Initial results from the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) first national survey on mental health and wellbeing in 14 years have confirmed the growing importance of mental health services.
Announcing the results of the survey, Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt said the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that Australians were seeking mental health support more than ever before.
Mr Hunt said the study collected data from more than 5,500 people aged 16 to 85 from December 2020 to July 2021.
“The key findings included that 15 per cent of adults had experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress in the four weeks before their interview,” he said.
Mr Hunt said, however, almost two-thirds, or 61 per cent, had taken action to improve their mental health in the past 12 months, including increasing exercise and physical activity, positive thinking and increasing enjoyable activities.
He said the survey found that 3.4 million adults reported seeing a health professional for their mental health in the past 12 months and 612,000 adults used other phone and digital mental health services, such as crisis support or counselling, online treatment programs, or support groups and forums.
The Minister said the Government had been quick to recognise and respond to the rise in mental health issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions, especially among children and young people.
“Since March last year, the Government has provided more than $1 billion in funding to expand mental health services in response to the pandemic, including a substantial investment in telehealth,” Mr Hunt said.
The ABS’s survey of mental health is one of seven separate surveys which will make up the Intergenerational Health and Mental Health Study.
