Resident characteristics

Resident demographics

A slightly higher number of females than males received residential mental health care in 2018–19 (3,278 females and 3,085 males). People aged 18–24 years accessed residential mental health care at a higher rate than other age groups (4.6 people per 10,000 age specific population) in 2018–19 (Figure RMHC.2). There were no residents aged under 12.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People comprised 6.7% of residential mental health care residents in 2018–19. The rate of Indigenous residents per 10,000 population was more than double the rate for non-Indigenous residents (5.7 compared to 2.4).

Figure RMHC.2:  People accessing residential mental health care, by demographic variables, 2018-19.

Horizontal bar chart showing the rates of people receiving residential mental health care services (per 10,000 population), by demographic variables, 2018–19. 0 people per 10,000 population aged 11 years and under received residential mental health care services; 0.6, aged 12 to 17, 4.6, aged 18 to 24; 4.0, aged 25 to 34; 4.3, aged 35 to 44; 3.9, aged 45 to 54; and 1.5, aged 55 years and over. 2.5 males per 10,000 population received residential mental health care services; and 2.6 females. 5.7 Indigenous Australians per 10,000 population received residential mental health care services; and 2.4 non-Indigenous Australians. 3.0 people per 10,000 population who were born in Australia received residential mental health care services; and 1.2 people who were born overseas. 2.1 people per 10,000 population who usually resided in Major cities received residential mental health care services, 3.9 in Inner regional areas; 2.5 in Outer regional areas; and 1.5 in Remote and very remote areas. 3.4 people per 10,000 population in SEIFA Quintile 1 (most disadvantaged) received residential mental health care services; 3.3 in Quintile 2; 2.4 in Quintile 3; 2.0 in Quintile 4; and 1.4 in Quintile 5 (least disadvantaged) (refer to Table RMHC.3).

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Source data: Residential mental health care 2018–19 tables (214KB XLSX)

Principal diagnosis

The five most commonly reported mental health-related principal diagnoses for residential mental health care episodes were Schizophrenia (25.1%), Specific personality disorders (13.2%), Schizoaffective disorders (8.8%), Depressive episode (8.4%) and Bipolar affective disorders (7.0%) (Figure RMHC.3).

Figure RMHC.3:  Proportion of mental health care episodes for 5 most commonly reported principal diagnoses, 2018-19.

Horizontal bar chart showing the proportion (per cent) of residential mental health care episodes in 2018–19 where one of the 5 most common principal diagnoses was reported. Schizophrenia was recorded for 25.1% of residential mental health care episodes; Specific personality disorders, 13.2%; Schizoaffective disorders, 8.8%, Depressive episode, 8.4%; and Bipolar affective disorders, 7.0% (refer to Table RMHC.15).

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Source data: Residential mental health care 2018–19 tables (214KB XLSX)

Characteristics of residential care episodes

Length of completed residential stay

In 2018–19, 6,977 (86.7%) residential episodes of care formally ended before the end of the reference period (on or before 30 June 2019). This is known as a completed residential stay. Completed episodes of care most commonly lasted 2 weeks or less (3,575, or 51.2%) (Figure RMHC.4). A small number of episodes of care (240 episodes, or 3.5%) lasted longer than 1 year.

Figure RMHC.4: Residential mental health care (per cent), by length of completed residential stay, 2005-06 to 2018-19.

Line chart showing the proportion (per cent) of residential mental health care episodes by length of completed residential stay from 2005–06 to 2018–19. In 2018–19, 51.2% of episodes lasted 0 to 2 weeks; between 2 weeks to 1 month, 30.6%, between 1 and 3 months, 8.8%; between 3 and 6 months, 3.3%; between 6 and 12 months, 2.7%; between 1 and 5 years, 3.1%; more than 5 years, 0.4% (refer to Table RMHC.9).

Visualisation not available for printing

Source data: Residential mental health care 2018–19 tables (214KB XLSX)

Around 1 in 5 (19.3% or 1,532) residential care episodes were for residents with an involuntary mental health legal status in 2018–19. Residents with a principal diagnosis of Schizophrenia accounted for almost half (49.6%, or 760 episodes) of episodes of care for residents with an involuntary mental health legal status. (Figure RMHC.5).

Figure RMHC.5: Residential mental health care episodes, for commonly reported principal diagnoses, by mental health legal status, 2018-19.

Stacked horizontal bar chart showing the number of residential episodes for five of the most commonly reported principal diagnoses, by mental health legal status (voluntary or involuntary) in 2018–19. Schizophrenia had 1,192 episodes with voluntary mental health legal status and 760 with an involuntary mental health legal status; Specific personality disorders, 1,016 and 46; Schizoaffective disorders, 438 and 258; Depressive episode, 637 and 35; Bipolar affective disorders, 443 and 118 (refer to Table RMHC.12).

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