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01-10-2018 | Brief Report

Differences in Use of Government Subsidised Mental Health Services by Men and Women with Psychological Distress: A Study of 229,628 Australians Aged 45 Years and Over

Authors: Xenia Dolja-Gore, Deborah Loxton, Catherine D’Este, Fiona Blyth, Julie Byles

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 7/2018

Abstract

This study examined factors associated with use of government subsidised mental health services by 229,628 men and women from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study. Logistical regression models assessed use of mental health services by gender and according to level of psychological distress. Approximately equal proportion of men and women had high psychological distress scores (approximately 7%) but only 7% of these men and 11% of these women used services. Use was associated with predisposing (younger age and higher education), enabling (private health insurance) and need factors (higher psychological distress scores). Associations were similar for men and women except urban area of residence, separated/divorced marital status, and smoking were associated with service use for women but not men. Results suggest some inequity in the use of services by those with higher levels of need and further efforts may be required to reach people with higher need but lower service use.

Treatment gap represented by the absolute difference between the true prevalence of the illness and the proportion of individuals treated for the illness.

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Title: Differences in Use of Government Subsidised Mental Health Services by Men and Women with Psychological Distress: A Study of 229,628 Australians Aged 45 Years and Over
Authors: Xenia Dolja-Gore
Deborah Loxton
Catherine D’Este
Fiona Blyth
Julie Byles
Publication date: 01-10-2018
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 7/2018
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-018-0262-8

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Differences in Use of Government Subsidised Mental Health Services by Men and Women with Psychological Distress: A Study of 229,628 Australians Aged 45 Years and Over

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