Policy solutions to improve the mental health of Australians with disability

Project Details

Australians with disability have poorer mental health outcomes compared to Australians without disability. Our research has demonstrated that these inequalities are shaped by the social determinants of health. People with disability, for example, are more likely to live in poverty, have higher rates of unemployment and poorer housing: all of which contribute to poorer mental health outcomes. Policy solutions addressing the underlying social determinants of poorer mental health outcomes for people with disability are urgently needed.

This project brings together researchers, people with disability and government to co-design approaches to better understand interactions between social determinants, policy and mental health pathways, paving the way to develop effective solutions.

Phase 1. Prioritising our focus

The first phase of this project involved a survey of 220 people with disabilities to find out which factors, policies and programs they want the project team to prioritise.

Here is a link to results:

Summary of results

Easy Read Summary of results

Phase 2. We are seeking potential interview participants

• Aged between 18 and 45 years
• With lived experience of mental illness or poor mental health (current, previous or fluctuating)

We are also looking for family members or informal carers of people with disabilities and lived experience of mental illness aged from 5 years to 45 years. You (family member/carer) will need to be aged 18 years or over to participate.

We want to talk with you about:

• Factors that impact mental health journeys.
• Australian Government policies and programs that impact mental health journeys.
• How policies and programs might be improved to better support mental health journeys.

You will be paid up to $100 Visa card voucher for being in the research.  

To register your interest contact:

Alexandra Devine, The University of Melbourne researcher
Call: 0415 570 109
Email: alexandra.devine@unimelb.edu.au

Participant information:

impact Project Information flyer

Plain Language Statement -  people with disabilities

Plain Language Statement -  families and carers

Easy Read Plain Language Statement

Researchers

• Dr Zoe Aitken
• Dr Alexandra Devine
• Professor Anne Kavanagh
• Professor Helen Dickinson
• Professor Sandra Eades
• Associate Professor Tania King
• Dr Glenda Bishop
• Dr Marissa Shields
• Dr Humaira Maheen
• Dr Yamna Taouk
• Dr Kate Mason
• Dr George Disney
• Dr Yi Yang
• Marie Huska

Collaborators

• Department of Social Services
• People with Disability Australia
• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
• Deaf Indigenous Community Consultancy

Funding

Million Minds Mental Health Research, Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund

Research Publications

Shields, M., Spittal, M. J., Aitken, Z., Dimov, S., Kavanagh, A., & King, T. L. (2023). Does employment status mediate the association between disability status and mental health among young adults? Evidence from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 80(9), 498-505. https://oem.bmj.com/content/oemed/80/9/498.full.pdf

Aitken, Z., Simpson, J. A., Bentley, R., Milner, A., LaMontagne, A. D., & Kavanagh, A. M. (2020). Does the effect of disability acquisition on mental health differ by employment characteristics? A longitudinal fixed-effects analysis. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 55, 1031-1039. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01783-x

Aitken, Z., Simpson, J. A., Gurrin, L., Bentley, R., & Kavanagh, A. M. (2018). Do material, psychosocial and behavioural factors mediate the relationship between disability acquisition and mental health? A sequential causal mediation analysis. International journal of epidemiology, 47(3), 829-840. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyx277

Aitken, Z., Krnjacki, L., Kavanagh, A. M., LaMontagne, A. D., & Milner, A. (2017). Does social support modify the effect of disability acquisition on mental health? A longitudinal study of Australian adults. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 52, 1247-1255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-017-1418-5 and University of Melbourne repository

Mithen, J., Aitken, Z., Ziersch, A., & Kavanagh, A. M. (2015). Inequalities in social capital and health between people with and without disabilities. Social Science & Medicine, 126, 26-35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.12.009