Rural Social Work: Examining Mental Health Issues in Rural Australia

Rural Social Work

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Critical examination of the issue.................................................................................................3
Examining the socio- economic, cultural and political context which influences rural
community..................................................................................................................................4
Evaluating various service models and approaches in order to meet the needs of rural
population who face mental health issues...................................................................................5
Personal practice framework.......................................................................................................6
Rural social work practice challenge. ........................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10

INTRODUCTION
Youth and other people who has been living in rural areas tends to face high degree
mental issues and complexities. There seems to be high degree of mental health issues and
alcohol issues, drug issues and high suicidal rates among rural and remote community within
young and older male population (Bryant and et.al., 2018). This study will highlight on
evaluating the current prevailing rate associated with mental health and key issues within rural
Australia. Furthermore, this study highlights on examining the socio- economic, cultural and
political factors linked with the mental health issues and alcohol issues, drug issues and high
suicidal rates within rural population. This study also critically evaluates the key provisions
within remote and rural areas. This study will also focus on examining the key policies
associated with the suicide prevention and mental health prevention in order to meet the needs of
rural population who face mental health issues and alcohol issues, drug issues and high suicidal
issues.
MAIN BODY
Critical examination of the issue.
There are large number of indigenous population who tends to live within remote and
rural areas of Australia. Mental disorders in turn mainly comprise of anxiety, schizophrenia,
depression and alcohol and drug usage. They tend to experience high degree of mental issues
like psychiatric morbidity (Alston, 2016). It eventually leads to high degree of depression, co-
morbidity and post traumatic disorders. As per the National Rural Health
Alliance, 2014 large number of young people within the rural areas has been drinking at high
areas when compared with the urban areas. The rate of illicit drug usage within the rural areas
are high which comprises to 16-17%. The teenage birth rates are considered to be 7 times higher
within the remote areas when compared with the urban cites. The suicidal rates for the people
who belongs to the age group of 15 to 24 years of age is considered to be 1.5 to 1.8 times high
than metropolitan Australia. The suicidal rates within the Australia has been increasing
significantly in a remote and rural areas of Australia and is considered to be three times high
within rural areas of Australia. Mental health problems among the adults is mainly associated
with the earlier life experience of the individual. Older people within the rural areas tends to
have varied experience when compared with the other groups. The factors linked with the older
farmers has negative impact on the farmers which mainly includes male suicide, loss of wealth,

decline in the level of education, low degree of employment opportunities. Increase in the
poverty levels, out migration of the youth, etc.
The mental health of the rural people within the Australia has been affected significantly
because of the change in the various level of climatic conditions. There are small business
owners and farmers within the rural area who tends to face high degree of economic stability
within job and which has eventually led to lower income level (Brown and et.al., 2017). There
seems to be increase in the wide degree of mental health conditions which mainly includes
anxiety, depression, despair, suicidal thoughts for the rural dwellers within Australia. Rural areas
tends to highly experience high incidence of suicides which tends to largely influence the mental
health within the rural population. Young people are highly affected by the family distress, lack
of resources, isolation, changes in the mood, etc. tends to result increase in the mental health
issues among diverse population group. Male farmers in turn has been asked to sell the farm and
properties and search for alternative set of business. Losing a farm leads to loss, despair, suicidal
thoughts, depression, grief, etc. Farmers tends to highly believe that their social and welfare
needs are unmet which leads to high degree of anger and frustration. There seems to be
deterioration within the mental health which leads to depression, dementia and anxiety.
Examining the socio- economic, cultural and political context which influences rural community.
The key factors which in turn mainly contributes to the rural youth suicidal in rural area
is mainly linked with the unemployment, access to lethal means, barriers to mental health
services, loneliness, alcohol, isolation, social stigma, barriers to mental health services and drug
misuse.
Rural community tends to have low degree of participation in order to pursue higher
education which eventually because of lack of aspiration. 11.7% of the youth from the rural area
of the Australia are not fully engaged in full-time education programme and employment in the
year 2011. The cultural factor associated with the self- reliance is within the rural areas which in
turn tends to create high degree of stigma linked with the mental issue (Riebschleger and Pierce,
2018). The patients within the rural areas in turn reports high degree of mental health problems
within the non- metropolitan areas of Australia. The socio- economic status, gender, ethnicity
age, educational status, level of physical health, etc. are considered to be as the key major factors
which in turn eventually leads to key factors linked with the mental disorders and illness. Social
and economic factors such as neighbourhood, income level, living of standard, race, gender,