy compared to secure singles. Fearful singles reported more difficulties navigating close relationships than secure singles. For instance, they were less able to regulate their emotions, and were less satisfied with the quality of their close relationships relative to secure singles. They also reported some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction across all sub-groups. <h2>It’s not all doom and gloom</h2> These findings should be considered alongside several relevant points. First, although most singles in our samples were insecure (78%), a sizeable number were secure and thriving (22%). Further, simply being in a romantic relationship is not a panacea. Being in an unhappy relationship is linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316">poorer life outcomes</a> than being single. It is also important to remember that attachment orientations are not necessarily fixed. They are open to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X18300113">change</a> in response to life events. Similarly, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0963721413510933">sensitive and responsive behaviours</a> from close others and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/02654075231162390">feeling loved and cared about</a> by close others can soothe underlying attachment concerns and foster attachment security over time. Our studies are some of the first to examine the diversity in attachment styles among single adults. Our findings highlight that many single people are secure and thriving, but also that more work can be done to help insecure single people feel more secure in order to foster happiness.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/227595/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christopher-pepping-1524533">Christopher Pepping</a>, Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/geoff-macdonald-1527971">Geoff Macdonald</a>, Professor of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-toronto-1281">University of Toronto</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tim-cronin-415060">Tim Cronin</a>, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuthika-girme-1494822">Yuthika Girme</a>, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/simon-fraser-university-1282">Simon Fraser University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/would-you-be-happy-as-a-long-term-single-the-answer-may-depend-on-your-attachment-style-227595">original article</a>. </div>

Relationships

Taking expensive medicines or ones unavailable in Australia? Importing may be the answer

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L. Johnson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kirsten-staff-1494356">Kirsten Staff</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> The cost-of-living crisis may be driving some Australians to look for cheaper medicines, especially if those medicines are not subsidised or people don’t have a Medicare card. Options can include buying their medicines from overseas, in a process called “<a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/personal-importation-scheme">personal importation</a>”. Others also use this option to import medicine that is not available in Australia. Here’s what’s involved and what you need to know about the health and legal risks. <h2>Cost-of-living crisis bites</h2> Many Australians, particularly those with long-term illnesses, are finding it increasingly hard to afford health care. The <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-services/patient-experiences/latest-release#barriers-to-health-service-use">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a> reports the proportion of people who delayed or did not see a GP due to cost doubled in 2022-23 (7%) compared with 2021-22 (3.5%). A <a href="https://australianhealthcareindex.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Australian-Healthcare-Index-Report-Nov-22.pdf">survey</a> published in 2022 of over 11,000 people found more than one in five went without a prescription medicine due to the cost. For those with a Medicare card it’s usually best (and cheapest) to get medicines locally, especially if you also have a concession card. However, for some high-cost medicines, personal importation may be cheaper. That’s when an individual arranges for medicine to be sent to them directly from an overseas supplier. A 2023 study found <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/AH/AH23143?jid=AHv47n6&xhtml=5AA1F839-38C8-45E8-A458-79DCDB7597FB">1.8%</a> of Australians aged 45 or older had imported prescription medicines in the past 12 months. That indicates potentially hundreds of thousands of Australians are importing prescription medicines each year. Almost half of the survey respondents indicated they would consider importing medicines to save money. <h2>What’s involved?</h2> Australia’s drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), allows individuals to import up to three months’ supply of medicines for their own personal use (or use by a close family member) under the <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/unapproved-therapeutic-goods/personal-importation-scheme">personal importation scheme</a>. This often involves ordering a medicine through an overseas website. If the medicine would require a prescription in Australia, you must also have a legally valid prescription to import it. Selling or supplying these medicines to others outside your immediate family is strictly prohibited. <h2>How could this help?</h2> For some high-cost medicines, personal importation may be cheaper than having the medicine dispensed in Australia. This is most likely for medicines not subsidised by the <a href="https://www.pbs.gov.au/info/about-the-pbs">Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme</a> (the PBS). People who do not hold a Medicare card may also find it cheaper to import certain medicines as they do not have access to PBS-subsidised medicines. For example, for people with a specific type of leukaemia, treatment with sorafenib is not covered by the PBS. For these patients it could be up to about ten times more expensive to have their treatment dispensed in Australia as it is to import. That’s because there is a cheaper generic version available overseas. Personal importation may also allow you to access medicines that are available overseas but are not marketed in Australia. <h2>What are the risks?</h2> All medicines carry risks, and medicine sold online can pose additional dangers. The TGA does not regulate medicines sold overseas, so the safety and quality of such medicines can be uncertain; they may not be produced to <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/what-tga-regulates">Australian standards</a>. While similar regulatory agencies exist in other countries, when ordering medicines from overseas websites it can be difficult to determine if the product you are buying has been assessed to ensure it is safe and will do what it says it will do. The medicines purchased could be counterfeit or “fake”. Products bought through unverified or overseas websites may have undisclosed ingredients, contain a dose that differs from that on the label, or lack the active ingredient entirely. <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/importing-therapeutic-goods">Not all medicines</a> can be legally imported through the personal importation scheme. Certain medicines are never allowed to be imported into Australia, and others can only be imported by a medical professional on behalf of a patient. So if you attempt to import a restricted medicine, the Australian Border Force <a href="https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/can-you-bring-it-in/categories/medicines-and-substances">may seize it</a>. Not only would you lose your medicine, but you could also receive a fine or face <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/blog/can-i-import-medicine-personal-use#:%7E:text=If%20you%20try%20to%20import,a%20fine%20or%20jail%20time.">jail time</a>. As with any purchase from an overseas business, there is also a risk you may lose your money and you might not be protected by Australian consumer laws. If you do choose to import medicines by buying them from an overseas website, you should also consider what could happen if delivery is delayed and you don’t get your medicine in time. <h2>Where can I get more advice?</h2> If you are thinking about importing medicines you should first discuss this with a health professional, such as your GP or pharmacist. They can help you determine if personal importation is permitted for the medicine you need. You can also discuss if this is the best option for you. If you are having difficulty covering the cost of your medicines your doctor or pharmacist can also explore other potential alternatives to ensure you are receiving the most cost-effective treatment available in Australia. <h2>Where do I go online?</h2> If you then decide to import, here are some reputable sites to help navigate the global online medicines market: <ul> <li> <a href="https://everyone.org/">everyone.org</a> helps people everywhere in the world access the latest medicines not available in their own countries </li> <li> <a href="https://buysaferx.pharmacy/">Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies</a> is a not-for-profit organisation that collates information on how to find safe online pharmacies based in different regions of the world </li> <li> <a href="https://www.pharmacychecker.com/accredited-online-pharmacies/">PharmacyChecker</a> has also collated a list of trusted online pharmacies that ship medicines internationally. </li> </ul> Australian government websites about importing medicines include those from <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/news/blog/can-i-import-medicine-personal-use">the TGA</a> and on what to consider when buying medicines online from <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/buying-medicines-online#overseas">overseas</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219394/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacinta-l-johnson-1441348">Jacinta L. Johnson</a>, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kirsten-staff-1494356">Kirsten Staff</a>, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/taking-expensive-medicines-or-ones-unavailable-in-australia-importing-may-be-the-answer-219394">original article</a>.

Caring

"We want answers": Furious cruise passengers stage protest after itinerary change

Passengers onboard a Norwegian Cruise Line voyage has expressed their outrage after their once in a lifetime trip to Antarctica changed course after the journey had already begun. Melbourne woman Helen Midler was one of hundreds of people onboard the cruise from Buenos Aires to mainland Antarctica, when staff informed all travellers that their itinerary had changed. Days into their journey, those onboard were told they would not be visiting Antarctica at all, but would be doing a "South America round trip" instead. Midler took to social media to share her frustrations, saying the communication between the cruise line and the passengers was very poor. She explained that she only found out about the change after checking the app a few days into the journey and noticed the name of the cruise had been changed. Passengers were later told the change of destination was for "operational reasons" after raising their concerns, however no further explanation was given. Those onboard were allegedly told the decision was made by the head office in the US to not visit Paradise Bay, on mainland Antarctica, before departure on January 31, and that all passengers were notified by email, and again at check-in. However, Midler claims this was not the case. "I can assure you that we never got any email and many of our friends here on board, and I'm talking hundreds of people we know, did not receive any email either," she said in a video posted online. "Until the cruise had commenced, most people on this ship were not aware of the change in the itinerary." Midler said "everyone was angry", with hundreds of passengers meeting at in the ship's foyer one morning in protest to demand further answers from the crew. "Customer service are refusing to acknowledge us, they sent a security officer out to calm us down," she said while standing in the noisy crowd. "We feel we're being cheated, being scammed". Midler said frustrated travellers, some of whom "spent their live savings" on the cruise that costs upwards of $4,000 per person, just "want answers, transparency and clarity" but claims they're being treated with "absolute disdain and disrespect" with little explanation given. "Everyone on this ship has paid a lot of money to cruise to Antarctica, not to do a round trip of South America at sea," she fumed. "We are being dismissed, ignored, refused answers. They're telling us we just have to accept it. "They think we're idiots. We're not idiots and we're not prepared to just accept this sitting down," she continued. "We may not get to Antarctica. The chances of this cruise now going to Antarctica are minimal. But we want answers." In the days after her initial post, Midler updated her online followers and said those onboard were trying to make the best of a bad situation, despite still not hearing any clear answers about the change of itinerary. "We saved and we booked this two years ago for the trip of a lifetime," she said. "We're feeling very disappointed and dejected about the outcomes here." "We'll never be able to afford to do this again. And we've lost that trip to the Antarctica mainland that we had all been hoping and waiting for, and that we'd paid for. But we're going to try and do our best to enjoy it." Image credits: TikTok

