Prevalence of self-management versus formal service use for common mental disorders in Australia: Findings from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Date
2010
Authors
Olesen, Sarah
Butterworth, Peter
Leach, Liana
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Abstract
Objective: To determine the proportion of Australian adults who use non-practitioner led support services and self-management strategies for common mental disorders. Method: Data were drawn from the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, a representative survey of 8841 Australian adults aged 16 to 85 years. This survey included the Composite International Diagnostic Instrument to obtain diagnosis of International Classification of Diseases (Version 10; ICD-10) mental disorders. Information about consultations with health professionals for mental health problems and the use of support services and self-management strategies was also collected. Results: Half of all adults who met the criteria for an affective or anxiety disorder in the last 12 months reported using non-practitioner led support services and/or self-management strategies for their mental health problems. Six per cent used support services, including Internet and non-online support groups and telephone counselling, and 51.9% used self-management strategies such as doing 'more of the things you enjoy' to 'help deal with' their mental health problems. Of people with a 12-month common mental disorder, 24% used support services and/or self-management strategies without additional formal services; 29.3% used both. Of adults with a 12-month affective or anxiety disorder, 37% used neither formal services nor self-management strategies. A substantial proportion of people who reported using self-management strategies for their mental health did not have a diagnosable affective or anxiety disorder. Conclusions: The use of non-practitioner led support services and self-management strategies for mental health problems, with and without adjunct use of formal health services, is widespread in Australia. Future research is needed to investigate why people may select these strategies over formal services, or whether self-management reflects the presence of barriers to use of formal services.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: adolescent; adult; aged; anxiety disorder; article; Australia; counseling; female; health practitioner; health survey; human; international classification of diseases; Internet; major clinical study; male; mental disease; mental health service; mood disor Epidemiology; Mental disorders; Service use
Citation
Collections
Source
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
Type
Journal article
Book Title
Entity type
Access Statement
License Rights
DOI
10.3109/00048674.2010.483680
Restricted until
2037-12-31