Causes And Determinants Of Mental Health Issues Among Young Adults In Adelaide: An Essay.

Identifying and analysing of the problem

Mental health issue is one the most significant issue which many people are facing around the world (Kontoangelos, Economou and Papageorgiou 2020 Page no. 491). This issue causes the impairment of the cognitive and behavioural issue. Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being since it involves striking the right equilibrium in our thinking, emotions, behaviour, and interpersonal interactions. A mental illness is a significant or long-term disturbance in all of these that has an adverse effect the daily lives (Esterwood and Saeed 2020, Page no._1123_). Mental health is a broad and intricate term. It has an impact on how individuals perceive, experience, act, and communicate with others. As a result, mental health encompasses something more than the elimination of psychological illness.

If an individual continues to face mental issues, they develop psychological disorder. According to the World health organization it defined a mental health more than absence of cognitive ability (Who.int 2022, Page no._1___). There are several risk factors which can cause mental health issues among the individuals. One of major cause of mental health is disability which is ranging from not so severe to life-threating (Levin 2019, Page no._128_). The continuous economic pressure is another cause of mental health trauma.

In Australia more than half of the population is facing mental health issues. 1 out every Australian face mental health disorder. An estimate of 45.5% of adults and the numbers are increasing day-by-day (YourSay 2022, Page no.__1_). The most frequent mental and behavioural illnesses identified in the community are despair and stress, emotional problems which including depressive episodes, and substances addiction abnormalities. Conditions such a dementia, Alzheimer disease and other psychological disease are increasing these days in Adelaide among the elderly individual. In contrast, in younger adults more behavioural and cognitive changes are visible which are increasing concern regarding their bodily health (Ashdown-Franks et al. 2018 Page no._. 4__). The complexity of a child's early settings, as well as the provision of essential activities at the relevant developmental stages, are important determinants of health and wellness, encompassing psychological health. Children's prospects of a seamless transition to college, positive educational results, decent education, occupation, and overall health and wellbeing in adolescence are considerably improved by solid relationships that encourage optimum early childhood education. Unemployment is frequently linked to poor psychological disorders, panic, melancholy, suicidal behaviour, and parasuicide, but less so to cardiac illness, pulmonary illness, and other chronic diseases. (Reference _ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no. 6). Around 26% of the youth adults in Adelaide is suffering with mental issue (Government of South Australia 2022, Page no. _1__).  ( words 400-450)

Mental health in Australia has not fared well, especially among young people (Niles 2020, Page no. _325__). Mental health problems are still leading to be Australia's leading burden in terms of nonfatal disease, with the percentage of 14% among the teenagers which is 4–17 years and the percentage of 26% among the young adult 16–24 years reporting a mental health problem. In terms of health-risk behaviour among young Australians, 11 percent (ages 14–19 years) smoke, 25% (ages 5–17 years) are overweight or obese, 24% (ages 14–19 years) drink alcohol on a weekly basis, and 62 percent (ages 15–24 years) participate in very little, or no exercise (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2022 Page no._1_). The mental health status among the young adults in Adelaide rose from 18.7% in 2012 to 22.8% in 2016 (Missionaustralia.com.au 2022 Page no._5_).  Therefore, these young adults need support for coping up with mental stress. In this study, young adults are determined as the target group.  

Defining the target group

There are several contributing factors which are such as a socio-economic change, unemployment, jobless home, developmentally vulnerable.

Index of relative social- economic disadvantage: The IRSD measures overall Australian municipalities' socio - economic condition and indicates regions of vulnerability. The IRSD assigns a value to each region based on a demographic 's characteristics, such as limited wealth, lower levels of curriculum related, lack of recruiting and selection opportunities, and work in low-skilled professions. It indicates the demographic's aggregate or median degree of inferiority in a certain location. Due to the fact that the number is an aggregate, it is likely to diminish perceived and actual disparities amongst persons in a given region, including throughout areas of the city. With average IRSD rankings of 993 and 950, Greater Adelaide areas have become less impoverished than counterparts in Country South Australia. (Reference___ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016 Page no._4

Figure: Socio- economic condition of Adelaide

(Source: Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no._4__)

Developmentally Vulnerable: Provincial South Australia had a larger percentage of children classified as intellectually susceptible which accounts to be 25.4 percent vs. 23.2 percent, corresponding than Greater Adelaide. Furthermore, there are clear spatial patterns of inferiority. In Greater Adelaide, the areas with the greatest numbers of children identified as developmentally fragile underneath this index include the outer suburbs which is greater Adelaide 36.2 percent. (Reference _ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no. 5)

Figure: Developmentally vulnerable individuals in Adelaide

(Source: Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no._ 5)

3. Unemployment: Economically inactive individuals are more likely to have neurological and psychological health conditions for ill health. Greater Adelaide's unemployment rate in June 2014 was 6.8%, while Regional South Australia's rate was 7.4%, both significantly higher than the general population of 5.9% for the June quarter of 2014. The north-west, outer north, and outer south of Adelaide have the highest unemployment rates. The areas are illustrated in map 5. (Reference _com.au 2016, Page no._ 6_)

Figure: Unemployment in Adelaide

(Source: Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no. 6)

Jobless Home: Children who do not have a working parent are much more likely to face financial hardships and have inferior health and wellbeing results. The link between being born into an unemployed household and becoming poor is complex. Children from families that rely primarily or substantially on authority for their wages have the poorest adequate financial resources, and they are more likely to have worse educational success and mental health and their more economically fortunate people. (Reference _ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no._7)

