Mental health
On this subject
- Key points
- Hospitalisations by category of cause
- Psychological distress categories
- Psychological distress by age
- Psychological distress by Health Area
- Suicides
- Intentional self-harm
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- Psychological distress in secondary school students
- Psychological distress in secondary school students and action taken
- Burden of disease: Dementia
- Aboriginal peoples: Disability adjusted life years
- Rural and remote populations: Suicide
Introduction
Mental ill health is one of the leading causes of non-fatal burden of disease and injury in Australia. Mental problems are also associated with higher rates of health risk factors, poorer physical health, and higher rates of deaths from many causes including suicide (AIHW, 2008). Mental ill health was estimated to account for 13% of the disease burden in Australia in 2003, with anxiety and depression, alcohol abuse and personality disorders accounting for almost three-quarters of this burden. Only 7% of the burden from mental disorders is due to mortality, most of which is accounted for by fatal outcomes associated with substance abuse (Begg et al., 2007).
Mental health disorders relate to behaviours and conditions which interfere with social functioning and capacity to negotiate daily life. Across Australia deaths due to mental and behavioural disorders were identified as the underlying cause of 5,156 registered deaths, representing 3.9% of all registered deaths in 2006. This was an increase of 1,789 (53%) when compared with 2005. The prevalence of mental health and behavioural disorders as an underlying cause has increased significantly since 1997, with an increase of 2,271 (79%) deaths (ABS, 2008).
In 2006, 18,943 deaths were due to, or associated with, mental and behavioural disorders. In 2006, more than twice as many females died due to mental and behavioural disorders than males, with 64% of deaths (3,296) being of females. The median age at death was higher for females at 88.6 years, compared with 84.0 years for males. Most deaths were due to dementia (89%) with a ration of 48.1 males per 100 female deaths, which has remained relatively steady since 1997. The median age at death for persons (87.9 years) was higher than the median age for mental and behavioural disorders (80.3 years) as a whole (ABS 2008).
This chapter uses data from the NSW Population Health Survey at the NSW Department of Health, to describe the burden of psychological distress in the community. It provides information on the effect of these disorders on the ability of people to work, study and manage their day-to-day activities.
The chapter also provides information from the latest available NSW School Students Health Behaviours Survey conducted in 2005 (formerly a NSW part of the Australian Secondary Schools' Alcohol and Drugs Surveys) on psychological distress among young people. Updated information on the prescribing of stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children is also provided. The chapter also presents updated information on trends in suicide and intentional self-harm.
Mental health initiatives in NSW are focussed on promotion, prevention and early intervention strategies, alongside clinical care. By using epidemiological information and evidence of effective mental health care it is possible to identify who needs mental health services in NSW and what mental health interventions are appropriate for each age group (NSW Health, 2003).
NSW has a range of early intervention, prevention and promotion initiatives in place to cover the age spectrum. These include: Integrated Perinatal and infant care focusing on the pre-natal and antenatal periods; supportive programs for children whose parents have mental illness; the NSW School-Link initiative to improve the understanding, recognition, treatment and prevention of mental health problems in children and adolescents; the Early Psychosis Program for young people with first onset psychosis; and the Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) for people with mental illness to support people with mental health problems to access safe, stable and affordable housing to support them to live successfully in the community.
NSW has recently adopted the NSW Aboriginal Mental Health and Well Being Policy 2006-2010, which is a framework to guide NSW Health and NSW Area Mental Health Services (AMHSs) in the provision of culturally sensitive and appropriate mental health and social and emotional well being services to the Aboriginal community of NSW.
There are also a number of other specific initiatives which contribute to suicide prevention, including a whole of government suicide prevention strategy. 'New South Wales: A New Direction for Mental Health' is a five-year plan to provide improved access to a greater range of mental health services in NSW. The plan, which was published in June 2006, aims to balance hospital focused care with community care.
For more information
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia's health 2008. Cat. no. AUS 99. Canberra: AIHW, 2008. Available at: www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10585
Begg S, Vos T, Barker B. et al. The burden of disease and injury in Australia, 2003. PHE 82. Canberra: AIHW, 2007. Available at www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/10317
Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Health Survey 2001: Mental health. ABS Catalogue no. 4811.0. Canberra: ABS 2003.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. National Health Survey 2004-05: Summary of results. ABS Cat. NO. 4364.0 Canberra: ABS, 2006. Available at www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4364.02004-05?OpenDocument.
NSW Government New South Wales Interagency Action Plan for Better Mental Health Sydney: Available at http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/11490/interagency.pdf
NSW Department of Health Housing and Accommodation Support Initiative (HASI) for people with mental illness Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2006. Available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2007/hasi_intiative.html
NSW Department of Health. Improving mental health and wellbeing in NSW. Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2003. Available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/i/pdf/well_improve.pdf.
NSW Department of Health. NSW School link initiative. Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2003. Available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/s/pdf/well_school-link.pdf.
NSW Department of Health. Suicide prevention in NSW. Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2003. Available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/s/pdf/well_suicide.pdf.
NSW Department of Health. Integrated Perinatal and infant care (IPC). Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2003. Available at http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/i/pdf/infant_care.pdf. More information about the IPC program available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/policy/cmh/peri.html.
NSW Department of Health. Early Psychosis Program at www.health.nsw.gov.au/policy/cmh/psych.html.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Mental health and wellbeing of adults, Australia 1997. Catalogue no. 4360.0. Canberra: ABS, 1997. Available at www.abs.gov.au.
Sawyer MG, Arney FM, Baghurst PA, Clark JJ, Graetz BW, Kosky RJ et al. The Mental Health of Young People in Australia: The Child and Adolescent Component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 2000.
Australian Government of Health and Aged Care's suicide prevention information available at Suicide prevention, national suicide prevention strategy www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-suicide and at Healthinsite www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Suicide_Prevention.
NSW Department of Health. New South Wales: A New Direction for Mental Health . Sydney: NSW Department of Health, 2006. Available at www.health.nsw.gov.au/pubs/2006/pdf/mental_health.pdf.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Causes of Death, Australia 2006. Catalogue no. 3303.0. Canberra: ABS, 2008. Available at www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/2093DA6935DB138FCA2568A9001393C9
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Copyright notice
This work is copyright NSW Department of Health, 2006. It may be reproduced in whole or in part, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgement of the source. Commercial usage or sale is prohibited.
Suggested citation
Population Health Division. The health of the people of New South Wales - Report of the Chief Health Officer. Sydney: NSW Department of Health. Available at: www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/chorep/. Accessed (insert date of access).
Produced by
Centre for Epidemiology and Research, Population Health Division, NSW Department of Health.
Last updated on 15 December 2008
