Mental Health Notes

Week 9: Mental Health (CEDS 3001)

Acknowledgement of Country

• Acknowledgement of the Darug, Tharawal, Gandangarra, and Wiradjuri peoples.
• Recognition that Western Sydney University campuses are built on First Nations land.
• Respectful learning on traditional land.
• Thanking Traditional Owners and fulfilling responsibilities as Custodian of Country.

Disclaimers

• Spoken and written disclaimers regarding deceased persons.
• Copyright Madison Shakespeare ©2020.
• Some content may disturb viewers due to sensitive concepts like family dislocation from the Stolen Generation and trans-generational trauma.
• Photographs, film images, voice recordings, names, and references may be made to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may be deceased.

Student Support

• Be kind to yourself.
• Student support and counseling are available for free at Western Sydney University.
• Website: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/coronavirus-information/students/student-wellbeing.html

Beyond Blue Support

• Beyond Blue provides support, advice, and action.
• Phone: 1300 22 4636
• Online chat and email support available.
• Online forums for support.

Protective and Risk Factors for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

• Specific protective and risk factors impact social emotional wellbeing and depression rates.
• Protective factors:
  • Social connectedness and sense of belonging.
  • Connection to land, culture, spirituality, and ancestry.
  • Living on or near traditional lands.
  • Self-determination.
  • Strong community governance.
  • Passing on of cultural practices.
• Significant risk factors:
  • Widespread grief and loss.
  • Impacts of the Stolen Generations and removal of children.
  • Unresolved trauma.
  • Separation from culture and identity issues.
  • Discrimination based on race or culture.
  • Economic and social disadvantage.
  • Physical health problems.
  • Incarceration.
  • Violence.
  • Substance misuse.
• Racial discrimination significantly impacts psychological distress.
• Over half of people who have experienced discrimination report psychological distress.
• Reference the website for a full list of references for statistics.
  • https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people/risk-factors

Mental Health Statistics

• Mental health-related problems accounted for 11% of all problems managed by general practitioners (GPs) for Indigenous patients (2008-13).
• GPs managed mental health problems for Indigenous Australians at 1.3 times the rate for other Australians (age-standardised rates).
• Mental health-related conditions accounted for 4.4% of hospitalizations of Indigenous people in 2012-13.
• Indigenous people were hospitalized for such conditions at twice the rate of non-Indigenous people (age-standardised rates).
• Suicide rate for Indigenous Australians (2008-2012) was almost twice the rate for non-Indigenous Australians (age-standardised rates).
• For 15-19 year olds, the rate was 5 times as high (34 vs. 7 per 100,000 population).

Mental Health and Drug Treatment Services (2012-13)

• The rate of community mental health service contacts for Indigenous people was 3.2 times the rate for non-Indigenous people (age-standardised rates of 999 and 313 per 1,000 population, respectively).
• Estimated 15,356 clients of publicly-funded alcohol and/or other drug treatment services were Indigenous, accounting for 14% of clients.
• Indigenous-specific organizations provided about 305,000 episodes of care for substance-use.

Psychological Factors (2012-13)

• Almost one-third (30%) of Indigenous adults were assessed as having high or very high levels of psychological distress.
• They were 2.7 times as likely as non-Indigenous adults to have these levels (age-standardised rates).
• Almost half (48%) of Indigenous adults reported that either they or their relatives had been removed from their natural family.
• Levels of high or very high psychological distress were significantly more common among Indigenous adults:
  • Who had been removed from their family (35% compared with 29% for those who had not been removed).
  • Who had relatives removed (34% compared with 26% of those who had not had relatives removed).

Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors (2012-13)

• 16% of employed Indigenous people (aged 15-64) assessed their health as fair or poor, compared with 24% of unemployed and 33% of those not in the labor force.
• About 3 in 5 (57%) Indigenous children (aged 0-14) were living in a household with a daily smoker, compared with 26% of non-Indigenous children.
• The proportion of Indigenous children living in households with a daily smoker declined from 68% in 2004-05 to 57% in 2012-13.
• 7% of Indigenous adults (estimated 26,500 people) reported avoiding seeking health care because they had been treated unfairly by doctors, nurses, or other staff at hospitals or doctor surgeries.

Bush Clinic for Indigenous Men

• Bush clinic in Western Australia aims to break down barriers to hospital access for Indigenous men.
• Program brought Noongar men and health experts into the bush to discuss mental and physical health.
• Shame and lack of confidence in treatment quality are barriers to accessing services.
• The program combined hunting, fishing, dancing, and music with education and counseling.
• Culturally significant sites around Albany were used for the Bush Classrooms project.

Health and Alcohol (2012-13)

• Indigenous people aged 15 and over who exceeded the guidelines for alcohol consumption, by type of risk and remoteness.
• Indigenous people aged 15 and over in non-remote areas (23%) were significantly more likely to report illicit substance use in the previous 12 months than those in remote areas (19%).
• Indigenous people aged 15 and over in remote areas were significantly more likely to consume an adequate amount of fruit daily (46% compared with 41%), and significantly less likely to consume an adequate amount of vegetables daily (3% compared with 5%).
• Rates of obesity among Indigenous people aged 15 and over were significantly higher in non-remote (38%) than remote (34%) areas.
• Indigenous adults in remote areas were significantly more likely to have self-reported and/or measured high blood pressure than those in non-remote areas (34% and 25%, respectively).
• Indigenous adults living in remote areas were significantly more likely to have indicators of chronic kidney disease than those in non-remote areas (34% compared with 13%).
• Indigenous adults living in non-remote areas were significantly more likely to have high or very high levels of psychological distress than those in remote areas (32% and 24%, respectively).

Women's Reference Group

• Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land.
• Reducing the impact of depression and anxiety among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a priority.
• Research, information, education and support strategies have been developed and will continue to be developed in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and organisations.

Overcoming Stereotypes

• Smashing stereotypes related to Aboriginal identity.
• Pride in being part of the oldest living culture.

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