Mental+Health+in+Australia,+Screaming+for+help!

Gurkamal Singh - n7228007 - Emily Mann

**Cultural Artifact ** “The Scream”

// “I was out walking with two friends. The sun began to set. I felt a breath of melancholy. Suddenly the sky turned blood-red. I paused, deathly tired and leaned on a fence looking out across the flaming clouds over the blue-black fjord and towns. My friends walked on and there I still stood, trembling with fear - and I sensed a great, infinite scream run through nature.” // // Edvard Munch //

**Public Health Issue ** media type="youtube" key="LANiXZNxs-k" height="315" width="560" align="center"

Mental health is a fundamental part of society, there is no health without mental health (World Health Organization [WHO] 2011).Anxiety is an ever-growing mental illness, according to Beyond Blue the national depression initiative; anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in Australia. 1 in 7 people will experience some type of anxiety disorder in any one year. The Australian Bureau of statistics states that in 2007 anxiety disorders were the most common mental disorders which affected 14% of all people in the 16-85 years of age bracket (Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS], 2011). This statistic shows that there is a large number of people that are affected by anxiety alone researchers also suggest that most people suffer from more than one mental illness at one time (Beyond Blue, 2011). Individuals with mental health disorders are affected in many ways, they have lower incomes as they may be unable to fully participate in the labour work force, have a lower social participation due to low self-esteem because of discrimination. The annual cost of mental illness in Australia, this includes the cost of lost productivity and labour force participation, has been estimated at $20 billion (Council of Australian Governments, 2006).

**Literature Review ** The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a “state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” (WHO, 2010). In other words, mental health is the basis for individual welfare, indicating the efficient performance of a community (WHO, 2010).

Mental Health is an important issue, which needs to be addressed in Australia. Statistics from the Mental Health Council of Australia, reveal that 20% of Australians (which is one in every five), will experience some form of mental illness every year; with three out of every ten being seriously affected (Mental Health Council of Australia [MHCA], 2007).Further, they also state that depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental disorders experienced by Australians; with depression alone, is foreseen to be one of the world’s biggest health issues by the year 2020 (MHCA, 2007).

In addition, the 2001 National Health Survey anticipated that 1.8 million Australians (which is essentially 9.6% of the population), had a long-term mental or behavioral issue, of more than 6 months duration (MHCA, 2007).

These statistics suggest how important mental health is in Australia. The fact that at least one third of young people experience an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 indicates the seriousness of the issue. The Mental Health Council of Australia further stated that around 14% of 12-17 year olds and 27% of people between the ages of 18-25 will experience some form of a mental illness in any given year (MHCA, 2007).

The Australian Bureau of Statistics emphasize the fact that mental health is a serious condition because not only does it affect the individual experiencing it, but also affects an individual’s ability to relate with their close family, friends and relatives. This is a major issue as it also impacts on the broader community as a whole. The ABS further states that in 2003 mental health disorders were found to be the leading cause of deaths caused by disabilities (ABS, 2010).

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare use the National Minimum Data Sets (NMDS) as of the main methods of collecting data for mental health care. This data is collected every year from the state and territory governments and to ensure that the data obtained is of a high level of internal consistency and comparability, all data is collected overlooked by the National Health Information Standards and Statistics Committee (NGISSC) to ensure that all the standards are being complied with (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW], 2011). The NMDS for mental health care are comprised of 4 component data sets. The first set outlines the demographic, clinical and administrative data on patients from psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units. , this is called the admitted patient mental health care data set. The second set is the mental health establishment’s data set, this includes information regarding the workforce and expenditure of mental health services which are funded or managed by the state or territory health authorities. The Community mental health care data set is the third set, this is data set is comprised of demographic, clinical and administrative data on clients from community mental health care services. The fourth and last data set is the residential mental health care data set, this data set consists of demographic, clinical and administrative data on residents of residential mental health care services (AIHW, 2011).

