Analysis of Internet Access in Australia
A Household Panel Study Examining the Effects of Mental Health and Economic Disadvantage
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11228344 |
|---|---|
| Authors | D Nambiar (0009-0008-5639-4412, School of Psychology Deakin University Melbourne Australia, corresponding author), Lloyd Leach (0000-0002-5861-289X, Australian National University), Lay San Too (0000-0003-3549-9860, Melbourne Health), Peter Butterworth (0000-0002-1531-3881, Australian National University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-13 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Australian Journal of Social Issues (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0157-6321 • E-ISSN: 1839-4655 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/ajs4.70087 |
| OpenAlex | W4417299788 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 26 |
Digital mental health (MH) services can improve treatment accessibility, but people with poor MH often have lower internet access (IA) due to socioeconomic factors. As IA becomes essential, we examine if poor MH and socioeconomic status still hinder IA over 12 years in Australia. The HILDA survey collects annual data on demographics, health (including MH via the Mental Health Inventory‐5), IA, employment and financial circumstances from a nationally representative panel. Our sample included 14,955 individuals from 2011 to 2022, using polynomial regression models and margins plots to explore the link between IA, poor MH and household income. While the IA gap by MH status narrowed between 2011 and 2022, socioeconomic disadvantages (incomplete secondary education, low income and financial hardship) largely explained the lower IA rates. In 2022, there was a 9% IA rate difference between the lowest and highest income quintiles. Policymakers and healthcare services must address ongoing socioeconomic inequalities in IA to ensure digital platforms can provide universal access to MH services and treatment
Digital divide · Disadvantage · Inequality · Internet access · Mental health · Project commissioning · Sample (material · Socioeconomic status · The Internet · Digital Mental Health Interventions · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
The social determinants of mental health and disorder
Measuring the mental health status of the Norwegian population
The Covid-19 pandemic
Screening for mental health
Trajectories of psychological distress over multiple Covid-19 lockdowns in Australia
A Comparison of Self-Referral and Referral via Primary Care Providers, through Two Similar Digital Mental Health Services in Western Australia
The validity of the SF-36 in an Australian National Household Survey
Challenges and barriers in mental healthcare systems and their impact on the family
Protecting mental health during periods of financial stress
Financial hardship, socio-economic position and depression
| Highly cited | No |
|---|