Don’t Beat About The Bush!- Making Mental Health A Priority In Rural Australia

The Australian Journal of Rural Health today published a special thematic issue on mental health, with a particular focus on the provision of services in rural and remote Australia relating to the prevention and management of mental health issues.

Published by Wiley-Blackwell, this special thematic issue of the Australian Journal of Rural Health looks at some potential solutions, including the provision of multidisciplinary models of mental health for the particular circumstances of rural and remote Australia.While the Prime Minister’s announcement of a $1.9 billion from the Commonwealth over the next five years is good news, the concern of the rural and remote sector is that it receives a fair share of that allocation and that it is put to best use.With mental health becoming a growing part of the burden of disease, it is vital that incentives for GPs to develop more integrated care plans be improved – ensuring that patients receive the follow-up care services through collaboration between GPs and other primary and secondary care professionals.In his editorial on the ‘Cost of Change on the Land’, chairman of beyondblue: the national depression initiative – Jeff Kennett – said, “Australia responds very generously and well to natural disasters overseas such as the recent tsunami, but for some reason we are less able and less prepared to help those within our own community who are in need of assistance.”The issue emphasizes that a clear workforce strategy is necessary to build teams in rural areas, comprised of suitably trained healthcare professionals to support general practice and to cover the full spectrum of mental illness.Editor of Australian Journal of Rural Health, Professor James Dunbar, added “In the long term, we’ll need new community-based, inter-professional training programs; incentive payments for health professionals to establish and maintain their practice in rural and remote areas; as well as develop greater shared care between general practice and specialist psychiatry and psychology.”This special themed mental health issue of Australian Journal of Rural Health will include the following articles:

• J. Kennett; The cost of change on the land
• C. Hodges, M. O’Brien, P. McGorry; headspace: National Youth Mental Health Foundation- Making headway with rural young people and their mental health
• K. Griffiths, H. Christensen; Internet-based mental health programs: a powerful tool in the rural medical kit
• E. Hunter; Disadvantage and discontent: A review of issues relevant to the mental health of rural and remote Indigenous Australians
• D Perkins, K. Larsen, D. Lyle, P. Burns; Securing and retaining a mental health workforce in Far Western New South Wales
• J. Fuller, B. Kelly, G. Sartore, L. Fragar, A. Tonna, G. Pollard, T. Hazell; Use of social network analysis to describe service links for farmers’ mental health
• K. Hawkins, P. Reddy, S. Bunker; Evaluation of a stress management course in adult education centres in rural Australia
• A. Kilkkinen, A. Kao-Philpot, A. O’Neil, B. Philpot, P. Reddy, S. Bunker, J. Dunbar; Prevalence of psychological distress, anxiety and depression in rural communities in Australia
• S. Morrissey, J. Reser; Natural disasters, climate change and mental health considerations for rural Australia
• M. Bambling, D. Kavanagh, G. Lewis, R. King, D. King, H. Sturk, M. Turpin, C. Gallois, H. Barlett; Challenges faced by general practitioners and allied mental health services in providing mental health services in rural Queensland
• M. Turpin, H. Bartlett, D. Kavanagh, C. Gallois; Mental health issues and resources in rural and regional communities: An exploration of perceptions of service providersAbout Australian Journal of Rural Health

(Source: Australian Journal of Rural Health : May 2007.)