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

Overview

Journal Community Ment Health J

Specialty Health Services

Date 2018 Apr 19

PMID 29667070

Citations 7

Authors

Xenia Dolja-Gore

Deborah Loxton

Catherine DEste

Fiona Blyth

Julie Byles

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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.

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