We’re living in a time of significant uncertainty. Economic pressure, crime, geopolitical unrest, the climate crisis; the issues affecting people around the world are numerous and complex.
The first step towards tackling them? Understanding where to focus.
In a study aiming to do just that, researchers at Flinders University asked 30,000 Australians to rank the problems that mattered most to them. Its Flinders Wicked Problems Report breaks down the top 15 most common concerns, and what could be done to address each one.
1. Cost of living (65%)
2. Housing unaffordability (37%)
3. Crime and safety (32%)
4. Access to quality healthcare and community care (26%)
5. The environment (21%)
6. Family, domestic and sexual violence (18%)
7. Trust in government and public institutions (15%)
8. Global crises (15%)
9. Misinformation and digital safety (15%)
10. Child safety and protection (12%)
Figures show the percentage of respondents who put these issues in their top three concerns. Download the report to see more.
We’re struggling to stay on top of expenses
Meeting rising expenses is overwhelmingly Australians’ biggest concern, with 65% of respondents in the Flinders Wicked Problems Report including it in their top three.
Flinders University is working to address one element of the cost of living crisis: food insecurity. In collaboration with Foodbank SA and Green Industries SA, the university is helping connect at-risk people with nutritious meals and creating training opportunities to build valuable career skills.
How people find and access the right services also needs improvement. Flinders University finds that people in financial crisis often turn first to their doctors for support. This creates a compounding issue: patients can’t get the information or services they need, and doctors are overwhelmed to the point of burnout and compassion fatigue.
The institution’s research shows the value of “social prescribing”. Instead of directly assisting outside of their expertise, doctors can access a centralised referral service, where one worker can connect a patient with food relief, housing support, financial assistance and more.
• 65% of Australians listed the cost of living in their top three concerns.
• Flinders University is collaborating with Foodbank SA and Green Industries SA.
• “By working together, we are not only reducing food waste but also ensuring that families have access to nutritious meals,” says Prof Svetlana Bogomolova, the deputy director of Flinders University’s Centre for Social Impact.
•Flinders’ research shows there is value in helping doctors connect people with the right services.
Access to healthcare is a major concern
Healthcare accessibility is a key issue for Australians: 26% of survey respondents listed access to quality healthcare and community care in their top three concerns.
Australians face various obstacles to getting appropriate care, including cost and long wait times. A healthcare worker shortage and an ageing population are among the issues putting strain on the system.
To support better access, Flinders University is assessing and aiming to improve Australia’s virtual emergency departments: triage services, available via phone or video chat, that allow patients to speak to doctors in accessible and convenient ways. Flinders’ Digital Health Research Lab is also working on ways to reduce administrative workload through automation.
• 26% of Australians list this in their top three concerns.
• Flinders University is working on virtual emergency departments and automation to reduce pressure on healthcare systems.
• It is also helping doctors provide support for teens on long waitlists for mental health services.
• “We want to look at each [virtual ED] service available and learn from all of them, with the aim being to support the states to work out what is the best way to provide their particular virtual ED service and find improvements in their implementation and design for the betterment of patients,” says Prof Jonathan Karnon, a deputy director of the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute.
With a vast nation comes many perspectives
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work to address the 15 problems; survey respondents had highly varied experiences and opinions. The Flinders Wicked Problems Report found people in southern states expressed a higher level of concern about the cost of living, compared to those in the Northern Territory, where crime and safety ranked as the number one issue, at almost double the national average. Meanwhile, people in Tasmania were more likely than those in other parts of the country to be worried about the environment.
The report also reflected generational differences. Younger Australians said they were struggling to manage the cost of living, while older generations were more likely to be worried about global stability and access to healthcare. Women expressed strong concern about family and domestic violence, but men were more likely to cite trust in governments and global crises.
The issues are as complex as the people they affect, and Flinders University’s report outlines the potential ramifications if they aren’t addressed. Whether they relate to affordability, health, inequities, climate or safety, these “wicked problems” will shape the wellbeing and cohesion of communities for generations to come.