Legal

"I want answers": Simon Dorante-Day's cunning plan to prove royal connections

The Queensland man claiming to be the son of King Charles and Queen Camilla has shared his new plan to prove once and for all that he has royal family connections. Simon Dorante-Day has long claimed through his 30 years of research, he discovered that he is the illegitimate son of the monarch, and has attempted to prove his theory through various means. Now, his new plan to get his hands on royal DNA to unequivocally prove his family heritage involves another member of the royal family. Speaking with <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-man-claiming-to-be-charles-son-drops-new-prince-harry-dna-bombshell-c-13488374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, the 57-year-old said he and his wife have been told by a “trusted source” that Prince Harry could be amenable to helping them gather proof. “We got advice from a really good, really trusted source that we should approach Harry and make a connection there and ask for DNA,” Elvianna said. Simon added, “I was really taken aback when he said that. But it’s definitely something I’m going to do. I’ve long been a supporter of Harry and Meghan, I think it’s disgraceful the way they’ve been treated by the royal family." “The way they are treated on social media too, it’s just one big ‘Punch-Meghan-and-Harry-a-thon’, seriously. It’s really starting to annoy me." He said he is planning to "make contact with him and explore this as an opportunity," pointing out that the royal family's treatment of Harry could make him more willing to help. "At the end of the day, I feel like he just might be as keen as I am to expose what Charles and Camilla and the powers that be have done to me. The injustice." “It’s worth me pointing out that Charles and Camilla, Buckingham Palace, the entire royal family - not one of them has ever said my claims are not true. They’ve never denied what I believe, told me I’m wrong." Simon said “the wheels are in motion” in terms of making contact with Prince Harry, and that he’s hopeful of a positive outcome. “I want answers,” he said. “And I feel Prince Harry is the man to help me find them.” “And I think their silence speaks volumes.” Simon said “the wheels are in motion” in terms of making contact with Prince Harry, and that he’s hopeful of a positive outcome. “I want answers,” he said. “And I feel Prince Harry is the man to help me find them.” Image credits: Facebook / Getty Images

Family & Pets

It’s time to limit how often we can travel abroad – ‘carbon passports’ may be the answer

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-bennett-cook-1301368">Ross Bennett-Cook</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-westminster-916">University of Westminster</a> The summer of 2023 has been very significant for the travel industry. By the end of July, international tourist arrivals globally <a href="https://www.unwto.org/news/international-tourism-swiftly-overcoming-pandemic-downturn">reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels</a>. In <a href="https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/eu-tourism-almost-full-recovery-pre-pandemic-levels-2023-10-23_en">some European countries</a>, such as France, Denmark and Ireland, tourism demand even surpassed its pre-pandemic level. This may be great <a href="https://skift.com/insight/state-of-travel/">news economically</a>, but there’s concern that a return to the status quo is already showing dire environmental and social consequences. The summer saw record-breaking heatwaves across many parts of the world. People were forced to flee <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/24/greece-wildfires-corfu-evia-rhodes-heatwave-northern-hemisphere-extreme-weather-temperatures-europe">wildfires in Greece</a> and <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/hawaii-fires-update-biden-b2393188.html">Hawaii</a>, and extreme <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/world-news/foreign-office-issues-spain-weather-27339111">weather warnings</a> were issued in many popular holiday destinations like Portugal, Spain and Turkey. Experts <a href="https://theconversation.com/european-heatwave-whats-causing-it-and-is-climate-change-to-blame-209653">attributed these extreme conditions</a> to climate change. Tourism is part of the problem. The tourism sector <a href="https://wttc.org/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/2021/WTTC_Net_Zero_Roadmap.pdf">generates around one-tenth</a> of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving the climate crisis. The negative impacts of tourism on the environment have become so severe that some are suggesting drastic changes to our travel habits are inevitable. In a <a href="https://www.intrepidtravel.com/sites/intrepid/files/basic_page/files/A%20Sustainable%20Future%20For%20Travel%20From%20Crisis%20To%20Transformation-231016-02.pdf">report</a> from 2023 that analysed the future of sustainable travel, tour operator Intrepid Travel proposed that “carbon passports” will soon become a reality if the tourism industry hopes to survive. <h2>What is a carbon passport?</h2> The idea of a carbon passport centres on each traveller being assigned a yearly carbon allowance that they cannot exceed. These allowances can then “ration” travel. This concept may seem extreme. But the idea of personal carbon allowances is not new. A <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmenvaud/565/565.pdf">similar concept</a> (called “personal carbon trading”) was discussed in the House of Commons in 2008, before being shut down due to its perceived complexity and the possibility of public resistance. The <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/#:%7E:text=A%20carbon%20footprint%20is%20the,is%20closer%20to%204%20tons.">average annual carbon footprint</a> for a person in the US is 16 tonnes – one of the highest rates in the world. In the UK this figure sits at 11.7 tonnes, still more than five times the figure recommended by the <a href="https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/the-average-british-carbon-footprint-is-five-times-over-paris-agreement-recommendations/152669/#:%7E:text=Despite%20rising%20environmental%20awareness%20across,equivalent%20(tCO2e)%20per%20year.">Paris Agreement</a> to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C. Globally, the average annual carbon footprint of a person is closer to 4 tonnes. But, to have the best chance of preventing temperature rise from overshooting 2°C, the average global carbon footprint <a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/#:%7E:text=Globally%2C%20the%20average%20carbon%20footprint,tons%20doesn't%20happen%20overnight!">needs to drop</a> to under 2 tonnes by 2050. This figure equates to around <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/ng-interactive/2019/jul/19/carbon-calculator-how-taking-one-flight-emits-as-much-as-many-people-do-in-a-year">two return flights</a> between London and New York. Intrepid Travel’s report predicts that we will see carbon passports in action by 2040. However, <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/travel-short-haul-flights-europe-under-fire-climate-change-cop26/">several laws and restrictions</a> have been put in place over the past year that suggest our travel habits may already be on the verge of change. <h2>Targeting air travel</h2> Between 2013 and 2018, the amount of CO₂ emitted by commercial aircrafts worldwide <a href="https://theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/ICCT_CO2-commercl-aviation-2018_20190918.pdf">increased by 32%</a>. Improvements in fuel efficiency are slowly reducing per passenger emissions. But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231014004889">research</a> from 2014 found that whatever the industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon emissions, they will be outweighed by the growth in air traffic. For emission reductions to have any meaningful effect, ticket prices would have to rise by 1.4% each year, discouraging some people from flying. However, in reality, <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/news/increase-in-flights-will-outweigh-carbon-cuts-17875">ticket prices are falling</a>. Some European countries are beginning to take measures to reduce air travel. As of April 1 2023, passengers on short-haul flights and older aircraft in Belgium have been <a href="https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/12/12/private-jets-and-short-haul-flights-face-pollution-busting-tax-increases-in-belgium">subject to increased taxes</a> to encourage alternative forms of travel. Less than two months later France banned <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-65687665">short-haul domestic flights</a> where the same trip can be made by train in two-and-a-half hours or less. <a href="https://businesstravelerusa.com/news/spain-to-follow-frances-lead-plans-to-ban-short-haul-domestic-flights/">Spain</a> is expected to follow suit. A similar scheme could also be on the horizon for Germany. In 2021, a <a href="https://www.cleanenergywire.org/news/seventy-percent-germans-favour-banning-short-haul-flights-survey">YouGov poll</a> found that 70% of Germans would support such measures to fight climate change if alternative transport routes like trains or ships were available. <h2>Cruises and carbon</h2> It’s not just air travel that’s being criticised. An <a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/The-return-of-the-cruise-June-2023.pdf">investigation</a> by the European Federation for Transport and Environment in 2023 found that cruise ships pump four times as many sulphuric gases (which are proven to cause acid rain and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamesellsmoor/2019/04/26/cruise-ship-pollution-is-causing-serious-health-and-environmental-problems/?sh=468ee2f637db">several respiratory conditions</a>) into the atmosphere than all of Europe’s 291 million cars combined. Statistics like these have forced European destinations to <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/8727387d-590d-43bd-a305-b5ec208a4dfe">take action</a> against the cruise industry. In July, Amsterdam’s council <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66264226">banned cruise ships</a> from docking in the city centre in a bid to reduce tourism and pollution – an initiative that has shown success elsewhere. In 2019 Venice was the most polluted European port, due to large numbers of cruise ship visits. But it dropped to 41st place in 2022 after a ban on large cruise ships entering the city’s waters <a href="https://www.transportenvironment.org/discover/europes-luxury-cruise-ships-emit-as-much-toxic-sulphur-as-1bn-cars-study/">reduced air pollutants from ships</a> in Venice by 80%. <h2>Changing destinations</h2> Intrepid Travel’s report also highlights that not only how we travel, but <a href="https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/jrc-news-and-updates/global-warming-reshuffle-europes-tourism-demand-particularly-coastal-areas-2023-07-28_en">where we travel</a> will soon be impacted by climate change. Boiling temperatures will probably diminish the allure of traditional beach destinations, prompting European tourists to search for cooler destinations such as Belgium, Slovenia and Poland for their summer holidays. <a href="https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/Travelers-seek-cooler-destinations-this-summer">Several travel agencies</a> reported seeing noticeable increases in holiday bookings to cooler European destinations like Scandinavia, Ireland and the UK during 2023’s peak summer travel months. Whatever the solution may be, changes to our travel habits look inevitable. Destinations across the globe, from <a href="https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/barcelonas-war-on-tourism-ada-colau/">Barcelona</a> to the <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/italy-tourism-bans-controls-fees-restrictions/a-66453047">Italian riveria</a> and even <a href="https://theconversation.com/death-on-everest-the-boom-in-climbing-tourism-is-dangerous-and-unsustainable-114033">Mount Everest</a> are already calling for limits on tourist numbers as they struggle to cope with crowds and pollution. Holidaymakers should prepare to change their travel habits now, before this change is forced upon them. <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ross-bennett-cook-1301368">Ross Bennett-Cook</a>, Visiting Lecturer, School of Architecture + Cities, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-westminster-916">University of Westminster</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-limit-how-often-we-can-travel-abroad-carbon-passports-may-be-the-answer-216503">original article</a>.

