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Australians made more than 10 million visits to the doctor last year to get help for depression, anxiety or another mental health problem.
A new report on Australia's mental health services has found that one in every 10 GP appointments involve the management of a mental health condition, with a third concerned with depression.
Anxiety was the next most common problem, followed by sleep disturbance.
[...]
Jenny Hargreaves, from the institute's economics and health services group, said the findings match widely quoted figures showing one in five Australians experience a mental illness at some time in their lives.
"Mental illness is responsible for 13.3 per cent of the total burden of disease in Australia and so is clearly one of the most significant conditions for the nation," Ms Hargreaves said.
The report found that spending on state and territory mental health services increased by 5.2 per cent a year between 2001 and 2006, and now stands at $2.7 billion.
A new report on Australia's mental health services has found that one in every 10 GP appointments involve the management of a mental health condition, with a third concerned with depression.
Anxiety was the next most common problem, followed by sleep disturbance.
[...]
Jenny Hargreaves, from the institute's economics and health services group, said the findings match widely quoted figures showing one in five Australians experience a mental illness at some time in their lives.
"Mental illness is responsible for 13.3 per cent of the total burden of disease in Australia and so is clearly one of the most significant conditions for the nation," Ms Hargreaves said.
The report found that spending on state and territory mental health services increased by 5.2 per cent a year between 2001 and 2006, and now stands at $2.7 billion.
The article continues at the website. Given how little the US dollar is worth these days, at the current exchange rate A$2.7 billion = US$2.5 billion.
