Critical Reflection: Addressing Equity in Mental Healthcare Access

This report critically reflects on the equity of access to quality healthcare for individuals with mental illness, referencing the "Equally Well" initiative. It highlights the disparity in access to mental health services, particularly for ATSI people, and discusses factors beyond healthcare that impact physical health, such as poverty, working conditions, and social support. The report emphasizes the importance of nutrition, exercise, and psychotherapy in improving mental health, and advocates for equal access to nutritious food, education, employment, and a safe environment. Pharmacological treatments are also mentioned as essential for good mental state. The analysis concludes that addressing these factors is crucial for preventing both physical and mental health issues.

ASSESSMENT 2 CRITICAL
REFLECTION

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................3
Evidence that people with mental illness do not currently enjoy “equity of access” to quality
health care....................................................................................................................................3
Determination of health and well being other than access to health care that contribute in poor
physical health people diagnosed with mental illness.................................................................4
Justification .................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In 2017, National Mental Health Commission has introduce the “Equally Well” that
focus on improving the quality of life of people that are being suffering from mental health
illness through offering them equal access to quality healthcare. The main motivate behind the
Equally well is to reduce the life expectancy gap between the people living with mental illness
and general population. The research has represented that there are 4.8 million that is 20%
people that are being suffering from mental and behaviours condition from July 2017 to June
2018. In short there are 1 in 5 that suffer from mental health issue so alternative method must be
find out by government, healthcare organisation to improve the health and well being of people
living within the society. Hence, the critical reflection is being designed to review the individual
social and symptomatic generated influence on consumers physical well being.
MAIN BODY
Evidence that people with mental illness do not currently enjoy “equity of access” to quality
health care
Health equity can be defined as process of offering patients the care they need when they
need it for optimum health and well being. As per Institute of Medicine, equity health care
means providing care that does not differentiate as per quality because of different reason that is
gender, geographical location, socio-economic status and ethnicity. Equally Well program states
that mental health and well being is often right of each and every individual living within the
community. In Australia there are around 106,848 people have no access to mental health
services that results in providing inadequate services to improve their overall health and well
being. ASTI people have less access to health care services because of limited facilities
available. Income, education level, geographical area where they live are numerous factors that
impacting on having equal access to quality health care (Mackenzie, Karaoylas and Starzyk,
2018). Likewise, the main reason for having less access to healthcare services by ATSI is lower
education among student that results in lower source of income generation and overall services
that are being rendered in rural areas. To reduce inequality in access to all resources, there are
many approach that could be used through vertical equity approaches that is Royal Flying
Doctors service. It aims in assisting the manner in which equal access to services must be

promoted in the healthcare for people living in rural area (Cénat and et.al., 2020). Hence it is
extreme effectively approach in providing quality access to mental healthcare services t
individual living within the society.
Overall the study has helped in understanding despite of equal access to healthcare
facilities, there are many individual that does not have equal access to healthcare services that
lead in increasing number of mental health issue. By improving the environment, economical
and social conditions inequality can be reduced. Likewise, people that are less well off have
more shorter life expectancy as well as illness, health issue as compared to people that are rich or
having high income. It has been estimated in Australia, the total cost of physical illness in
people having severe mental illness is around $15 billion a year that is 0.9% of GDP. There are
has been raise in total health care cost by 45 % for each person because of interaction between
physical and mental illness (Ungar and Theron, 2020). Therefore, if appropriate mental health
care with quality physical care is being provided to individual that there will be reduces in
emergency admission within the hospital.
In 2018-19, there are around 9% of Australian population that has been received clinical
mental health services through GP, 2% from public specialised service that is hospital to provide
care and 2% from private psychiatrist. As per the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and
Well-being survey, it can be understand that there are third that is 35% of people that are
suffering from symptom of mental disorder within 12 months. Therefore, it is nearly about 1.3
million people on total population that is estimated in 2017 (Hurd and et.al., 2018.). Likewise,
they have make use of different services such as 71% has make use of consulted a general
practitioner, 38% consulted a psychologist and 23% consulted a psychiatrist.
Determination of health and well being other than access to health care that contribute in poor
physical health people diagnosed with mental illness
Currently In Australia there are around 1 in 5 individual that belonging to age group of
16-85 are experiencing mental health disorder. At the same time, both physical and mental
health are interrelated to each others such that the people suffering from mental illness are more
likely to develop physical illness and thus they are more tend to die as compared to general
population. There are many of the factors that have lifelong impact on health of the person other
than access to healthcare facilities. Such as poverty, working conditions, food, transportation,
social support and employment are different factors that influence the health condition of