International Travel

Should we still be using RATs to test for COVID? 4 key questions answered

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> We’re currently navigating <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/health/2023/11/15/covid-australia-eighth-wave">an eighth wave</a> of <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-a-new-covid-wave-what-can-we-expect-this-time-216820">COVID infections</a> in Australia. However the threat COVID poses to us is significantly less than it has ever been, thanks to immunity we’ve acquired through <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(22)00801-5/fulltext">a combination</a> of prior infection and vaccination. That said, COVID is by no means behind us. The threat of severe illness remains higher for many people, and we’re all potentially at risk of developing <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/covid-19/long-covid">long COVID</a>. While many people appear to be doing fewer rapid antigen tests (RATs) than they used to – if any at all – with rising cases, and as we head towards the festive season, testing continues to be important. So what do you need to know about testing in this wave? Here are four key questions answered. <h2>1. When should I do a RAT?</h2> There are a few situations where determining your COVID status is important to inform your actions, particularly during an uptick in infections. With more circulating virus, your index of suspicion that you have COVID if you’re experiencing cold-like symptoms should be higher. RATs work best when they’re used to confirm whether you have COVID when you <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-tests/how-testing-works-covid-19">have respiratory symptoms</a> and are infectious. So the primary use of RATs should be to determine your COVID status when you’re sick. A positive test should prompt you to isolate, and if you’re eligible, to seek antivirals. Testing might also be worthwhile if you’ve come into contact with someone with COVID but you haven’t developed symptoms. If you find you have in fact contracted the virus, you can take steps to avoid spreading it to other people (you can infect others even <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-asymptomatic-covid#prevalence">when you’re asymptomatic</a>). This is especially important if you’re going to be socialising in large groups or in contact with people who are vulnerable. Another situation in which to consider testing, particularly at this time of year, is before attending large social gatherings. While the reliability of a RAT is never perfect, do the test as close to the event as possible, because your disease status <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omicron-rapid-test-hour-before-party-not-day-before-expert-2021-12">can change quickly</a>. <h2>2. Should I test multiple times?</h2> Yes. RATs are not as sensitive as PCR tests, which is the trade-off we make for being able to do this test at home and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/public-health-officials-pursue-covid-19-tests-that-trade-precision-for-speed-11599562800">getting a rapid result</a>. This means that while if you test positive with a RAT you can be very confident you have COVID, if you test negative, you cannot be as confident that you don’t have COVID. That is, the test may give you a false negative result. Although RATs from different manufacturers have different accuracies, all RATs approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration must have a sensitivity of <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-tests/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-home-use/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia#:%7E:text=For%20rapid%20antigen%20tests%2C%20this,specificity%20of%20at%20least%2098%25.">at least 80%</a>. The way to increase your confidence in a negative result is to do multiple RATs serially – each negative test increases the confidence you can have that you don’t have COVID. If you have symptoms and have tested negative after your first RAT, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/safety-communications/home-covid-19-antigen-tests-take-steps-reduce-your-risk-false-negative-results-fda-safety">the advice</a> is to repeat the test after 48 hours, and potentially a third time after another 48 hours if the second test is also negative. <h2>3. Do RATs detect the latest variants?</h2> Since RATs <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covid-19/testing#:%7E:text=Rapid%20antigen%20tests%2C%20or%20RATs,of%20proteins%20of%20the%20virus.">detect particular surface proteins</a> on SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID), it’s theoretically possible that as the virus evolves, the reliability of these tests may be affected. However, RATs were designed to detect a part of the virus that is not as likely to mutate, so the hope is these tests <a href="https://www.health.com/do-covid-tests-work-new-variants-7967102">will continue to hold up</a> as SARS-CoV-2 evolves. The performance of RATs is continually being assessed by manufacturers. So far, there’s been no change reported in the ability of these tests to <a href="https://www.ama.com.au/articles/tga-updated-advice-rats-nearing-expiry-and-rats-efficacy-current-strains#:%7E:text=The%20TGA%20has%20received%20evidence,19%20RAT%20post%2Dmarket%20review.">detect the latest variants</a>. <h2>4. Can I rely on expired RATs?</h2> At this point in the pandemic, you might have a few expired tests at the back of your cupboard. Technically the most appropriate advice is to say you should never use a diagnostic test <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/products/covid-19/covid-19-tests/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-home-use/covid-19-rapid-antigen-self-tests-are-approved-australia">past its expiry date</a>. As a general principle the performance of a test cannot be guaranteed beyond this date. The risk is that over time the components of the RAT degrade and if you use a test that’s not working optimally, it’s more likely to indicate <a href="https://www.health.com/can-you-use-expired-covid-test-6827970">you don’t have COVID</a> when you actually do, which may have consequences. However, as for all things COVID, the answer is not so black and white. Since these tests were new when they were introduced earlier in the pandemic, manufacturers didn’t have specific data on their performance over time, and so the expiry dates given were necessarily conservative. It’s likely these tests will work beyond the expiry dates on the packet, but just how long and how well they work is a bit of an unknown, so we need to be cautious. The other thing to consider is ensuring you store RATs correctly. Storage instructions should be found on the packet, but the key issue is making sure they’re not exposed to extreme temperatures. In particular, <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/how-to-properly-store-your-at-home-covid-19-rapid-antigen-tests-c-5465412">high temperatures</a> may damage the chemicals in the test which may reduce its sensitivity. <h2>The path from here</h2> Regular upticks in COVID cases are something we’re going to have to get used to. At these times, we should all be a bit more cautious about looking after ourselves and others as we go about our lives. What this looks like will vary for different people depending on their personal circumstances. However, being up to date with <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-new-covid-booster-vaccines-can-i-get-one-do-they-work-are-they-safe-217804">booster vaccinations</a>, having a plan for <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/covid-19/oral-treatments">accessing antivirals</a> if you’re eligible, <a href="https://theconversation.com/with-covid-surging-should-i-wear-a-mask-217902">wearing masks</a> in high-risk settings and testing all continue to play an important role in responding to COVID.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218016/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-we-still-be-using-rats-to-test-for-covid-4-key-questions-answered-218016">original article</a>.

