A comparison of the reported use of involuntary treatment orders within Australian jurisdictions

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bobbie Clugston ◽  
Amy Young ◽  
Edward B Heffernan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Public Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Involuntary Treatment ◽  
Justice Department ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital

Objective: This paper identifies publicly available data about the use of involuntary treatment orders within Australia and considers whether this reporting is sufficient given the gravity of the intervention. Method: A search of mental health tribunal, health department and justice department annual reports was conducted to determine the use of involuntary treatment orders in Australia. Results: Reporting of involuntary treatment orders varied significantly across jurisdictions; for example, South Australia reported 11,570 distinct orders made during a 12-month period while the Australian Capital Territory reported 627 for the same period. Conclusion: The publicly available data for involuntary treatment orders in Australia is inadequate for jurisdictional comparisons. This concern should be addressed to enable transparent public reporting and facilitate benchmarking.

The effect of changes to Australian Capital Territory mental health legislation on rates of emergency detention

2021 ◽  
pp. 103985622199263
Author(s):  
Miriam Saffron ◽  
Deepa Singhal
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Period 2 ◽  
Mental Health Legislation ◽  
Health Legislation

Objectives: The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) changed from the Mental Health (Treatment and Care) Act 1994 (ACT) to the Mental Health Act 2015 (ACT) on 1 March 2016. The objective was to find the association between legislative changes and detention rates. Methods: A cross-sectional study of involuntary order rates in the period 3 years before the legislative change was undertaken. Chi-squared analysis was performed to compare proportions. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of Psychiatric Treatment Orders (PTOs) over the two periods, which could be impacted by the change from a period of detention for 7 days to a period of detention of 11 days in Period 2. On the other hand, the total number of Emergency Actions (EAs) increased in Period 2, where ambulance officers could detain patients. Conclusion: The change in mental health legislation in the ACT was associated with a change in detention rates, in particular a decrease in the proportion of PTOs and an increase in EAs. Further study needs to be undertaken, given changes to frontline supports since the study period ended.

Adolescents' Responses to Peers with Depression or Conduct Disorder

2006 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire M. Kelly ◽  
Anthony F. Jorm ◽  
Bryan Rodgers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Literacy ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Literacy Survey ◽  
Positive Social Support

Objective: To determine how young people are likely to respond to a peer with mental illness, or who has severe behavioural problems. Method: A mental health literacy survey was conducted with 1137 adolescents in years 8, 9 and 10 in South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory. Respondents were presented with a vignette of either a 16-year-old boymeeting criteria for conduct disorder or a 16-year-old girl meeting criteria for major depression. As part of the survey, respondents were asked to write in words what they would do if the person in the vignette was a friend of theirs and they wished to help. Responses were coded into categories. Results: Over half the sample (53%) described positive social support as the only action they would take to help. A further 23% said they would engage an adult such as a parent, teacher or school counsellor to help with the situation. Those responding to the conduct disorder vignette were more likely to describe engaging an adult to help and males were more likely to say they would do nothing. Female students tended to answer differently to the conduct disorder and depression vignettes, while male students responded similarly to the two vignettes. Conclusions: Many adolescents do not respond to friends' distress in ways which are likely to facilitate appropriate help. Mental health education in schools should include skills for offering help and encouraging peers to seek help.

Introducing the Journal's State Liaison Officers

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-164
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
South Wales

In this edition, the SLOs from Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales are featured. SLOs from other states will be featured in a forthcoming edition of the Journal.

scholarly journals Physical and Mental Health Effects of Bushfire and Smoke in the Australian Capital Territory 2019–20

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael M. Rodney ◽  
Ashwin Swaminathan ◽  
Alison L. Calear ◽  
Bruce K. Christensen ◽  
Aparna Lal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
Health Practitioner ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Eastern Australia

The 2019–20 bushfire season in south-eastern Australia was one of the most severe in recorded history. Bushfire smoke-related air pollution reached hazardous levels in major metropolitan areas, including the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), for prolonged periods of time. Bushfire smoke directly challenges human health through effects on respiratory and cardiac function, but can also indirectly affect health, wellbeing and quality of life. Few studies have examined the specific health effects of bushfire smoke, separate from direct effects of fire, and looked beyond physical health symptoms to consider effects on mental health and lifestyle in Australian communities. This paper describes an assessment of the health impacts of this prolonged exposure to hazardous levels of bushfire smoke in the ACT and surrounding area during the 2019–20 bushfire season. An online survey captured information on demographics, health (physical and mental health, sleep) and medical advice seeking from 2,084 adult participants (40% male, median age 45 years). Almost all participants (97%) experienced at least one physical health symptom that they attributed to smoke, most commonly eye or throat irritation, and cough. Over half of responders self-reported symptoms of anxiety and/or feeling depressed and approximately half reported poorer sleep. Women reported all symptoms more frequently than men. Participants with existing medical conditions or poorer self-rated health, parents and those directly affected by fire (in either the current or previous fire seasons) also experienced poorer physical, mental health and/or sleep symptoms. Approximately 17% of people sought advice from a medical health practitioner, most commonly a general practitioner, to manage their symptoms. This study demonstrated that prolonged exposure to bushfire smoke can have substantial effects on health. Holistic approaches to understanding, preventing and mitigating the effects of smoke, not just on physical health but on mental health, and the intersection of these, is important. Improved public health messaging is needed to address uncertainty about how individuals can protect their and their families health for future events. This should be informed by identifying subgroups of the population, such as those with existing health conditions, parents, or those directly exposed to fire who may be at a greater risk.

