Contact with the justice system Prisoners continue to have high rates of mental health related issues and in 2012, 46 per cent of people discharged from prison nationally reported having ever been told they have a mental health issue (including alcohol and drug use issues). It is also known that those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and have been in contact with the justice system are more likely to have mental health issues and are less likely to access resources. Outcomes of health needs analysis Identified Need Key Issue Description of Evidence Aboriginal and The significant disparities in the health of The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey reported that 12 per cent of Indigenous and other Australians have Indigenous Australians had reported feeling depressed or having depression as a long-term Torres Strait been well documented but the overall condition which was significantly higher than the corresponding proportion for all Australians (9.6 Islanders picture is one that consistently shows gaps per cent). Nearly one third of Indigenous adults report high or very high levels of psychological in health outcomes across the life course. distress in their lives, which is nearly three times the rate reported by other Australians. There were significant differences in the proportions of men and women who had experienced high/very Social and emotional wellbeing is often high levels of psychological distress (24 per cent compared with 36 per cent). Rates of high/very used to describe issues of ‘mental health’ high psychological distress were significantly higher for women than men in every age group, but it has broader scope as the Indigenous apart from those aged 45 to 54 years. culture takes a holistic view of health. It recognises the importance of connection to In the PHN region, it is estimated that 3140 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 land, culture, spirituality, ancestry, family years and over have high or very high psychological distress and almost two in five live in the and community and how these connections Moreton Bay North subregion (1210 people). This is supported by locally collected data from have been shaped across generations and general practice which highlights 1283 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a mental the processes by which they affect health condition (1.8 per cent of the practice population). individual wellbeing. Studies report though Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented in emergency department that approximately 10 per cent of the presentations for mental health related conditions in the PHN region. A total of 5.2 per cent of health gap between Indigenous and the emergency department presentations for mental health related conditions in 2013-15 identified
Contact with the justice system Prisoners continue to have high rates of mental health related issues and in 2012, 46 per cent of people discharged from prison nationally reported having ever been told they have a mental health issue (including alcohol and drug use issues). It is also known that those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and have been in contact with the justice system are more likely to have mental health issues and are less likely to access resources. Outcomes of health needs analysis Identified Need Key Issue Description of Evidence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders The significant disparities in the health of Indigenous and other Australians have been well documented but the overall picture is one that consistently shows gaps in health outcomes across the life course. Social and emotional wellbeing is often used to describe issues of ‘mental health’ but it has broader scope as the Indigenous culture takes a holistic view of health. It recognises the importance of connection to land, culture, spirituality, ancestry, family and community and how these connections have been shaped across generations and the processes by which they affect individual wellbeing. Studies report though that approximately 10 per cent of the health gap between Indigenous and the The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey reported that 12 per cent of Indigenous Australians had reported feeling depressed or having depression as a long-term condition which was significantly higher than the corresponding proportion for all Australians (9.6 per cent). Nearly one third of Indigenous adults report high or very high levels of psychological distress in their lives, which is nearly three times the rate reported by other Australians. There were significant differences in the proportions of men and women who had experienced high/very high levels of psychological distress (24 per cent compared with 36 per cent). Rates of high/very high psychological distress were significantly higher for women than men in every age group, apart from those aged 45 to 54 years. In the PHN region, it is estimated that 3140 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over have high or very high psychological distress and almost two in five live in the Moreton Bay North subregion (1210 people). This is supported by locally collected data from general practice which highlights 1283 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a mental health condition (1.8 per cent of the practice population). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented in emergency department presentations for mental health related conditions in the PHN region. A total of 5.2 per cent of emergency department presentations for mental health related conditions in 2013-15 identified
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