Category Archives: mental health

The Federal Budget and health: what’s on the table (or not)

May 8, 2012 – 11:41 am

Below is a short summary of items related to tonight’s Federal Budget and health: what is promised/likely; what has been asked for; and what seems to be missing. What is promised/likely in the federal budget • Expansion of the national bowel cancer screening program (Some reaction to this will follow in the next post.) • [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in alcohol, cancer, complementary medicines, Federal Budget 2012-2013, private health insurance, rural and remote health, tobacco control | Tagged , | Comments (1)

Where is the health sector when it comes to addressing poverty?

May 7, 2012 – 11:16 am

The Government’s pre-budget announcement of dental health funding is generating plenty of commentary from various health groups. The Consumers Health Forum is largely welcoming of the dental announcement, although noting some of the obstacles ahead, including that over 80% of Australia’s dentists work in private practice. The Doctors Reform Society is making similar “this is [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in dental care, Federal Budget 2012-2013, Health inequalities, health reform, Hospitals, social determinants of health | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

Efforts to minimise harm from media reporting of Breivik trial may have wider application

April 23, 2012 – 2:14 pm

The trial in Norway of Anders Behring Breivik for the murder of 77 people is generating some useful reflection about the role of media at times like this, and what can be done to minimise the suffering of those exposed to related coverage. If you’ve been following the tweets of Trygve Sorvaag (see a selection [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, Media-related issues, The Conversation, trauma | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

An important policy gap: mental health in early childhood

April 16, 2012 – 10:57 am

Mental health in early childhood (from birth to primary school age) deserves far more attention, according to a policy brief recently released by the Centre for Community Child Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. A summary follows below: Australia has seen significantly increased awareness of mental illness and a major increase in funding [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, social determinants of health | Comments (1)

Join a Twitter chat about involving children and parents in research and service development

April 11, 2012 – 11:41 am

Eva Alisic is a trauma psychologist, research fellow at Monash Injury Research Institute, blogger and Tweeter.  If you’ve ideas for how children and parents could be empowered to contribute to the design of mental health research and care, you might like to join her in a Twitter chat tomorrow afternoon. *** An invitation to contribute to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in child health, health and medical research, social media and healthcare, trauma, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

What helps GPs provide better care to patients with mental disorders? And what doesn’t?

March 30, 2012 – 3:59 pm

A Canadian study investigating the factors that help and hinder GPs in providing care to patients with mental disorders also rings many bells locally. Facilitators included being paid a salary or hourly fees, having longer time slots for consultations, having psychosocial mental health care teams based on site, and having access to multidisciplinary assessment, meetings and [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in general practice, health and medical research, Medicare Locals, primary health care | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Pets, and what they do for our health

March 8, 2012 – 7:11 pm

In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on research that may be of particular interest to pet-lovers. *** Pets and mental health: the relationship is not so straightforward Bradley Smith writes: Ever wondered if your pet is good for your mental health? Researchers conducted [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in primary health care | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Mental health reform: a global perspective on the barriers

March 6, 2012 – 4:11 pm

A global perspective on the facilitators and barriers to mental health reform has been published in PLoS Medicine, by South African researchers: Why Does Mental Health Not Get the Attention It Deserves? An Application of the Shiffman and Smith Framework. It examines why mental illness has not achieved visibility, policy attention, or funding, particularly in [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health, health reform | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Mental health and asylum seekers: what the authorities don’t want to know

February 27, 2012 – 6:04 pm

An FOI request by the NT News has revealed high rates of psychiatric medicine use among asylum seekers being held in detention. The article says Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) spokesman Sandi Logan did not say how many had seen a psychiatrist. Instead, he said detainees were being referred to psychiatrists by GPs “when [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in global health | Comments (3)

Chronic health problems and depression: what matters for patients

February 24, 2012 – 2:32 pm

In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports on a study investigating the relationship between chronic health problems and depression. The findings highlights the importance of maintaining quality of life for people with complex health problems.  *** The importance of patients’ perceptions in avoiding [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in chronic diseases, general practice, primary health care | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)