In the Maps provided below shows the status of the students living in a jobless home above 15 years old. In comparing the data of the Australia with the south Australia, a higher percent is noticed for the 15 years old living in a jobless home the number goes to 15.2% for south Australia and 13.9% for the entire Australia. In Adelaide the percentage is around to be 14.8% which id again a little lower than the entire south Australia. The maps provided below shows in details the distribution of children living in jobless homes across Greater Adelaide highlights the social segregation noted in preceding maps, with significant discrepancies in centralized between the most disadvantaged and least disadvantaged areas. This is highlighted especially in Map 7. The children constantly emotional damage because of constant argument in the home without any financial earning.   (Reference _ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no._ 7)

Defining the causes of the causes

Figure: Childrens living in a Jobless Home

(Source: Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no._ 7)

Existing mental health condition in Adelaide: In Greater Adelaide around 15.7 percent for males and 13.3 percent for females and Regional Western Australia which is around 16.8 percent and 14.0 percent, respectively, the approximated fraction of the community experiencing a mental and behavioural disorder was considerably larger for females than for males. The greatest male percentages in Greater Adelaide were predicted to be 19.8%. (Reference _ Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no.__13_)

Figure: Existing mental health status of Adelaide

(Source: Atlasesaustralia.com.au 2016, Page no. _13_)

A range of services are offered to the people of South Australia which is supported by the Government of South Australia. Help is provided to the individual is the call of number – 13 14 65, this number is exclusively available for the south Australian every day for 24 hours (Sahealth.sa.gov.au 2022, Page no._1_).

In 2018–2019, a GP provided therapeutic mental health treatment to 9% of the Australian community, a commercial psychiatrist provided clinical mental health treatment to 2% of the citizenry, and a governmental specialized service provided clinical mental health treatment to 2% of the community (Australia Government Department of Health, 2022, Page no.1).

According to 2017- 2018 mental health data, one in every five Australians (20.1%) is diagnosed a mental or behavioural condition, 

Which is around four million Australians. An approximated 4.0 million people in Australia which is 17.5 percent) revealed suffering a brain or behavioural situation in 2014-15. 

The much more common anxiety-related problems were documented by 2.6 million persons which is 11.2 percent of the total population, preceded by emotional and efficacious illnesses, including depressive episodes, which have been observed by 2.1 million individuals which is 9.3%. A severe anxiety problem and a temper effective and useful condition was reported by one in every twenty Australians which is 5.1 percent. Women remain to have higher rates of depression and anxiety disorders than men, with 19.2 percent, especially in comparison to 15.8 percent. The Australian government have already have enacted the in the year of 2011- 12. The agreement has allowed several NGOs to work with the government and improve the health status of the youth suffering from a mental health issues (Australia Government Department of Health 2022, Page no.__1__).  (150-200 words)

From the above analysis the problem statement which can be identified in the following is “Mental health among the youth in increasing day by day in Adelaide, South Australia and because of Mental health issues several other health concerns are also increasing”.  (50-100 words)

References:

Ashdown-Franks, G., Williams, J., Vancampfort, D., Firth, J., Schuch, F., Hubbard, K., Craig, T., Gaughran, F. and Stubbs, B., 2018. Is it possible for people with severe mental illness to sit less and move more? A systematic review of interventions to increase physical activity or reduce sedentary behaviour. Schizophrenia research, 202, pp.3-16.

Atlasesaustralia.com.au, 2016. An atlas of mental health conditions in South Australia: Population patterns of prevalence, risk factors, service use and treatment. [online] Atlasesaustralia.com.au. Available at: <https://atlasesaustralia.com.au/mental_health/Mental_health_report_FINAL.pdf> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Australia Government Department of Health, 2022. Department of Health | A National Partnership Agreement on Mental Health. [online] Australia Government Department of Health. Available at: <https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/nmhr11-12~nmhr11-12-priorities~Partnership> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022. Australia's youth: Mental illness - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. [online] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Available at: <https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/mental-illness> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Esterwood, E. and Saeed, S.A., 2020. Past epidemics, natural disasters, COVID19, and mental health: learning from history as we deal with the present and prepare for the future. Psychiatric quarterly, 91(4), pp.1121-1133.

Government of South Australia, 2022. Mental Health Act 2009. [online] SA Health - Government of South Australia. Available at: <https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/about+us/legislation/mental+health+act+2009#:~:text=The%20Mental%20Health%20Act%202009,and%20participation%20in%20community%20life.> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Kontoangelos, K., Economou, M. and Papageorgiou, C., 2020. Mental health effects of COVID-19 pandemia: a review of clinical and psychological traits. Psychiatry investigation, 17(6), p.491.

Levin, J., 2019. Mental health care for survivors and healthcare workers in the aftermath of an outbreak. In Psychiatry of pandemics (pp. 127-141). Springer, Cham.

Missionaustralia.com.au, 2022. Youth mental health report Youth Survey 2012-16. [online] Missionaustralia.com.au. Available at: <https://www.missionaustralia.com.au/publications/youth-survey/706-five-year-mental-health-youth-report/file> [Accessed 1 April 2022].

Niles, F.S., 2020. Stress, coping and mental health among immigrants to Australia. In Merging past, present, and future in cross-cultural psychology (pp. 293-307). Garland Science.

Sahealth.sa.gov.au, 2022. Mental health and mental illness | SA Health. [online] Sahealth.sa.gov.au. Available at: <https://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/conditions/mental+health+and+mental+illness/mental+health+and+mental+illness> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

Who.int, 2022. Mental health. [online] Who.int. Available at: <https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_1> [Accessed 19 February 2022].

YourSay, 2022. New SA Health Mental Health Services Plan. [online] YourSay. Available at: <https://yoursay.sa.gov.au/new-sa-health-mental-health-services-plan> [Accessed 19 February 2022].