Consultation with health professionals for mental health in Australia in 2020–2022 and changes since 2007: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
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| Title: | Consultation with health professionals for mental health in Australia in 2020–2022 and changes since 2007: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. |
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| Authors: | Harris, Meredith G, Tapp, Caley, Vescovi, Joshua J, Sunderland, Matthew, Diminic, Sandra, Chapman, Cath, Slade, Tim N, Teesson, Maree, Pirkis, Jane, Burgess, Philip M |
| Source: | Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. Sep2025, Vol. 59 Issue 9, p810-823. 14p. |
| Subjects: | Mental illness treatment, Medical care research, Mental health services, Australians, Secondary analysis, Patients, Psychologists, Hospital admission & discharge, Socioeconomic factors, Health policy, Psychological well-being, Descriptive statistics, Severity of illness index, Multivariate analysis, Wages, Marital status, Medical referrals |
| Geographic Terms: | Australia |
| Abstract: | Objective: This study aimed to estimate the proportions of Australians aged 16–85 years who consulted health professionals for mental health in 2020–2022, and changes since 2007. Methods: Secondary analysis of merged data from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing in 2020–2022 (N = 15,893) and its 2007 predecessor (N = 8841). Results: In 2020–2022, 17.4% of Australians aged 16–85 years had consulted a health professional (including overnight hospital admission) for their mental health in the past year (vs 11.9% in 2007). The largest increases between the surveys were in use of psychologists (123%), other (non-medical) mental health professionals (64%), and general practitioners (53%). Of adults with a 12-month mental disorder, 46.6% consulted a health professional in 2020–2022 (vs 37.5% in 2007), increasing with severity (mild 22.9%, moderate 48.4% and severe 68.8%). Multivariate regression models showed that consulting a health professional was positively associated with age < 65 years, female sex, being unmarried, disorder severity, and affective or anxiety disorder; these patterns held for consultations with most types of professionals. Socioeconomic and geographical characteristics were associated with consulting particular professionals: lower income (consulting a psychiatrist), high income and living in a major city (psychologist), living in a less disadvantaged area (general practitioner). Increases in consulting were not experienced by all groups (e.g. the likelihood of consulting increased for people aged 16–45 years, but not for older age groups). Conclusion: Consultation with health professionals for mental health improved between 2007 and 2020–2022 but remains below national targets. Some changes may reflect recent service reforms; however, gaps in access persist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 187648337 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Consultation with health professionals for mental health in Australia in 2020–2022 and changes since 2007: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Harris%2C+Meredith+G%22">Harris, Meredith G</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Tapp%2C+Caley%22">Tapp, Caley</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Vescovi%2C+Joshua+J%22">Vescovi, Joshua J</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sunderland%2C+Matthew%22">Sunderland, Matthew</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Diminic%2C+Sandra%22">Diminic, Sandra</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chapman%2C+Cath%22">Chapman, Cath</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Slade%2C+Tim+N%22">Slade, Tim N</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Teesson%2C+Maree%22">Teesson, Maree</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pirkis%2C+Jane%22">Pirkis, Jane</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burgess%2C+Philip+M%22">Burgess, Philip M</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Australian+%26+New+Zealand+Journal+of+Psychiatry%22">Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry</searchLink>. Sep2025, Vol. 59 Issue 9, p810-823. 14p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+illness+treatment%22">Mental illness treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+care+research%22">Medical care research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+services%22">Mental health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australians%22">Australians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+analysis%22">Secondary analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Patients%22">Patients</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychologists%22">Psychologists</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hospital+admission+%26+discharge%22">Hospital admission & discharge</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+factors%22">Socioeconomic factors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+policy%22">Health policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+well-being%22">Psychological well-being</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Severity+of+illness+index%22">Severity of illness index</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multivariate+analysis%22">Multivariate analysis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Wages%22">Wages</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Marital+status%22">Marital status</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+referrals%22">Medical referrals</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Australia%22">Australia</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Objective: This study aimed to estimate the proportions of Australians aged 16–85 years who consulted health professionals for mental health in 2020–2022, and changes since 2007. Methods: Secondary analysis of merged data from the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing in 2020–2022 (N = 15,893) and its 2007 predecessor (N = 8841). Results: In 2020–2022, 17.4% of Australians aged 16–85 years had consulted a health professional (including overnight hospital admission) for their mental health in the past year (vs 11.9% in 2007). The largest increases between the surveys were in use of psychologists (123%), other (non-medical) mental health professionals (64%), and general practitioners (53%). Of adults with a 12-month mental disorder, 46.6% consulted a health professional in 2020–2022 (vs 37.5% in 2007), increasing with severity (mild 22.9%, moderate 48.4% and severe 68.8%). Multivariate regression models showed that consulting a health professional was positively associated with age < 65 years, female sex, being unmarried, disorder severity, and affective or anxiety disorder; these patterns held for consultations with most types of professionals. Socioeconomic and geographical characteristics were associated with consulting particular professionals: lower income (consulting a psychiatrist), high income and living in a major city (psychologist), living in a less disadvantaged area (general practitioner). Increases in consulting were not experienced by all groups (e.g. the likelihood of consulting increased for people aged 16–45 years, but not for older age groups). Conclusion: Consultation with health professionals for mental health improved between 2007 and 2020–2022 but remains below national targets. Some changes may reflect recent service reforms; however, gaps in access persist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/00048674241307919 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 14 StartPage: 810 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Mental illness treatment Type: general – SubjectFull: Medical care research Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health services Type: general – SubjectFull: Australians Type: general – SubjectFull: Secondary analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Patients Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychologists Type: general – SubjectFull: Hospital admission & discharge Type: general – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic factors Type: general – SubjectFull: Health policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychological well-being Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Severity of illness index Type: general – SubjectFull: Multivariate analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Wages Type: general – SubjectFull: Marital status Type: general – SubjectFull: Medical referrals Type: general – SubjectFull: Australia Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Consultation with health professionals for mental health in Australia in 2020–2022 and changes since 2007: Findings from the 2020–2022 National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Harris, Meredith G – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Tapp, Caley – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Vescovi, Joshua J – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sunderland, Matthew – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Diminic, Sandra – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chapman, Cath – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Slade, Tim N – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Teesson, Maree – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pirkis, Jane – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burgess, Philip M IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 09 Text: Sep2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00048674 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 59 – Type: issue Value: 9 Titles: – TitleFull: Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Type: main |
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