Body

Research reveals who’s been hit hardest by global warming in their lifetime - and the answer may surprise you

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-king-103126">Andrew King</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ed-hawkins-104793">Ed Hawkins</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-reading-902">University of Reading</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-douglas-1460792">Hunter Douglas</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-harrington-489028">Luke Harrington</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781">University of Waikato</a> Earth is warming and the signs of climate change are everywhere. We’ve seen it in the past few weeks as temperatures hit record highs around the world – both in the Northern Hemisphere and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-australia-having-such-a-warm-winter-a-climate-expert-explains-210693">warm Australian winter</a>. Global warming is caused by humanity’s greenhouse gas emissions, which continue at <a href="https://theconversation.com/global-carbon-emissions-at-record-levels-with-no-signs-of-shrinking-new-data-shows-humanity-has-a-monumental-task-ahead-193108">near-record pace</a>. These emissions are predominantly generated by people in the world’s wealthiest regions. Our world-first analysis, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2752-5295/aceff2">published today</a>, examines the experience of global warming over the lifetimes of people around the world: young and old, rich and poor. We sought to identify who has perceived warmer temperatures most keenly. We found middle-aged people in equatorial regions have lived through the most perceptible warming in their lifetimes. But many young people in lower-income countries could experience unrecognisable changes in their local climate later in life, unless the world rapidly tackles climate change. <h2>Measuring the climate change experience</h2> We examined temperature data and population demographics information from around the world. Key to our analysis was the fact that not all warming is due to human activity. Some of it is caused by natural, year-to-year variations in Earth’s climate. These natural ups and downs are due to a number of factors. They include variations in the energy Earth receives from the sun, the effects of volcanic eruptions, and transfers of heat between the atmosphere and the ocean. This variability is stronger in mid-to-high-latitude parts of the world (those further from the equator) than in low-latitude areas (in equatorial regions). That’s because the weather systems further away from the equator draw in hot or cold air from neighbouring areas, but equatorial areas don’t receive cold air at all. That’s why, for example, the annual average temperature in New York is naturally more variable than in the city of Kinshasa (in the Democratic Republic of Congo). To account for this, we applied what’s known as the “<a href="https://archive.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/wg1/346.htm#:%7E:text=The%20%EF%BF%BDsignal%20to%20noise,to%20this%20natural%20variability%20noise.">signal-to-noise ratio</a>” at each location we studied. That allowed us to separate the strength of the climate change “signal” from the “noise” of natural variability. Making this distinction is important. The less naturally variable the temperature, the clearer the effects of warming. So warming in Kinshasa over the past 50 years has been much more perceptible than in New York. Our study examined two central questions. First, we wanted to know, for every location in the world, how clearly global warming could be perceived, relative to natural temperature variability. Second, we wanted to know where this perceived change was most clear over human lifetimes. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541474/original/file-20230807-17-ogjdti.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Annual-average temperatures at four major cities with signal-to-noise ratios shown for 20, 50 and 80 years up to 2021." /></a><figcaption>Annual-average temperatures at four major cities with signal-to-noise ratios shown for 20, 50 and 80 years up to 2021. Author provided</figcaption></figure> <h2>Our results</h2> So what did we find? As expected, the most perceptible warming is found in tropical regions – those near the equator. This includes developing parts of the world that constitute the Global South – such as Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia. Household incomes in the Global South are typically lower than in industrialised nations (known as the Global North). We might, then, conclude people in the poorest parts of the world have experienced the most perceptible global warming over their lifetimes. But that’s not always the case. Why? Because most parts of the Global South have younger populations than wealthier regions. And some people under the age of 20, including in northern India and parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, haven’t experienced warming over their lifetimes. In these places, the lack of recent warming is likely down to a few factors: natural climate variability, and the local cooling effect of particles released into the atmosphere from <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac3b7a">pollution</a> and changes in land use. There’s another complication. Some populated regions of the world also experienced slight cooling in the mid-20th century, primarily driven by human-caused <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature10946">aerosol emissions</a>. So, many people born earlier than the 1950s have experienced less perceptible warming in their local area than those born in the 1960s and 1970s. This may seem counter-intuitive. But a cooling trend in the first few decades of one’s life means the warming experienced over an entire lifespan (from birth until today) is smaller and less detectable. So what does all this mean? People in equatorial areas born in the 1960s and 1970s – now aged between about 45 and 65 – have experienced more perceptible warming than anyone else on Earth. <h2>Rich countries must act</h2> Our findings are important, for several reasons. Identifying who has experienced significant global warming in their lives may help explain <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nclimate2660">attitudes to tackling climate change</a>. Our findings also raise significant issues of fairness and equity. Humanity will continue to warm the planet until we reach global net-zero emissions. This means many young people in lower-income countries may, later in life, experience a local climate that is unrecognisable to that of their youth. Of course, warming temperatures are not the only way people experience climate change. Others include sea-level rise, more intense drought and rainfall extremes. We know many of these impacts are felt most acutely by <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2022/5/11/climate-change-is-devastating-the-global-south">the most vulnerable populations</a>. Cumulative greenhouse gas emissions are much higher in the Global North, due to economic development. To address this inequality, rich industrialised nations must take a leading role in reducing emissions to net-zero, and helping vulnerable countries adapt to climate change.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211108/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-king-103126">Andrew King</a>, Senior Lecturer in Climate Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ed-hawkins-104793">Ed Hawkins</a>, Professor of Climate Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-reading-902">University of Reading</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-douglas-1460792">Hunter Douglas</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-harrington-489028">Luke Harrington</a>, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781">University of Waikato</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/research-reveals-whos-been-hit-hardest-by-global-warming-in-their-lifetime-and-the-answer-may-surprise-you-211108">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

Private health insurance is set for a shake-up. But asking people to pay more for policies they don’t want isn’t the answer

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuting-zhang-1144393">Yuting Zhang</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kettlewell-903866">Nathan Kettlewell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Private health insurance is <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/medical-benefits-division/consultation-on-phi-studies/">under review</a>, with proposals to overhaul everything from rebates to tax penalty rules. One <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/medical-benefits-division/consultation-on-phi-studies/supporting_documents/Finity%20Consulting%20MLS%20and%20PHI%20Rebate%20Final%20Report.pdf">proposal</a> is for higher-income earners who don’t have private health insurance to pay a larger <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Medicare-levy-surcharge/">Medicare Levy Surcharge</a> – an increase from 1.25% or 1.5%, to 2%. And if they want to avoid that surcharge, they’d need to take out higher-level hospital cover than currently required. Encouraging more people to take up private health insurance like this might seem a good way to take pressure off the public hospital system. But <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/publications/working-papers/search/result?paper=4682822">our research</a> shows these proposals may not achieve this. These may also be especially punitive for people with little to gain from buying private health insurance, such as younger people and those living in regional areas who do not have access to private hospitals. <h2>What is the Medicare Levy Surcharge?</h2> The Medicare Levy Surcharge was <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/FlagPost/2013/May/A_short_history_of_increases_to_the_Medicare_levy#:%7E:text=From%20July%201997%2C%20a%20surcharge,ancillary%20insurance%20cover%20was%20introduced">introduced in 1997</a> to encourage high-income earners to buy health insurance. People earning above the relevant thresholds need to buy “complying” health insurance, or pay the levy. This surcharge is in addition to the <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Medicare-levy/">Medicare levy</a>, which applies to most taxpayers. The surcharge varies depending on your income bracket, and the rate is <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Medicare-levy-surcharge/Medicare-levy-surcharge-income,-thresholds-and-rates/">different</a> for families. For instance, to avoid paying the surcharge currently, a single person living in Victoria earning A$108,001 can buy basic hospital cover. The lowest annual premium for someone under 65 is <a href="https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/Search/">about $1,100</a>, after rebates. That varies slightly between states and territories. Not buying private health insurance and paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge instead would cost even more, at $1,350 (1.25% of $108,001). <h2>What is being proposed?</h2> The <a href="https://consultations.health.gov.au/medical-benefits-division/consultation-on-phi-studies/">report</a>, by Finity Consulting and commissioned by the federal health department, reviews a range of health insurance incentives. It recommends increasing the Medicare Levy Surcharge to 2% for those with an income above $108,001 for singles, and $216,001 for families. The definition of a “complying” private health insurance policy would also change. Rather than having basic hospital cover as is required now, someone would need to buy <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/private-health-insurance-reforms-gold-silver-bronze-basic-product-tiers-campaign-fact-sheet?language=en">silver or gold</a> cover to avoid the surcharge. Under the proposed changes, people who pay the 2% surcharge would also no longer receive any rebate, which currently reduces premiums by <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Private-health-insurance-rebate/Income-thresholds-and-rates-for-the-private-health-insurance-rebate/#Rebaterates1">about 8%</a> for people earning $108,001-$144,000. So, for a single person under 65, earning $108,001 and living in Victoria, the <a href="https://www.privatehealth.gov.au/dynamic/Search/">annual cost of buying</a> complying hospital cover would be at least $1,904 (without the rebate). Again, that varies slightly between states and territories. But the cost of not insuring and paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge instead would go up to $2,160 (2% of $108,001). <h2>Is this a good idea?</h2> However, <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/publications/working-papers/search/result?paper=4682822">our research</a>, out earlier this year, suggests increasing the Medicare Levy Surcharge will not meaningfully increase take-up of private health insurance. We’ve shown that people do not respond as strongly to the surcharge as theory would predict. For example, when the surcharge kicks in, we found the probability of insuring only increases modestly from about 70% to 73% for singles, and about 90% to 91% for families. It is generally cheaper to buy private health insurance than to pay the surcharge. However, we found about 15% of single people with an income of $108,001 or above don’t insure despite it being cheaper than paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge. We don’t know precisely why. Maybe people are not sure of the financial benefit due to changes in their income, or if they are, cannot be bothered, or do not have time, to explore their options. Maybe, as <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AusFinance/comments/x2909w/does_anyone_else_willingly_pay_the_medicare/">anecdotal reports suggest</a>, rather than buying private health insurance, some people would rather support the public system by paying the Medicare Levy Surcharge. The point is, people who are not buying private health insurance appear to be highly resistant to financial incentives. So stronger penalties might have little effect. Instead, we propose the Medicare Levy Surcharge be better targeted to true high-income earners. We can do that by increasing income thresholds for the surcharge to kick in, which are then indexed annually to reflect changes in earnings. <h2>How about needing more expensive cover?</h2> Requiring people to choose silver level cover or above would address criticisms about people buying “<a href="https://theconversation.com/getting-rid-of-junk-health-insurance-policies-is-just-tinkering-at-the-margins-of-a-much-bigger-issue-82749">junk</a>” private health insurance they never intend to use. However, people may be buying this type of product because private health insurance has little value to them. Requiring them to spend even more on a product they don’t want is a roundabout way of taking pressure off the public system. So we propose keeping the current level of hospital cover required to avoid the surcharge, rather than increasing it. <h2>Who loses?</h2> Taken together, the cost of these proposed changes would disproportionately fall on people with little to gain from private health insurance. These include younger people, those living in regional areas who do not have access to private hospitals, or those who prefer to support the public system directly. These groups are the least likely to use private insurance so have the least to gain from upgrading their cover. <h2>Where to next?</h2> The report also recommends keeping <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Private-health-insurance-rebate/">health insurance rebates</a> (a government contribution to your premiums), the <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Medicare-and-private-health-insurance/Private-health-insurance-rebate/Lifetime-health-cover/">Lifetime Health Cover</a> loading (to encourage people to take out hospital cover while younger), as well as the Medicare Levy Surcharge. We also support keeping these three in the short to medium term. But we recommend gradually reducing public support for private health insurance. We believe the ultimate goal of reforming private health insurance is to optimise the overall efficiency of the health-care system (both public and private systems) and improve population health while saving taxpayers’ money. The goal should not be merely increasing the take-up of private health insurance, which is the focus of the current report. So, as well as our recommendation to better target the Medicare Levy Surcharge, we need to: <ul> <li> lower income thresholds for <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-private-health-insurance-rebate-has-cost-taxpayers-100-billion-and-only-benefits-some-should-we-scrap-it-181264">insurance rebates</a>, especially targeting those on genuinely low incomes. This means lower premiums only for the people who can least afford private health care </li> <li> remove rebates <a href="https://theconversation.com/private-health-insurance-premiums-should-be-based-on-age-and-health-status-122545">based on age</a> as higher rebates for older people <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504851.2017.1299094?journalCode=rael20">do not</a> encourage more to insure. Rebates should be tied to just income, which is a better indicator of financial means.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210981/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/yuting-zhang-1144393">Yuting Zhang</a>, Professor of Health Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-kettlewell-903866">Nathan Kettlewell</a>, Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Economics Discipline Group, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/private-health-insurance-is-set-for-a-shake-up-but-asking-people-to-pay-more-for-policies-they-dont-want-isnt-the-answer-210981">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

