The general practitioner's role in providing mental health services to Australians, 1997 and 2007: findings from the national surveys of mental health and wellbeing

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the findings of the 1997 and 2007 Australian national surveys of mental health and wellbeing (NSMHWBs) with respect to the role of general practitioners in providing mental health services. Design, setting and participants: There were 10 641 participants Australia‐wide in the 1997 survey and 8841 in the 2007 survey. Data were gathered through face‐to‐face interviews using a written questionnaire. Main outcome measures: Rates of use of GPs and other health care providers for treatment of mental health problems; levels of met and unmet need for mental health services reported by those accessing GP services. Results: Between 1997 and 2007, the proportion of people accessing any mental health care service within the previous 12 months increased significantly, from 12.4% to 21.4% (P < 0.01), although the proportion accessing GP care for mental health problems did not increase. In both surveys, nearly 60% of individuals with self‐assessed mental health problems sought no professional help for their problems, although about 80% of these non‐users had seen GPs about other matters. The proportions of participants who reported receiving sufficient information, medication and/or therapy for their mental health problem increased significantly over the 10‐year period. However, unmet need for information also increased. In both surveys, over 90% of participants aged 60 years or over with self‐assessed mental health problems reported obtaining no help for their mental health problem despite seeing a GP for other reasons. Conclusion: Despite a significant rise in the use of mental health services, the role of GPs in providing such services has not increased.

Males’ mental health disadvantage: An estimation of gender-specific changes in service utilisation for mental and substance use disorders in Australia

“…For example, targeted information initiatives that focus on changes in functioning rather than symptoms may be useful, given evidence that males with affective and anxiety disorder have greater levels of disability than their female peers and that males may be less willing to discuss emotional concerns with GPs (Scott and Collings, 2010). Given that three-quarters of males with mental health concerns will consult a GP for physical health reasons in a given year (Parslow et al, 2011), tools such as prompts and checklists may improve GPs' ability to efficiently detect mental health problems among male attenders (Brownhill et al, 2003) although the potential for increasing the duration of consultation may be a limiting factor (Parslow et al, 2011). Tedstone Doherty and Kartalova-O'Doherty, 2010), highlighting the workplace as a valuable setting for engaging men in health care (Malcher, 2009).…”

Preparedness of Lithuanian general practitioners to provide mental healthcare services: a cross-sectional survey

“…A large unmet need for mental healthcare [7] is partially attributable to a lack of primary care providers with mental healthcare skills [8]. Although GPs feel responsible for their mentally ill patients and consider themselves to be part of the care system for these patients [9], surveys performed in Australia in 1997 and 2007, for example, demonstrate that this does not necessarily enable them to meet patients’ needs: although the surveys jointly documented an overall rise in the use of mental healthcare services, the proportion of the population accessing mental healthcare from GPs remained unchanged [10]. …”

Factors associated with reported service use for mental health problems by residents of rural and remote communities: cross-sectional findings from a baseline survey

“…Parslow et al [7] compared service use in Australia using the 1997 and 2007 NSMHWB and concluded that use of any mental health service had risen significantly but that the proportion seeing General Practitioners (GPs) for mental health services had not increased (p. 206). This increase in mental health service use has been influenced by Federal programs to improve access to mental health practitioners, including the Access to Allied Psychological Services and the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners initiatives introduced in 2001 and 2006 respectively [26].…”