Open AccessMental health status of the South Australian population
Author(s) -
Taylor Anne W.,
Wilson David H.,
Grande Eleonora Dal,
BenTovim David,
Elzinga Robert H.,
Goldney Robert D.,
MacFarlane Alexander C.,
Cheok Frida,
Kirke Kerry
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2000.tb00719.x
Subject(s) - mental health , general health questionnaire , logistic regression , medicine , population , telephone interview , interview , psychiatry , demography , gerontology , psychology , environmental health , social science , sociology , political science , law
Objective: To determine, by the use of a telephone survey, the mental health status of SA adults (18+ years) using the GHQ‐28, SF‐12 and self‐report as indicators of mental health, and to examine risk factors for mental health morbidity.Sample: A random representative sample of South Australian adults selected from the Electronic White Pages. Overall, 2,501 interviews were conducted (74.0% response rate).Results: Overall, 19.5% of respondents had a mental health problem as determined by the GHQ‐28, 11.8% as determined by the mental health component summary score of the SF‐12 and 11.9% self‐reported a mental health condition. The percentage of people with a mental health problem who had used a psychologist or a psychiatrist in the previous 12 months was 9.6% for people diagnosed by the GHQ‐28, 16.2% by SF‐12 and 23.7% for self‐report. The logistic regression analyses undertaken to describe people with a mental health problem as determined by the GHQ‐28 and to describe people who visited a psychologist or psychiatrist produced different age categories, demographic and co‐morbidity indicators. Variables found in both analyses included living in the metropolitan area, being economically inactive and being a high user of health services.Conclusions: Onein five South Australian adults has a mental problem. Although the prevalence is higher for younger age groups, older adults are more likely to visit a psychologist or a psychiatrist.Implications: Telephone interviewing produces robust indicators of the prevalence of mental health problems and is a cost‐effective way of identifying prevalence estimates or tracking changes over time.