What are your rights as an Airbnb renter in Australia? A law expert answers 6 common questions

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-giancaspro-182268">Mark Giancaspro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Airbnb has revolutionised the short-stay industry. Launched in 2008, it now eclipses the world’s biggest hotel chains. In Australia alone there are about <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-15/short-stay-rentals-airbnb-impact-on-australian-property-market/101019726">100,000 listed properties</a>. But in dealing with both a digital platform and a private owner (or “host”, in Airbnb-speak), your legal rights as a renter (or “guest”) can be unclear – at least without reading lengthy terms and conditions. This article answers six very common questions about using Airbnb in Australia. Please note that your legal rights may differ in other countries. Even if Airbnb’s terms and conditions are near identical – and they generally are – there may be differences in consumer laws. <h2>What if an Airbnb property doesn’t match its description?</h2> Airbnb’s <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2908#6">terms and conditions</a> require the host to provide “complete and accurate information” about their property. Content, including photos, must be “up-to-date and accurate at all times”. Airbnb’s <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2895/">Host Ground Rules</a> state that listings “should accurately describe the home and reflect the features and amenities that will be available”. If a property does not match its description or photos, <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/d/anz-prohost-resource-centre-support">report this to Airbnb</a>. False advertising will also likely breach the Australian Consumer Law, which prohibits (Section 18) commercial conduct that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive. Report to the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/report-a-consumer-issue">Australian Competition and Consumer Commission</a> here. There are no specific provisions to claim a refund or a discount for misleading listings. Your only recourse would seem be to initiate the cancellation policy that applies to your booking. <h2>So when can I get a refund?</h2> If you cancel your booking or leave the property early, your refund rights are determined by your <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/149">cancellation policy</a> (see “show trip details”). There are various <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/475">policies</a> (from which a host selects when listing). Most allow full refunds if you cancel one to five days prior to check-in, while others require up to 30 days’ notice or only provide partial refunds. If the host cancels on you, they <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/990">may be penalised</a> by Airbnb. <h2>Can an Airbnb host impose harsh and unreasonable ‘house rules’?</h2> If an owner wants to make rules against visitors without their permission or how many times you can use the washing machine, they generally can. When you rent a property through Airbnb, you are entering into a private agreement with the owner. Under contract law, they can stipulate whatever terms they like, so long as those rules aren’t illegal. What Australian Consumer Law does prohibit are <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/selling-products-and-services/contracts#toc-unfair-terms-in-standard-form-contracts-">unfair terms</a> in standard form “consumer contracts” – which an Airbnb contract likely qualifies as. An unfair term is one that: <ul> <li>causes a significant imbalance in your rights and obligations</li> <li>is not reasonably necessary to protect the host’s interests</li> <li>would cause you detriment (financial or otherwise) if it was enforced.</li> </ul> The problem is that you will need to sue the host (that is, initiate civil litigation) to prove this. Your best option is to carefully review the rules before you confirm your reservation. Once you confirm, you are legally agreeing to all of the host’s terms whether you’ve read and understood them or not. If you disagree with a rule, ask the host to waive or amend it. If they won’t budge, your choice is to book or not. <h2>What are the boundaries for an Airbnb host/owner?</h2> Hosts are <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/3057">required</a> to ensure every property is secure and safe. Airbnb’s Community Policy states properties must be properly lockable and free of hazards, and hosts must be responsive and willing to answer guest queries within a reasonable time. <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/3060?_set_bev_on_new_domain=1691395791_NmY1ZDNmZjQxZjQy">According to Airbnb</a>, a host cannot physically intrude or interfere with your stay. They can only re-enter their property (or a guest’s room in a shared stay) if there is an emergency or with express permission. In a shared stay, the host must not enter the bathrooms or guest bedrooms when the guests are inside. The host is also forbidden from sharing private details, photos, or videos of you without consent. Where your safety is threatened, you should contact law enforcement and notify Airbnb. If you decide to leave, you may be entitled to a partial refund. Your rights depend on the cancellation policy applying to your booking (discussed further below). <h2>If I am injured in or get sick because of an Airbnb property, can I claim compensation?</h2> <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2908#4.2">Clause 4.2</a> of Airbnb’s terms and conditions states that, by staying at a listed property, you acknowledge and “freely and willfully” accept the risk of “illness, bodily injury, disability, or death”. Further, clause 19 contains a broad disclaimer absolving Airbnb of any liability for “personal or bodily injury or emotional distress” incurred in using its services. Clause 20 also contains an indemnity preventing you from making any claim against Airbnb in relation to your stay. This gives Airbnb legal protection. But you may make a claim against the host. The first step would be to formally write to the host outlining your claim. Airbnb may also assist with any disputes. If this fails, you can sue the host but whether the cost and effort is worth it will depend on the extent of your injury or illness. If you do make any claim against the host, they will likely rely on Airbnb’s insurance. Every Airbnb host is insured up to US$1 million (about A$1.5 million) through Airbnb’s <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/3145">Host Liability Insurance Programme</a>. This covers any bodily injuries incurred by guests (or others) and damage to or theft of any property belonging to a guest (or others). There are some exceptions to what Airbnb’s insurance will cover, such as intentional violence, mould and communicable disease. If you want compensation for something the host is personally liable for, you are more likely to have to take legal action, using a lawyer. Consider the costs carefully. <h2>What’s the maximum cleaning/damages fee an Airbnb host can charge?</h2> Cleaning fees are <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/2812">set by the host</a>. Airbnb provides a <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/help/article/3171">pricing tool</a> to help them calculate a reasonable fee – generally <a href="https://www.igms.com/airbnb-cleaning-fee/">based on size and facilities</a> – but there is no maximum, presumably on the rationale that market forces (and reviews) will deter hosts from charging too much. Nor is there a maximum damages fee. You can formally <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/d/anz-prohost-resource-centre-support">dispute the amount</a> with Airbnb, which will determine if it is reasonable, relying on information provided by both parties. Charging exorbitant prices is not illegal though Australian Consumer Law does prohibit “<a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/business/selling-products-and-services/unfair-business-practices#toc-unconscionable-conduct">unconscionable conduct</a>”. But, again, you need to initiate legal proceedings and have a court agree you deserve compensation. <h2>Where to go for help and advice</h2> You can <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/d/anz-prohost-resource-centre-support">contact Airbnb</a> for any account, listing, or reservation-related questions. Online forums can also be useful for advice and support. You can report consumer complaints to the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/contact-us/report-a-consumer-issue">Australian Competition and Consumer Commission</a> but the federal regulator does not resolve individual complaints or provide legal advice on your rights and obligations. For preliminary advice go to the following state and territory consumer advice agencies: <hr /> <iframe id="lhlWv" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/lhlWv/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> <hr /> Please note this article does not constitute legal advice. If you need legal advice, consult a lawyer.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211026/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-giancaspro-182268">Mark Giancaspro</a>, Senior Lecturer in Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119">University of Adelaide</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-your-rights-as-an-airbnb-renter-in-australia-a-law-expert-answers-6-common-questions-211026">original article</a>.