specific individual. For examples: more stress in working environment and home make people
extremely worried, anxious and unable to cope up with the circumstances. Thus, it is damaging
to the health of individual and leading premature death (Park, Conway and Chen, 2018).
Psychological and social circumstances lead in causing long term stress to individual that is
continuous low self-esteem, lack of control over work, anxiety, home life and insecurity have
powerful effects on mental health. Furthermore the psychosocial risks mainly occur during the
life and lead in increasing the chance of poor mental health and premature death within the
society. The individual that is being suffering from feeling of anxiety, insecurity as well as lack
of supportive environment lead in causing damage in whatever areas of life they arise.
Along with it children that are living in social exclusion environment, situation of
deprivation and poverty are more prone to cause mental health issue. As because of poverty they
does not have access to qualitative healthcare facilities that are essential for their mental well
being. Many ethnic minority groups, homeless people, unemployed individual are more at risk
as compared to others. Moreover, it can be stated that the People with mental illness have
poorer physical health – as there are 4 out of 5 people that are living with mental illness having
co existing physical illness (Dejonckheere and et.al., 2019). Likewise, Two times more likely to
have cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and metabolic
syndrome. For examples the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are
shorten because they are being exposed to chronic stress throughout life. Eating disorder is also
one of the reason that cause mental health issue among the individual.
The number of factors that lead in poorer physical health by people suffering from mental
health issue are lack of education, exposure to being abuse and neglected, unemployment,
inadequate housing facility, low income, stigma and discrimination. For examples: the poor
individual does not have proper access to education facilities employment and hosing facilities to
live a better lifestyle (Robinson and et.al., 2019). All these results in creating challenges for the
individual to continuously bear more stress that lead in mental health issue and negative impact
on person life.
Justification
Nutrition, exercise based intervention and pharmacological treatments must be provided
to people that are diagnosed with mental health issue, as good food lead in good mood. Apart
from this physical activity is good for body as it lead in having a healthy heart and improve joints

and bones. Exercise alone is intervention that support spirit as well as keep mind in vigour,
likewise the Purposeful activity carried by individual lead out improve mental health or fitness.
Such as walking or cycling, jogging and other activities that are being done by individual to stay
fit and fine. Research has represent that the physical activity have positive impact on the mood of
individual, such that they feel more awake, content and calmer after doing exercise.
Furthermore, the level of intensity of physical activity also have different impact on mood of
people that is low intensity aerobic exercise for 30-35 minute for 3-5 days in week lead in
increasing positive mood (Watson, Grossman and Russell, 2019). For examples: More
alertness and enthusiasm. In addition to this, physical activity also lead in reducing the stress
level of individual, such as doing meditation lead in decreasing the chance of anxiety. Stress lead
in causing physical sign that is sleeping problems, sweating, and loss of appetite, that are mainly
caused because of rush of stress hormones within the body. Noradrenaline and adrenaline result
in raising blood pressure, increase in heart rate and prepare body for emergency response. At the
same time, it can also contribute in reducing the stomach activity, blood flow to skin and release
fat. Hence, People that are more active are trend to have lower stress level as compared to
individual that are less active (Assari, Lapeyrouse and Neighbors, 2018). So individual must lay
emphases on doing exercise in their day to day schedule.
The study has also helped in understanding that exercise reduce levels of anxiety in
people with mild symptoms, as it is less costly method, so it is empowering approach that can
support self-management. Exercise has positive impact on mental health as it lead in increasing
self-esteem of the individual, that is it started feeling much more happy and satisfied. So, in short
it is indicator of our mental well-being and our ability to cope with life stressors. Nutrition also
lead in improving the mental health of people, as a healthy, well balanced diet helps in building
clear thinking and feeling of being more alert (Alegría and et.al., 2018). This lead in improve
concentration and attention span. On the other hand, improper diet results in impaired decision-
making and fatigue. Moreover, the relationship between our diet and our mental health is
complex but Eating well helps individual in feeling better. Likewise, lay emphasis on in taking
of protein rich diet in every meal as it contain amino acid that is used by brain in order to have
control over the mood. At last wholegrain, fruits and vegetables in included in diet contribute in
healthy stay of brain and body to complete different task.

