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August 6th, 2013 
Peter Nolan
Posted
A damning report has found the life expectancy for people suffering from a mental illness has not improved in 30 years.
The finding is in stark contrast to the advances made for Australians suffering from illnesses like heart disease and cancer.
Mental health expert Professor John Mendoza co-authored the report, which looks at mental illness in Australia over the past three decades.
He says Australia has made no progress in closing the gap in life expectancy for people who experience significant mental health disorders.
“So we’re talking different psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar and major depression,” Professor Mendoza said.
“If you experience that illness, this year in Australia your life expectancy is no better than when David Richmond completed his report on closing down institutional care in 1983.
“Now I can think of no other area of health care where we’ve got common conditions where that’s the case.”
The research also found mental illness is now the biggest contributor to disability in the country.
People are ‘falling through the cracks’
Professor Mendoza blames the grim state of mental health care on failures to invest in research and intervention.
“What we’ve really failed to do, is what we’ve done so well in areas like breast cancer, where we invested very sensibly in research, we’ve built our capacity and our knowledge to intervene much earlier.
“Now if you go into mental health, it’s a stark contrast, you do not have that infrastructure.
“You do not have that investment in research and you do not have the workforce to actually respond to the level of need that’s in our community.
“Your chances of getting coordinated care, effective care are dependant on where you live, your capacity to pay and your determination, or those of your loved ones, to actually get that care.”
This leads to people “falling through the cracks”, Professor Mendoza said.
Health and welfare lecturer Ingrid Ozols says she is an example of someone who benefited from a good treatment program.
“I have bipolar disorder, I have tried to take my life on several occasions, but I’ve been really lucky,” she explained.
“I’ve had great mental health care, and I know I’m in the minority. And that’s what’s helped me to become someone who can contribute to society.”
We need to reach out to our neighbours, reach out to a stranger and say ‘look, how are things faring?’
Doctors say targeting mental illness at work is crucial in reducing the number of people becoming acutely unwell and needing hospital treatment.
“I have a colleague who once said it’s OK to be nosy. We’re such a good society at being disconnected, we need to be more connected than ever,” Ms Ozols said.
“We don’t have the extended families like we used to so we need to reach out to our neighbours, reach out to a stranger and say ‘look, how are things faring?’
“And then we need to learn the skills, how do you have a brave conversation?”
A greater focus on self care and programs that teach sufferers how to keep mentally well are the main way to improve the system, Ms Ozols said.
Topics:
suicide,
welfare,
mental-health,
health,
australia
Source Article from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-06/mental-health-life-expectancy-hasnt-improved-in-30-years/4868526
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