Legal

"I can't answer that!": Karl's cheeky question stumps JFK's daughter

Today show host Karl Stefanovic left the US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy - John F Kennedy's daughter - in fits of laughter after he posed a cheeky personal question on Wednesday morning. Stefanovic didn't miss the opportunity to play cupid for his daughter by asking the US Ambassador about the relationship status of her youngest son, Jack Schlossberg. “I hope that you don’t take any offence (to) what I am going to ask. My daughter wanted to know if your son is single?” he said. This elicited a laugh from the ambassador, who smoothly deflected the question by saying: “You would have to ask him. I can’t answer that.” Stefanovic laughed and said: “Good deflection.” The ambassador played along and said: “Your daughter must be so mad at you right now. I would be so mad if I was your daughter.” The Today show host has two daughters, Ava, 18 and Harper, 3, and continued the joke by saying he was asking on behalf of Harper. “Then there is something really wrong with you,” the ambassador quipped. Stefanovic's co-host Sarah Abo joined in on the teasing and said: “Welcome to what the rest of the nation already knows.” Schlossberg, 30, is the only grandson of former US president John F. Kennedy, and has a considerable social media following with over 100,000 followers on Instagram. Besides his dashing looks, the 30-year-old also graduated with a law degree from the prestigious Harvard Law School. Images: Today Show/ News.com.au/ Getty/ Instagram

Family & Pets

Flight attendants answer frequently asked flying questions

A flight attendant has shared the answers to a series of every traveller’s burning questions about air travel. In a video shared to TikTok, Virgin Australia crew member Brodie Capron answered commonly asked questions about why carry-on bags have a weight limit and why the window shades have such strict limits. According to Capron, the reasoning behind why carry-on bags can only weigh so much is pretty simple. "That's because the overhead lockers can only hold so much weight," she said. The Melbourne-based cabin crew member also explained why the window shades need to be up for take off and landing, and it has nothing to do with helping your eyes adjust. "It's so that everyone can see the engines and warn the cabin crew if something is wrong," she said. Capron also debunked a common plane myth, ensuring nervous passengers that the water on planes is indeed “safe to drink”. "It is filtered and it is clean," she said. For those who like to enjoy a drink or two while travelling, Capron did confirm that you can in fact get 'more' drunk when flying. "[It's] because of the lower oxygen percentage in the air, the effects of alcohol are greater," she said. "So make sure you make good choices when you're flying." Her video has received over half a million views with many people thanking her for finally answering their burning questions about flying. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Puzzles April 2023 Answers

The Free OverSixty Newspaper is regularly with Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/OverSixty_April_2023_Digital/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from the April 2023 issue</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Crosswise Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/04/Crosswise_solution_april2023.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/04/Sudoku_solution_april2023.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1245" /> Before and After Answer: MOUTH [ PIECE ] MEAL Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">EIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ERG</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORESIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FORTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FREIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FRO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FROTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GIRT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">FIRTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GRIEF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GROT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIRES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HIS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOER</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOERS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HORSE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">HOT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">IRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">IRES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORGIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ORT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">REF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RHO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RIG</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">RISE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">ROTH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SERF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIGH</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIGHT</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">SIRE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THIEF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THIS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THRO</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THROE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">THROES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TOR</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORE</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORI</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORS</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TORSI</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TREF</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TRIES</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">TRIG</li> </ol> Word Pyramid Answer: For this puzzle you were given a number of clues. The first answer had two letters, the second three letters, the third four – and so on. Each answer consisted of the same letters as the previous one with the addition of one letter. SOLUTION: French article (LE) Falsehood (LIE) Reside (LIVE) Large organ (LIVER) Splinter (SLIVER) Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words that are opposite in meaning to each other. SOLUTION: EQUALITY, IMPARITY

Mind

A piggy bank is the answer to saving for your next holiday

Not just for kids, the humble piggy bank is a great way to save up your hard earned cash for something special. How to: <ol> <li>Find a piggy bank for your savings. You can also use a glass jar or vase, which is great to be able to track your progress.</li> <li>At the end of each day come home and throw any coins that you have into your piggy bank</li> <li>Try paying for everything with notes instead of cards and keep all of your change each day for your savings jar.</li> </ol> So what are the benefits? Today we have four great reasons why you should start saving your coins in this way. Pain free You won’t even notice it missing from your wallet. As the money doesn’t feel like much you won’t feel as though you are actively ‘saving’ even though you are. Fast results Think about it, if you place just $5 worth of coins in your jar each day, it will only take one month to save up around $150. Out of sight Rather than keeping it in your savings account, it’s a much better idea to keep your holiday fund somewhere that you can’t accidentally spend it on everyday things like bills or petrol. You’re less likely to dip into it even for unexpected bills, as you know it is for your holiday. Satisfying You can literally see your savings building up, especially if you use a clear vase or jug. At the end of each day you will hear the satisfying sound of the coins being deposited. You’ll know then that you’re one step closer to that holiday that you thought you couldn’t afford. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Pub trivia baffles the internet

Social media has been sent into trivia turmoil after one Reddit user uploaded a picture from a pub trivia session, declaring that their “mate left before getting the answer”. The image in question, which appeared on a quiz sheet at Sydney’s Penrith Gaels Club, features the silhouettes of five individuals - two female heads and three male figures, with check marks above the heads of the women. “From pub trivia, mate left before getting the answer,” the Reddit user explained, before posing the question, “any ideas?” According to the user, these kinds of questions are typically either a phrase or a saying, but that was the only clue any of them had when it came to figuring out the bizarre puzzle. The post has since gathered over 9,000 responses, with 2.1k commenters stopping by to share their thoughts on the situation. <iframe id="reddit-embed" style="border: none;" src="https://www.redditmedia.com/r/australia/comments/11ezzi0/from_pub_trivia_mate_left_before_getting_the/?ref_source=embed&ref=share&embed=true" width="640" height="468" scrolling="no" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups"></iframe> Some took their chance at guessing, some simply marvelled at the entertainment the struggle was providing, and one even had a laugh at the mate’s expense, noting that they’d fled at “Puzzle #1”. The potential answers kept rolling, but with many stellar contenders, no-one could reach an agreement, though amusement was high as the discussion went on. “Behind all great men is a ticked off woman?” wrote one user, to 670 upvotes. “The right men check on ladies first?” suggested one. “The only thing I've got is two's company, three's a crowd,” was another popular guess, with the user adding, “it's a bit weak, though.” “Is it a microphone test?” asked one clever commenter, “check, check. 1-2, 1-2-3.” Eventually, the original poster informed everyone that he’d taken the plunge and reached out to the pub for the answer, “but another Redditer commented saying he was there and that the Trivia Master accepted all answers because no one got it.” And to what should have been the delight of everyone involved, he got an answer - it just wasn’t nearly as funny as anything they’d come up with on the Reddit thread, with the crowd of trivia fans given a new burst of energy is expressing their annoyance with the uninspired solution. “Alright, the pub saw the post and they have found the answer that the Trivia Master was looking for,” he announced, “the answer is ‘Ladies First’. A little bit anticlimactic but at least we have the answer now.” Images: Reddit

Travel Trouble

We don’t want to lose her”: Aussie mum’s desperate plea answered

An Aussie mum has issued a desperate plea for help to get her severely ill baby in Bali on a medical evacuation flight to Brisbane. The seven-week-old bub, Lucky, who was fighting for her life on a respirator in Bali, is now on her way back to Australia. Melbourne mother, Honey Ahisma, spoke to <a href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise">Sunrise</a> to issue a desperate appeal to help save her seven-week-old baby Lucky who was gravely ill in Siloam Hospital in Denpasar, where the family was stranded, unable to afford the $90,000 medical evacuation to Australia. There is currently a major medical evacuation underway, and Lucky is on an emergency flight back to Brisbane for treatment for a severe bacterial infection. The Queensland’s Medical Rescue team flew to Bali on Sunday and told Sunrise there was only a small window of opportunity for little Lucky to get out safely. Ahisma was desperate to get Lucky back to Australia for diagnosis and treatment, but she had to wait for her daughter to be strong enough to fly. The mother first noticed Lucky struggling to breathe at their Bali home. “I tried to help her, just like normal when babies get sick, they just need sleep... but then she stopped drinking my milk,” Ahisma told <a href="https://7news.com.au/">7News</a>. Without specialist equipment, doctors have been unable to diagnose the specific infection Lucky is fighting. Lucky was transferred to the intensive care unit, where she spent a week in critical condition. Doctors have told Ahisma that they are not equipped to save her daughter’s life, meaning the 7-week-old will need urgent medical care elsewhere. “We don’t want to lose her,” Ahimsa said. Ahisma reported Lucky’s condition was deteriorating, and the hospital bills continued to grow. “Every day is very expensive ... like one day is $8000 Australian,” she said. There has since been $190,000 raised in a GoFundMe to help bring little Lucky back home for treatment. Image credit: Instagram

