Major longitudinal study should serve as a wake up call to protect Australians’ mental health
Australians for Mental Health has urged governments and decision makers to take the latest Household, Income, Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey findings seriously, after it revealed growing distress among its respondents.
The HILDA report, which has been tracking the wellbeing of Australians for more than two decades found psychological distress has been rising since 2013, with rates higher among women than men in 2023 (27.5 per cent and 22.8 per cent respectively). The report found in the decade to 2023, rates of psychological distress had risen by about 55.1 per cent among men and 46.3 per cent among women.
It also found Australians were socialising less than they were a generation ago, with only 2.4 per cent of people saying they saw friends daily. The survey also found only 42 per cent of Australians said they had a lot of friends.
“So many things contribute to mental ill-health, including housing security, cost-of-living pressures and social connection. This report tells us we are slipping further from conditions that support our wellbeing. It should be a major wake up call for governments,” Australians for Mental Health Executive Director Chris Gambian said.
“We need a whole-of-government strategy to support mental wellbeing in Australia. This isn’t just about clinics and medicine. Access to help is an important part of the mental health picture, but we must get to the root cause of what is causing our mental ill-health, and public policy and how we invest in places for people to connect with each other are also parts of the solution,” Chris Gambian said.
AFMH has been calling on the federal government to:
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A Wellbeing Act to embed mental health and wellbeing in major policy and budget settings.
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An Office of Mental Health and Wellbeing in PM&C to coordinate population mental health across portfolios.
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Invest in housing security, cost-of-living relief and community infrastructure to rebuild connection and reduce distress.
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Ensure people have timely access to affordable care no matter where they live.
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