Another common methodology used by modern researchers to find out information and gather results is through the use of state wide surveys. This is an effective method as surveys are useful in describing the general view of the population at large. It is also a fairly cost effective approach. Surveys can be done nationally through various ways of communication such as telephone or mail. Generally the information is reliable because observer subjectivity is eliminated. Nonetheless, on the other hand, there are also limitations to this method. A major issue which can arise is the fact that the researcher has to rely upon the feedback given by the respondents, and also has to make sure that if it is a national survey, that they will obtain a large number of results (Colorado State University, 2011).

The Australian government, Department of Health of Ageing displays, in their National mental health report for 2010 the trends over the past several years. Both state and territory spending on community based mental health increased by 272% or $1.2 billion between 1993 and 2008. There are no varying degrees and all states and territories have expanded services. The annual expenditure on ambulatory services also increased, by 258% or $914 million, in the period of 1993 to 2008. Nationally the number of professionals providing ambulatory care, also increased by, 175% between 1993-2008 (The Australian Government, Department of Health of Ageing, 2011).

**Cultural and Social Analysis ** In this section of the analysis the social determinants of mental health in Australia will be discussed to demonstrate that mental illness affects some cultural groups more than others, the indigenous community is a good example, and this indicates that social standing and social circumstances of these groups play a role in the onset of mental illness. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">When analyzing mental health care in the indigenous community it is evident that their health and mental health care status is of a lower standard than the rest of the population. The life expectancy is significantly lower than the average person and there are higher than average levels of psychiatric morbidity. At birth the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians was estimated to be 59.4 years for males and 64.8 years for females in comparison to non indigenous males who had a life expectancy of 76.6 years and 82.0 years for females (Australian Human Rights Commission [AHRC], 2011). There are also social aspects that affect a person’s mental health, marital status has a large impact on the mental health of an individual, the ABS states that in 2001 married couples reported having lower rates mental or behavioral problems with 7% of men and 10% of women having experienced psychological distress (ABS, 2004). Whereas divorced or separated couples reported, with 13-14% of males and 18-20% of females, experiencing mental or behavioral problems (ABS, 2004). According to Durkheim the health of a society is dependent on the density of families, suicide or self harm rates are also highest during the years of highest divorce rates (Howard and Sterk, 2005). Assault and self-harm are also indicators of mental illness, the Australian Human Rights Commission states that in 2003-2004 indigenous males where 7 times more likely to be hospitalized from assault or self harm and female were 31 times more likely, than the non indigenous population (AHRC, 2011). In 2003-2004 the hospitalization rate for psychological and behavioral disorders was 2.1 times higher for indigenous males and 1.5 times higher for females, compared to the general population (AHRC, 2011). The facts mentioned above all outline, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> the social forces, geography, politics and economics at play about <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> indigenous mental health and why it is an important issue and that indigenous people are affected more by mental illness than non indigenous people. Awareness of this issue must be raised as it would be an effective solution to reducing the gap between indigenous and non indigenous people regarding their mental health.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 32px;">Analysis of Artifact ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The painting of the scream is often used to express the sentiment of anxiety it was painted by Edvard Munch in 1893 (Lubow, 2006). This painting undoubtedly illustrates mental illness, the artist, was expressing sadness, fear, depression and loneliness. Edvard Munch had an incredibly traumatic childhood his mother, brother and one of his sisters died of tuberculosis while his was still quite young. Another one of his sisters was psychotic and Edvard often feared his own mental stability. In 1908 due to his traumatic childhood and a regrettable romance he was admitted to a psychiatric hospital where he spent several months (Lubow, 2006). Most of Edvard Munch’s paintings depicted the pain and suffering he had gone through in his life, he was a visionary and his work expressed the essence of humanities dark side. Although the painting of the scream is quite renowned most people do not understand its true meaning.