Caring

Retirement income planning: 3 important questions you need to answer

Planning for retirement can be a daunting process, with pressures to get your finances and priorities in order. If you do not have a clear idea of how you want your retirement to look like, here are the three questions to help you get started on achieving your dream retiree life. <ol> <li>When do you want to retire?</li> </ol> Having a ballpark idea of the age you want to stop working can help you figure out how much savings and income you will have when retirement comes. These include sources such as superannuation accounts and Age Pension entitlements. From here, you can calculate if these savings would be enough to last for the rest of your life. While no one knows how long their retirement will last exactly, it could be longer than expected. The current life expectancy for Australians is 82.5 years. Knowing the timing will not only give a proper foundation to determine the costs, but it can also help you sort out career and life plans with your partner and family. <ol start="2"> <li>How much will you need in retirement?</li> </ol> Consider your priorities. Whether you want to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/the-holidays-you-need-to-try-in-retirement/">travel</a>, take on new hobbies, live on a farm or spend more time with your grandchildren, these options will bring different <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/how-much-do-you-need-to-live-comfortably-in-retirement/">expenses</a> and financial commitments to see through. Be as specific as possible with your wishes – how often you want to travel, what city you want to reside in – to gain an accurate picture of your future spending. Health expenses and emergency spending should also be factored in, as well as inflation rates. Even with senior benefits such as Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, it is likely that your medical expenses will go up as you grow older. Creating a preliminary budget will help you figure out the costs of your desired lifestyle and strategise accordingly. <ol start="3"> <li>How much do you have to save?</li> </ol> Saving early is the key. Most financial experts recommend committing 10 to 20 per cent of your income throughout the working years for retirement. However, if the numbers still come up short, there are some options to boost your retirement income. Finding part-time work or investing in assets, such as shares or property, could lower your savings burden. You can also unlock wealth from <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/how-to-unlock-wealth-from-your-home">home equity</a> or other valuables at home. If you have real estate, there is also an option to top-up your pension with the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/options-for-boosting-income-during-retirement/">Pension Loans Scheme</a>. Another way is to adjust your retirement plan and make compromises, be it moving to a lower cost area or cutting down on the less necessary expenses. Image: Getty

Retirement Income

Puzzles Issue 2 2022 Answers

Spring is in full swing, and while there are few things more satisfying than glimpses of sunshine and watching the flowers bloom, do NOT forget the satisfaction to be gained from a round of solid puzzles done well. To that end, Issue Number Two of the new OverSixty Newspaper is packed with tricky Crosswords, Sudokus, Word Finders and more for your entertainment and to keep that grey matter limbered up. So! Without further ado, here are the solutions to <a href="https://over60newspapers.azurewebsites.net/Over_Sixty_Winter_2022_Digital/30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all of the puzzles from Issue 2</a> of the FREE OverSixty Newspaper. Enjoy! Mixed-Up Crossword Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_crossword.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1276" /> Sudoko Answers: <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/O60_PuzzleAnswers_Spring2022_sudoku.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1278" /> Rearrange Answer: We asked you to rearrange these letters to form a single word: glycerine fit SOLUTION: ELECTRIFYING Word Finder Answers: We found all of these words below in this issue's Word Finder. Did you find any more? Let us know via <a href="mailto:newspaper@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newspaper@oversixty.com.au</a> <ol> <li>ACNE</li> <li>ACTS</li> <li>ANEW</li> <li>BANE</li> <li>BANK</li> <li>CANE</li> <li>CITE</li> <li>ENACT</li> <li>ANACTS</li> <li>FACE</li> <li>FACET</li> <li>FACETS</li> <li>FACT</li> <li>FACTS</li> <li>FANE</li> <li>FITS</li> <li>GETS</li> <li>GUST</li> <li>KEGS</li> <li>KNEW</li> <li>NEGUS</li> <li>NETS</li> <li>PICA</li> <li>PICT</li> <li>PICTS</li> <li>PITS</li> <li>RUGS</li> <li>RUST</li> <li>RUSTIC</li> <li>STEW</li> <li>SUET</li> <li>SURGE</li> <li>URGE</li> <li>VICE</li> <li>WEAN</li> <li>WETS</li> </ol> Word Circles Answer: We asked you to unscramble the letters in each circle to produce two words with similar meanings. SOLUTION: BROCHURE, PAMPHLET Word Ladder Answer: For this puzzle we asked you to turn OIL into GAS by altering a single letter at each of four steps, guided by the clues below. SOLUTION: OIL NIL (Nothing) NIP (Pinch) NAP (Doze) GAP (Aperture) GAS

Mind

“The best thing I’ve ever done”: Answering the COPD wake-up call

Brian is a 62-year-old Aussie bloke from Bendigo who once enjoyed a variety of different sports. He had led a very active lifestyle, was a keen fisherman, and loved playing footy. However, all that changed when, at just 47, he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a chronic and progressive lung condition, sometimes also diagnosed as emphysema or chronic bronchitis, that can cause your airways to narrow and become obstructed and inflamed, making breathing difficult.1 Unfortunately, there is no cure for COPD but there are management plans available – it’s just a matter of knowing what’s best for you. Which is exactly why Brian is sharing his own experience of the moment he became aware of certain symptoms, and proactively discussing his condition with his doctor to manage his COPD and remain as active as he can. The impact of COPD is staggering, making it the fifth leading cause of death and leading cause of preventable hospitalisations in Australia alone – and the third leading cause of death worldwide.2,3 What’s more, the prevalence of COPD increases with age, mostly occurring in people aged 45 and over.2 When Brian was initially diagnosed, he was interested in learning as much as he could about COPD but was not ready to make specific lifestyle changes at that time. Then in 2015, he was also diagnosed with a heart condition, which shares some of the same risk factors as COPD. For Brian, this major health scare was a wake-up call, and he started to take more notice of his symptoms, particularly his breathing. Brian’s new approach included proactively talking to his doctor to understand his COPD – and in particular to know the difference between his “normal everyday symptoms” and the symptoms he felt when his COPD was worsening, and he was having a flare-up. In this context, a "flare-up" constituted a worsening of COPD symptoms that went beyond the normal day-to-day changes, and which needed additional medication as treatment.1 For Brian, in terms of managing his COPD proactively, this has been the key. “The best thing I’ve ever done is create a plan (with my doctor). Because every time you have a flare-up, it causes more damage to your lungs. If you’ve been diagnosed with COPD, do something about it straight away.” Like Brian, there are countless Australians living with COPD who may not be aware of the difference between normal fluctuations in their symptoms and a COPD flare-up that could impact their overall health, and requires medical intervention.1 Understanding the difference between your “normal everyday symptoms” versus your “signs of a flare-up” can ensure treatment is started as early as possible and may greatly improve the quality of your life. 1 This is why <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.beflareaware.com.au</a> gives both patients and caregivers free access to an extensive wealth of information. The website provides more information about the disease and how to recognise the symptoms of an exacerbation, or a flare-up, and take action early. The raft of easy-use-tools include interactive videos, quizzes and advice from healthcare professionals. “COPD does creep up on you,” recalls Brian. “Suddenly you are getting puffed out doing everyday activities like walking to the car or along the beach. For me, everything started to become more of a chore, and I was constantly struggling to breathe.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/O60_Brian_Evoke-10_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Upon reflection, Brian recalled how COPD had started to impact his relationships with his family and friends too, just as he was coming to terms with the importance of managing his condition. “I have always loved footy,” he says. “My grandson and I used to kick the footy at the local park. He’d be up one end and I on the other. We weren’t even half a dozen kicks in before I was totally out of steam, and I had to sit down. For me, quality time with the grandkids is so important. I told myself, if my grandson wants to kick the footy, then I should be kicking the footy with him to the best of my ability.” Brian started to take a proactive role in his health, including speaking to his doctors about finding a plan to manage his COPD, like taking note of the difference between his “normal everyday symptoms” and when he’s having a flare-up and taking action as soon as he notices one beginning; as well as making important lifestyle changes like quitting smoking and putting a healthy diet and sustainable exercise regime first. “We know our bodies catch up to us as we get older and it’s something many of us find difficult to accept,” he explains. “Knowing the signs and symptoms of issues that aren’t necessarily related to ageing, such as breathing, is critical.” Today, Brian’s lungs are operating at just 37% of normal capacity, which means any form of exertion is difficult. Despite these challenges, Brian has become very flare-aware and actively manages his COPD so that he is able to maintain activities that are important to him. Brian encourages other people living with COPD to take action as early as possible to best manage their condition too. <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/O60_BeFlareAware_videoThumb_02_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="659" /></a> “In everything I do, from taking out the rubbish or going for a walk, I need to pace myself,” he says. “I always say that I could have made more of a difference to how I’m living now if I had taken action earlier and made lifestyle changes straight away.” Brian urges anybody who has been living with COPD to take the diagnosis seriously and <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seek out resources</a> to help you become flare-aware. Early recognition and the ability to manage the disease is important as it can minimise negative impacts of COPD and help prevent future flare-ups.1 If you or someone you care for are feeling overwhelmed by a COPD diagnosis and would like to become more proactive in your management of COPD, <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.beflareaware.com.au</a> is an excellent resource to educate both patients and caregivers – and also includes useful links and information created by Lung Foundation Australia. Check out the video below to hear more of Brian’s inspiring story, and to find out how you can live better and Be Flare Aware. <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/O60_BeFlareAware_videoThumb_1280.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="644" /></a> References: 1. Lung Foundation Australia. COPD Factsheet. <a href="https://lungfoundation.com.au/resources/copd-fact-sheet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://lungfoundation.com.au/resources/copd-fact-sheet/</a> [Last accessed: September 2022] 2. AIHW. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Available at: <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/copd/contents/deaths" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/copd/contents/deaths</a> [Last accessed: September 2022]. 3. Quaderi SA, Hurst JR. The unmet global burden of COPD. Glob Health Epidemiol Genom. 2018; 3: e4. Published 2018 Apr 6. Images: Supplied This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with AstraZeneca’s <a href="https://www.beflareaware.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Be Flare Aware</a> campaign.

