Analysis of Internet Access in Australia: A Household Panel Study Examining the Effects of Mental Health and Economic Disadvantage

Abstract

Digital mental health (MH) services can improve treatment accessibility, but people with poor MH often have lower internet access (IA) due to socioeconomic factors. As IA becomes essential, we examine if poor MH and socioeconomic status still hinder IA over 12 years in Australia. The HILDA survey collects annual data on demographics, health (including MH via the Mental Health Inventory-5), IA, employment and financial circumstances from a nationally representative panel. Our sample included 14,955 individuals from 2011 to 2022, using polynomial regression models and margins plots to explore the link between IA, poor MH and household income. While the IA gap by MH status narrowed between 2011 and 2022, socioeconomic disadvantages (incomplete secondary education, low income and financial hardship) largely explained the lower IA rates. In 2022, there was a 9% IA rate difference between the lowest and highest income quintiles. Policymakers and healthcare services must address ongoing socioeconomic inequalities in IA to ensure digital platforms can provide universal access to MH services and treatment. Show more