Patients diagnosed with mental health-related conditions
accounted for approximately 246,000 general and psychiatric
hospital admissions during 1997-98, according to a report released
today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Institutional Mental Health Services in Australia
1997-98 presents the first ever national statistics on the
characteristics and hospital care of patients either admitted with
a mental health principal diagnosis, or for which specialist
psychiatric care was reported.
Same-day stays accounted for approximately 37% of all mental
health-related admissions.
The report found that 56% of admissions were classified as
'short-stay' (less than 35 days, excluding same-day admissions)
with a median length of stay of 7 days.
Only 5% of stays were classified as long stays (greater than 35
days) with a median length of stay of 62 days.
Approximately half of all short-stay admissions involved
specialised psychiatric care, with the proportion rising to 75% for
long-stay admissions. (Hospitals provide a mix of psychiatric and
other services to mental health patients).
For short stay admissions women had a higher admission rate than
men in the 25-65 age group, with men prevalent in the under 25 and
over 65 groups.
Approximately 50% of long-stay admissions for men were
involuntary, compared with 34% for women. In the 18-44 age group,
60% of male long-stay admissions were involuntary.
Co-author of the report, David Braddock, said that affective
disorders (includes depression and manic disorders) and
schizophrenic disorders dominated both short and long stay hospital
admissions.
The report also shows that public psychiatric hospitals have a
reduced role in providing mental health services in Australia.
'It's estimated that the number of beds available in these
institutions declined by 63% or 5,400 beds over the last decade.
This is in line with an increased emphasis on providing more mental
health services in the community,' Mr Braddock said.
'We hope to be providing data on community mental health services
within the next 12 months'.
Institutional Mental Health Services in Australia
1997-98 was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health
and Aged Care as part of the National Mental Health Strategy.
Mental health is one of the nation's six National Health
Priority Areas (the others are cardiovascular health, cancer,
injury, diabetes and asthma).
29 February 2000
Further information: David Braddock, tel. 02
6244 1136.
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.