Body

“We need answers”: Parents of man shot by police speak out

The parents of a man who was shot and killed by a police officer on a Queensland beach have spoken about how they were told the heartbreaking news. Luke Gilbert was with his girlfriend at Airlie Beach, Townsville, when he allegedly approached police with a pen knife in the early hours on the morning of Saturday, October 1. The 24-year-old allegedly continued advancing towards the patrolling officers when he was shot five times. After police rendered first aid to him, Luke was transported to Proseperine Hospital but died a short time later. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> AIRLIE BEACH: A man aged in his 20’s and allegedly armed with a knife was fatally shot by police in Airlie Beach this morning (October 1) <a href="https://t.co/cBz4wyfM3u">https://t.co/cBz4wyfM3u</a> <a href="https://t.co/mGcTxtosUo">pic.twitter.com/mGcTxtosUo</a> — Queensland Police (@QldPolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/QldPolice/status/1575945897787109377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2022</a></blockquote> His parents, Nicola and Darren Gilbert, told 9News of the tragic moment when police informed them that their son had died. “Two police officers came in and they just stood, they didn’t even ask us to sit down, and they just stood at the kitchen bench and just said, ‘We’ve very sorry to tell you but your son has died’,” Ms Gilbert said. Luke, who grew up in Western Australia, was working in Townsville at the time of the incident. Mr Gilbert has called for an explanation for why his son was shot, describing it as a “massive failing” of police. “What happened? We need answers,” he said. “This is a massive failing of the Queensland Police.” According to the police union, officers had no choice but to shoot Luke after he allegedly “lunged” at them with the knife. The officers fired four or five shots at Luke after he continued to approach them despite them drawing their weapons and telling him to stop. Ian Leavers, the President and CEO of the Queensland Police Union, said Luke had “all of a sudden produced a knife from his hoodie and started threatening police”. “The police have tried to further engage and they have retreated and moved from that location and tried and continue to communicate with that male person,” he told reporters. “At a point, (he) has lunged at police and they’ve had no other alternative but to use their firearm. “Police did all they could to try and resolve this matter peacefully.” As police swarmed the popular tourist spot on Saturday to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Superintendent Graeme Paine said officers were speaking to several witnesses and that the incident was captured on CCTV. Several people in the area at the time also captured the shooting on video. In one clip, shots can be heard in the background and a man says, “They just f***ing shot him. “I thought they were gonna get him with a taser. “They just f***ing shot him c***s. He just kept walking to the cops.” In the wake of the news, the 24-year-old’s brother Zac shared an emotional tribute on Facebook. “I don’t know how to say this It’s not even sinking in yet and it doesn’t seem real,” he wrote. “Life will never be the same, he deserved a lot better than this! I can’t believe this has happened, he's at rest now.” Luke’s brother claimed that police used “excess force” after the 24-year-old pulled out a knife “for reasons unknown right now”. “For all those who don't know this, my brother was on a night out with his girlfriend and as far as we know luke walked up to two police officers, they were talking and then for reasons unknown right now, luke pulled out a pen knife (4cm) and in reaction to that the officers shot 4 to 5 times at my brother and 1 of them being fatal,” Zac wrote. “There’s a lot of speculation in the media about the circumstances surrounding the loss of my brother but just know the truth is excess force was used on him which killed him and that can never be undone, they didn’t try the taser, the baton or the pepper spray first they went straight for the guns carelessly.” The incident is being investigated by the Ethical Standards Committee on behalf of the state coroner. Images: 9News / Facebook

Family & Pets

Does a sibling’s gender influence our own personality? A major new study answers an age-old question

Our siblings play a central role in our childhoods, so it stands to reason they influence our personality in the long term. In particular, researchers have long been interested in how growing up with a sister compared to a brother might influence who we become as adults. How do children interact with their sister or brother? How do parents behave differently towards their children of different genders, and how does that interaction influence the children? Past theories have made quite different predictions: siblings of the opposite gender may plausibly result in either <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/2786054" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gender-stereotypical personalities</a> (a girl may take on a more feminine role to differentiate herself from her brother) or <a href="https://doi.org/10.9783/9781512800807" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less gender stereotypical personalities</a> (a girl may take on more masculine traits because she imitates her brother). In fact, psychological research has been exploring these differences for over half a century. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.02.037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In some studies</a>, siblings of the opposite sex seemed to be more gender-conforming. Girls with brothers later become more “typically female” and boys with sisters more “typically male”. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/h0030055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Other studies find the exact opposite</a>, however. Opposite gender siblings developed in typically gender-conforming ways. To resolve these contradictions, we wanted to test the effect of sibling gender on personality in a rigorous and comprehensive way. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/480681/original/file-20220823-16-4ll79p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Like brother, like sister? Researchers have differed on the likely influence of an opposite gender sibling on personality. Getty Images</figcaption></figure> Using big data In our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976221094630" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new study</a> we focused on the relationships between children and their next older or younger sibling. We compiled a unique data set by combining 12 large representative surveys covering nine countries across four continents (US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Mexico, China and Indonesia). This resulted in a data set of more than 85,000 people – many times the sample sizes used in previous studies. We also investigated many more personality traits than previous studies have. This included the traits that have been most widely studied in other research, and which have been shown to be important predictors of people’s decisions and choices. The “big five” of these traits are: openness to experiences, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. The other traits examined were: risk tolerance, trust, patience and “locus of control” (the degree to which people believe they have control over their lives). We also created an index describing to what extent people have a typically female personality. This allowed us to test comprehensively whether growing up with an opposite gender sibling leads to a more or less gender-stereotypical personality. Sibling gender and life experience This study is not only innovative in its use of a large data set, but it also applies a consistent method to identify any causal effects of a sibling’s gender on personality traits. To estimate credible causal effects, we make use of an interesting fact of nature: once parents decide to have another child it is essentially random whether they have a girl or boy. In this “natural experiment” some people are therefore “randomly assigned” a younger sister or brother. This allows us to estimate the causal effect of sibling gender on personality by comparing the average personality of people who grew up with a sister as their next youngest sibling with those who grew up with a next younger brother. Brothers and sisters Our results suggest sibling gender has no effect on personality. For all nine personality traits and the summary index, we find people who have a next younger sister display, on average, the same personality traits as people who have a next younger brother. We also see no difference in personality between people who have a next older sister and people who have a next older brother. Because we have data on more than 85,000 people, these results are estimated with great precision. The results help refute the idea that brothers or sisters cause each other to develop “feminine” or “masculine” personality traits over the long term. However, the results don’t mean sibling gender has no long-term effect at all. Other studies that applied a similar methodological approach have shown that women with brothers in the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.labeco.2019.02.009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-021-00830-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denmark</a> earn less. And a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjt011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study of Asian populations</a> has found women with younger sisters marry earlier and women with older sisters marry later. So, there seem to be interesting sibling dynamics related to gender – but personality is probably not part of the explanation for those effects.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/188532/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jan-feld-594140" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jan Feld</a>, Senior Lecturer in Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anne-ardila-brenoe-1373305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anne Ardila Brenøe</a>, Assistant Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-zurich-1139" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of Zurich</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-dudek-1372681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thomas Dudek</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-a-siblings-gender-influence-our-own-personality-a-major-new-study-answers-an-age-old-question-188532" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

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