Distress and mental health service rates by socio-economic and geographic measures: Australian and Canadian comparison

Abstract

Australia and Canada are both high-income countries with health care systems that aspire towards universality. If this aspiration is being fulfilled then we would see more equity of access to mental health services, especially for those in low socioeconomic populations and those living outside of major cities. Mental illness is associated with socioeconomic factors and service utilisation is also associated with geography, but population-level information on this is limited. This study used national surveys and national health service activity data from Australia and Canada, and aimed to better understand factors affecting equitable access to mental health care. Show more