//"No longer shall I paint interiors with men reading and women knitting. I will paint living people who breathe and feel and suffer and love."//

//Edvard Munch//

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Upon reflection, I have learned that mental illness is a complicated, widespread health issue which is affected by social and cultural influences as well as upbringing and the experiences that one goes through in life. There are many people in the world who suffer from mental illness and do not receive the appropriate treatment although throughout history we do see that there has been significant changes in the way that the mentality ill are treated there is still substantial progress that needs to be made in this area.

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 29.3333px;">My Discussion (Reflection Task) ** Page-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> 'Seriously, R U OK?' Link-<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;"> http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/%27Seriously%2C+R+U+OK%3F%27 Comment- I really enjoyed reading your essay, as it was interesting and informative to read, I believe you covered your issue very well. I particularly liked your selection of the artifact, it was nice and short and to the point, I liked it. Your artifact, gave a clear description of the importance of mental health and the new approach the government has implemented to overcome this growing issue. I am very happy that the government has decided to take this step as it is not only helping to increase awareness of mental health in the community at large, but also, ‘R U OK’ is a good campaign which could help change the lives of many people. I believe ‘R U OK’ is a good initiative the government has taken as it assists in creating a positive environment where people can freely talk about themselves; this would also help to develop better and positive relations. You did a fantastic job at finding statistics; they really stand out, and show how important mental health is in Australia. Overall, a great essay.

Page-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> Each time you sleep with someone, you're also sleeping with his past Link-<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 14.6667px;"> http://healthculturesociety.wikispaces.com/Each+time+you+sleep+with+someone%2C+you%27re+also+sleeping+with+his+past Comment- You did a great job! I particularly think you did well in selecting the artifact as it directly links to your topic. Your topic was also explained very well, it was well supported with the statistics you gathered from the World Health Organisation, as it shows the importance of STI’s and the prevalence amongst young people. Overall, your essay was very educational as well as interesting. I predominantly thought your social and cultural analysis was very informative, and really depicts the attitudes of young children and sexual behaviors in today’s society. I agree with the fact that you mentioned, that media (in the form of television, movies, internet and music), play a vital role in the increase of unhealthy sexual behaviors’ and decline in safe practices over recent years. The facts you provided regarding abuse of substances such as alcohol were very interesting to read. I believe this is a serious issue, and you have done a good job in communicating this across to the audience. I also found that it has been estimated that approximately 3200 people die due to excessive consumption of alcohol each year, while 81000 people are hospitalized annually (Australian Government, Department of Health and Ageing, 2011). All in all, a very good essay!

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 32px;">References ** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2004). //Mental Health In Australia: A Snapshot,// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2009). //Australian social trends, March 2009: Mental health//. Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). //Year Book Australia, Feature Article 2: Mental health//. Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Australian Government, Department of Health of Ageing. (2011). //National mental health report, 2010.// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Australian Human Rights Commission (2011), //Indigenous health inequality should be consigned to the history books,// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). Mental health FAQ. Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Beyondblue. (2011). //Types if Anxiety Disorders,// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Colorado State University (2011), //Advantages and disadvantages of the Survey method//, Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Council of Australian Governments (2006), [|//National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006−2011//], Retrieved from: []

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Howard, K. & Sterk, C. (2005). The Limits of Social Capital: Durkheim, Suicide, and Social Cohesion. //American Journal of Public Health//. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.053314 <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Lubow, A. (2006). EDVARD MUNCH Beyond The Scream. //Smithsonian//, 36(12), 58-67. Retrieved from EBSCO//host//. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- Mental Health Council of Australia (2007), //Mental Health Fact Sheet,// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Munch, E. Holland, J. (2005). The Private Journals of Edvard Munch: We Are Flames Which Pour Out of the Earth Chicago. Madison: University of Wisconsin. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-The Scream Painting Picture By Edvard Munch Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">- World Health Organization (2007). //What is mental health?// Retrieved from: [] - World Health Organization (2010). //Mental health: strengthening our response// Retrieved from: 1 [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">-Youtube video Retrieved from: [|http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LANiXZNxs--k&feature=relmfu]

<span style="display: block; height: 1px; left: -40px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -25px; width: 1px;">** My Discussion (Refection Task) **