Psychotherapy is the therapeutic treatment of mental illness provided by a trained mental
health professional that contribute bin exploring the feeling, though and behaviour in order to
improve its well-being. Likewise, behavioural therapy is being provided to people that are
suffering from mental health issue that involves multiple intervention that are being designed to
helps individual in effectively handle the stressful situation. In this people are being exposed to
fearful situation, things and objects with an purpose to reduce their fear (Stuijfzand and et.al.,
2020.). Along with it, the cognitive therapy also helps people in effectively identifying distortion
in thinking and the way distortion has lead in creating problem in lives of individual. Therefore,
in this the way people behave and feel is determined through interpreting their experience. In this
the healthcare professional lay efforts on identifying the way people learn to think pertaining to
their experience that results in making improvement in their overall feeling and behaviour.
It can be summarised that to prevent physical and mental health of individual, people
must have equal access to enough nutritious food, meaningful education, training and
employment and safe environment free from discrimination, racism, abuse, violence and trauma.
Along with it the pharmacological treatments must be provided to people that are diagnosed with
mental health issue so that they can have good mental state (Golberstein, Wen and Miller,
2020).
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that the mental health is major key health issue
being faced by maximum number of individual living within Australia. The study has also
helped in understanding that “EQUALLY WELL” focus on improving the health of people that
are suffering from mental illness have poorer physical health. It is learned that poor working
environment, more stress and situation of unemployment lead in poor mental health among
individual. At last proper intake of nutritional food, therapeutic treatment and exercise has lead
in reducing the amount of mental stress that is face by individual because of their busy life.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Alegría, M and et.al., 2018. Social determinants of mental health: where we are and where we
need to go. Current psychiatry reports, 20(11). pp.1-13.
Assari, S., Lapeyrouse, L.M. and Neighbors, H.W., 2018. Income and self-rated mental health:
Diminished returns for high income black Americans. Behavioral Sciences, 8(5). p.50.
Cénat, J.M and et.al., 2020. A systematic review of mental health programs among populations
affected by the Ebola virus disease. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 131. p.109966.
Dejonckheere, E and et.al., 2019. Complex affect dynamics add limited information to the
prediction of psychological well-being. Nature human behaviour, 3(5). pp.478-491.
Golberstein, E., Wen, H. and Miller, B.F., 2020. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and
mental health for children and adolescents. JAMA pediatrics, 174(9). pp.819-820.
Hurd, N.M and et.al., 2018. Appraisal support from natural mentors, self-worth, and
psychological distress: Examining the experiences of underrepresented students
transitioning through college. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 47(5). pp.1100-1112.
Mackenzie, C.S., Karaoylas, E.C. and Starzyk, K.B., 2018. Lifespan differences in a self
determination theory model of eudaimonia: A cross-sectional survey of younger,
middle-aged, and older adults. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(8). pp.2465-2487.
Park, A., Conway, M. and Chen, A. T., 2018. Examining thematic similarity, difference, and
membership in three online mental health communities from Reddit: a text mining and
visualization approach. Computers in human behavior, 78. pp.98-112.
Robinson, P and et.al., 2019. Measuring attitudes towards mental health using social media:
investigating stigma and trivialisation. Social psychiatry and psychiatric
epidemiology, 54(1). pp.51-58.
Stuijfzand, S and et.al., 2020. Psychological impact of an epidemic/pandemic on the mental
health of healthcare professionals: a rapid review. BMC Public Health, 20(1). pp.1-18.
Ungar, M. and Theron, L., 2020. Resilience and mental health: How multisystemic processes
contribute to positive outcomes. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(5). pp.441-448.
Watson, R.J., Grossman, A.H. and Russell, S.T., 2019. Sources of social support and mental
health among LGB youth. Youth & society, 51(1). pp.30-48.

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