The changing impacts of social determinants on youth mental health in Australia

Bibliographic Data

ID7176451
AuthorsDavid Baker (0000-0001-7896-6217, Orygen, corresponding author), David G Baker (0000-0002-5507-0255, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia, corresponding author), Mengmeng Wang (0000-0001-6285-179X, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Kate Filia (0000-0001-6581-5890, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Shu Mei Teo (0000-0002-4563-7836, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Rikki Morgan (Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Myriam Ziou (0000-0002-8014-9117, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Patrick D Mcgorry (0000-0002-3789-6168, The University of Melbourne), Pat McGorry (Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Vivienne Browne (0000-0001-8932-5693, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia), Caroline X Gao (0000-0002-0987-2759, Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia)
Year2024
Volume71
Issue1
Pages116-128
Publication date2024-09-26
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Social Psychiatry (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-7640 • E-ISSN: 1741-2854
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00207640241280910
PMID39324670
OpenAlexW4402878815
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited40

Aims: Most lifetime mental health disorders begin by age 25 years, and the prevalence among young people has been increasing over recent years. We sought to understand what impact, if any, social determinants have had on this increase through the analysis of an Australian longitudinal dataset (with data from 2007 to 2021). Methods: The analysis focused on five social determinants: loneliness and lack of social support, family relationships, participation in education and employment, receipt of government benefits and relative socio-economic status. We analysed cross-sectional changes in self-reported psychological distress between 2007 and 2021 (using the Kessler-10 item; K10 scores) and examined the effects of these five social determinants on psychological distress using weighted linear regression models. Results: We identified a significant increase in psychological distress among Australians from 2007 to 2021, with the sharpest rise among those aged 15 to 25 years, who saw more than doubling in the percentage of high and very high K10. This period also saw an increase in the prevalence of social determinants such as loneliness and lack of social support, as well as poor family relationships, particularly in 2021 post COVID-19 pandemic. Regression models suggest loneliness and lack of social support had the most pronounced and increasing impact on psychological distress, followed by poor family relationships. Discussion: The observed significant and steady increases in psychological distress and related social determinant factors, particularly loneliness and lack of social support among young people, highlight the urgent need for comprehensive actions. Coordinated research and community-based initiatives are needed to deliver intrapersonal, interpersonal and socially-focused interventions with a holistic approach to support psychosocial wellbeing. Policymakers must adopt a comprehensive shift in political commitment and a whole-of-government approach to address these challenges

Distress · Government (linguistics · Loneliness · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychological distress · Psychological intervention · Receipt · Social isolation · Social support · Clinical Psychology · Health disparities and outcomes · Health, psychology, and well-being · Medicine · Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction · Psychology · Social Psychology · Gerontology