Hospital admissions for specialised psychiatric care in the
cities outnumber such admissions in rural and remote areas,
according to a new report released today by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Mental Health Services in Australia 1999-00 shows that
the number of overnight psychiatric care admissions was 5.5 per
1,000 population in metropolitan areas-a higher rate than in rural
and remote areas (4.4 and 2.4 per 1,000 respectively).
Report co-author David Braddock said these figures appeared to
be related to availability of services, with most specialised
psychiatric services in hospitals being in the cities.
'The pattern is reversed for general care patients who are
admitted overnight for mental health-related conditions-the rates
for rural and remote areas are much higher (5.1 and 7.3 per 1000
respectively) than in metropolitan areas (2.8 per 1000).
'With less specialised psychiatric care available, it seems that
general units in hospitals undertake a greater role in caring for
mental health patients in the bush.'
The report also shows that depression and schizophrenia continue
to dominate mental health-related hospital admissions.
Depression accounted for the highest proportion of same-day
mental health-related hospital admissions (31%) and for 17% of all
overnight mental health-related stays. Schizophrenia accounted for
the greatest number of days in hospital (about 27% of
patient-days).
There were 171,548 psychiatric care admissions at Australian
hospitals during 1999-00, and a further 95,000 general care
admissions involving mental health-related conditions.
Although psychiatric care admissions account for only a small
percentage of all hospital admissions, they account for 11% of all
patient-days.
Report co-author David Braddock says there is evidence that
general practitioners play a key role in the provision of mental
health-related care.
'Our ongoing General Practice surveys show an estimated 10.1
million consultations per year with general practitioners for
mental health-related conditions, especially for depression.'
Mental health-related problems account for almost 10% of all
problems managed by general practitioners.
'At the moment we don't have data on patient activity in
community mental health care settings, but the States and
Territories have started to collect this information.
'This kind of data will give us a much clearer picture of the
treatment of patients with mental health conditions across all care
settings.'
Mental Health Services in Australia 1999-00 was funded
by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing as part of the
National Mental Health Strategy.
19 April 2002
Further information: David Braddock, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1136
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1032
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.