HSH703 Health Promotion Report: Mental Health in Australia

This report explores mental health promotion in Australia, focusing on the mental health challenges faced by individuals with low socioeconomic status. It begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of mental health and its impact on individuals and communities, particularly in Victoria. The report then delves into the prevalence of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders, and their socioeconomic consequences. It examines the determinants of health, such as unemployment, low income, and lack of education, and their correlation with mental illness. The report analyzes the Bass Coast Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021, assessing its strategies for addressing mental health issues, particularly its focus on providing services and raising awareness. It also identifies gaps in the plan, such as the need for more support for women, children and employment opportunities, and concludes by reiterating the importance of addressing mental health disparities and promoting well-being for all Australians. The report also includes a concept map illustrating the relationship between unemployment, low income, lack of education, and mental illness.

HEALTH PROMOTION
Health Promotion
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
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Introduction
Mental health is an important aspect in the wellbeing of the person and the community,
and they contribute to the social, economic and cultural life in Victoria. It is essential to feel
connected to and valued by other people. In addition, it is vital to be able to cope up with stresses
that life comes up with and having a chance to devote to the society; and being attentive in all
critical areas regarding mental health. Mental health can lead to depression and eventually death.
This is caused by unemployment and lack of proper education. The Bass Coast Municipal Public
Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 has plans to make sure that there are minimum rates of
mental health sicknesses in Australia by ensuring that services regarding mental health are
offered to all individual equally. In addition, it developed a care model that will assist the
government in taking care of the people cognitive ability.
Mental health sickness
Mental sickness is a disorder that is diagnosed clinically that interferes with a person’s
cognitive, social or emotional capabilities. Mental disease and confusion are used to explain a
broad range of mental health and social delusions, that can differ in both the duration and
severity (Department of Health 2014d ). The most prevalent mental sickness in Australia is
substance use disorders, depression and anxiety. Mental disorders can have diverse impacts on
people and the affected families, and its impact is far-reaching the community. Contemporary
issues that are related to mental disorder encompass homelessness, unemployment and poverty (
Krumpal 2013,pp.2025-2047). Individuals with mental sickness undergo issues like isolation,
stigma and discrimination.
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One in four individuals in the world suffer from neurological or mental disorders in their
lives. Currently, about 450 million are experiencing mental disorders making it among the
leading causes of disability and ill health globally( Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015). There
are treatments, but nearly two-thirds of individuals with a recognized mental disorder do not look
for help from a health expert. Discrimination, stigma and neglect prevention care and medication
from getting to individuals who are suffering from mental illness (de Andrade et al. 2015,
pp.1343-1351). The is little or no comprehension where there is neglection. There is another
report entitled "New Understanding, New Hope” the United Nations encourages the
governments to find solutions or recommendations for mental health that are existing and also
affordable. Governments must detach itself from massive mental places and towards communal
health care, and link mental health care into primary healthcare care and the whole healthcare
system. The government must ensure that the citizens have enough mental health care facilities
especially in rural areas where most individuals belong to the low socioeconomic status.
According to the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (NSMHWB) data of
adults (between 16-85), 45% of the Australians will have a frequent mental illness in their life.
This is equal to about 8.6 million individuals who will undergo a common mental disorder based
on the estimated 2016 population. Every year, 1 in 5 Australians in this maturity scope are
approximated to have a mental disorder. For instance, anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress
disorder and social phobia were the most types of delusions that were reported in the NSMHWB
with 14.4% of Australian adults who go through anxiety disorder in the last 12 months. This was
followed by affective disorders such as depression 6.2% and substance use disorders like
dependence on alcohol, 5.1% (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2015).
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Mental illnesses can differ in severity and period and may also be timely. Almost 2-3%
of Australians have acute mental delusions as evaluated by given diagnosis, symptoms intensity,
the period of the symptoms and the extent of disability. Between 4-6% of the Australian
population, around 4.5 million people have moderate disorders and a further 9-12% have mild
disease ( Department of Health and Human Services Victoria 2015,pp.1-63 ). Mental sickness
affects an individual's lives at various levels of severity. For most individuals, the mental illness
they go through has its onset in adolescence or childhood (Dasgupta, Beletsky and Ciccarone
2018, pp.182-186). For instance, those who will suffer from anxiety, two thirds will have
experienced their first period by the time they get to 21 years. The early age of onset can have
long term effects since the sickness affects the persons functioning in behavioural, vocational,
educational and family responsibilities.
Individuals with mental disorders risk facing a scope of negative socioeconomic and
health results. The Productivity Commission analyzed and realized that six main health
conditions (arthritis, diabetes, significant injury, cancer, cardiovascular, mental sickness), mental
delusions is related to the lowest likelihood in the labour force ( Schofield et al. 2013 ). The
monetary costs of mental disorders in the community are relatively high. The outlines by the
governments and insurers of health to give mental services in 2006-2007 summed up to $4.7
billion representing 7.3% of all the costs the government on health. Mental health as a share of
the whole government financing on health has been stable of the 15-year programme of the
National Mental Health Strategy.
Most individuals in Victoria who are suffering from mental problems access services
through their overall caregiver. Around one in eight Victorian adults indicated high levels of
psychological distress in 2011-2012that has not changed since 2003 (Department of Health
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2014d). The high degree of distress rate was about two times bigger for adults who were
unemployed than those who had their jobs. In 2012-2013, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Health Survey, 30% of Aboriginal respondents showed high levels of psychological
distress in four weeks before the interview of the survey, that was thrice more than that of the
non-Aboriginal rate (Australian Bureau of Statistics). The most mental sicknesses experienced
by refugees and asylum seekers encompass post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.
(Department of Health and Human Services 2015d)
Mental health among individuals with low socioeconomic status
Depression can affect individuals with low socioeconomic status since most of them are
unable to take care of themselves. Differences in health status are the effect of natural biological
variation between people (Jardine et al., pp. 1–6). They are patterned socially and pursue a
gradient whereby an individual’s health intends to enhance at every step up the financial and
social line up. Research has indicated that socioeconomic elements have the most significant
effect on health, accounting to an estimated 40% of all impacts related with health activities.
Poor mental health has many social and economic implications for both society and a person
( Friel &Clarke 2011, S5-S6). Many people belong to low socioeconomic status due to
unemployment, lack of education, and low income. For instance, a person with active
employment like a personal trainer is likely to indulge himself or herself in physical activities
hence improving in mental and physical abilities. However, individuals with low socioeconomic
status are not well educated; thus they do not have a good income, and they also lack
employment ( Business Council of Australia 2011). Due to this, their peace of mind is disrupted;
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hence it causes depression. This, in turn, leads them to indulge in alcoholism and drug abuse. In
addition, some cultures forbid them from doing specific jobs; hence they end up being unhealthy.
Concept Map
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Mental Illness among
individuals with low
socioeconomic status
Unemployment
Lack of education
Low income
Poverty

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Bass Coast Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021
Bass Coast Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 focuses on
maintaining a healthy community with healthy individuals in terms of mental health. Mental
health has been an issue for people with low socioeconomic status that is linked to the plan by
providing mental health services and commissioning opportunities ( Draft Municipal Public
Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021). The MPHWP has focused on supporting consumers to
have easy access to mental health and wellbeing services by increasing awareness of mental
health issues. The society is also aware that mental health services are in existence so that their
challenges can be addressed.
It also has also developed a stepped care model for mental health in Gippsland is created
to enhance the cooperation of mental health services by giving a coordinated approach to mental
health provision. This will help individuals with low socioeconomic status to take care of their
mental health and focus on positivity to promote their health and wellbeing and helping
individuals to maintain a healthy life (Draft Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-
2021). The priority of MPHWP is to ensure that the health of the community is stable and
provide them with opportunities to get mental health services without prejudice. It makes sure
that there is even distribution of services that help in creating awareness about mental illness and
how they can overcome it by funding pursuing findings for a regional model of care. It also
makes sure that there are interagency relationships and marketing materials available for men so
that suicidal rate can be reduced in male since they are the providers of the family.
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MPHWP also plans to deliver mental health, sexual, physical, vocational and educational
and other services to young individuals to help them gain knowledge about mental health.
Establishment of Headspace Centre with outreach sites will be available for the youth ( Draft
Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021). However, it does not include an
employment platform that can be used to help low-income earners to improve their mental
health. MPHWP also encourages retired APL players and those who want to engage themselves
in sports to try a new game to be active and focus on making their lives better to promote their
wellbeing. Through this, the individuals can engage themselves in positive social interactions
that will help them to develop cognitively hence preventing mental sickness in the community.
The present gap in MPHWP is that it has not advocated for the assistance of women and
children since they might have a mental disorder like depression because of violence in the
home. Women are equally important as well as children. Furthermore, individuals with low
income must be educated about mental health frequently so that their mental stability can be
maintained. The plan must include social interactions of both genders and also create an
opportunity for women to showcase their skills and knowledge regarding mental health issues.
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Conclusion
Mental health has continued to be an issue in Australia particularly individuals with low
economic status. The elements have continued to increase day by day that includes low income
due to lack of proper education that will enable them to get good jobs to allow them to feed their
families. In addition, they are not knowledgeable about mental health; hence they ignore some
events that might lead to mental delusions. Health determinants that influence to mental in
individuals with low socioeconomic status have been taken care of by Bass Coast Municipal
Public Health and Wellbeing plan 2017-2021, for example, it has shown how it will incorporate
mental health commissioning opportunities and providing mental health services and creating
awareness about the existence of the services. It has also focused on improving the cooperation
of mental health services to make sure that all people have access to the services.
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