scholarly journals A new bottom-up method for the standard analysis and comparison of workforce capacity in mental healthcare planning: Demonstration study in the Australian Capital Territory

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0255350
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Furst ◽  
Jose A. Salinas-Perez ◽  
Mencia R. Gutiérrez-Colosia ◽  
Luis Salvador-Carulla
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Local Level ◽  
National Level ◽  
International Health ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Level Data ◽  
System Data ◽  
Workforce Capacity

The aims of this study are to evaluate and describe mental health workforce and capacity, and to describe the relationship between workforce capacity and patterns of care in local areas. We conducted a comparative demonstration study of the applicability of an internationally validated standardised service classification instrument—the Description and Evaluation of Services and Directories—DESDE-LTC) using the emerging mental health ecosystems research (MHESR) approach. Using DESDE-LTC as the framework, and drawing from international occupation classifications, the workforce was classified according to characteristics including the type of care provided and professional background. Our reference area was the Australian Capital Territory, which we compared with two other urban districts in Australia (Sydney and South East Sydney) and three benchmark international health districts (Helsinki-Uusima (Finland), Verona (Italy) and Gipuzkoa (Spain)). We also compared our data with national level data where available. The Australian and Finnish regions had a larger and more highly skilled workforce than the southern European regions. The pattern of workforce availability and profile varied, even within the same country, at the local level. We found significant differences between regional rates of identified rates of psychiatrists and psychologists, and national averages. Using a standardised classification instrument at the local level, and our occupational groupings, we were able to assess the available workforce and provide information relevant to planners about the actual capacity of the system. Data obtained at local level is critical to providing planners with reliable data to inform their decision making.

scholarly journals 1478Extreme daily numbers of general practice encounters of asthma and allergic rhinitis in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Waudby ◽  
Nicholas Osborne ◽  
David Muscatello
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
General Practice ◽  
Allergic Rhinitis ◽  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Grass Pollen ◽  
Pollen Season ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
Grass Pollen Season

Abstract Background Asthma affects approximately 11% of Australia’s population and allergic rhinitis 19%. Grass pollen is associated with asthma and allergic rhinitis exacerbations. This study tested the hypothesis that days with extreme numbers of general practice (GP) encounters for asthma and allergic rhinitis aligned with grass pollen season. Methods The MedicineInsight GP database contains longitudinal data on persons attending a sample of Australian GPs. We created time series of daily counts of asthma and allergic rhinitis encounters by state and territory to identify extreme encounter days; days with counts above the 99th percentile. Results Of 3,036,678 attendances during the study period, 2.4% were for asthma. There were 83 extreme encounter days during April to December, across Australia. Victoria and South Australia had the highest increase in attendances on extreme days. Allergic rhinitis encounters represented 0.9% of attendances. Of the 69 extreme allergic rhinitis encounter days across Australia, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory had the highest increase in attendances. Allergic rhinitis extreme days were clustered between mid-October and early December (72%), compared to 22% of the asthma extreme days. Conclusions Extreme asthma GP encounters were not as strongly associated with grass pollen season compared to allergic rhinitis encounters. Victoria had a high number of encounters on asthma and allergic rhinitis extreme days, many associated with thunderstorm asthma. Key messages Extreme asthma encounter days can be associated with cooler months, grass pollen season and school holidays. Extremes allergic rhinitis presentation days were aligned with grass pollen season.

New species of the oribatid mite genus Phyllhermannia Berlese, 1916 (Acari, Oribatida, Hermanniidae) from wet forests in south-eastern Australia show a high diversity of morphologically-similar, short-range endemics

Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2770 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
MATTHEW J. COLLOFF
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Oribatid Mite ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Australian Capital Territory ◽  
Australian Capital ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
New Diagnosis

This paper contains descriptions of sixteen new species of Phyllhermannia from temperate rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest in the Australian Capital Territory (P. namadjiensis sp. nov.), New South Wales (P. bandabanda sp. nov., P. colini sp. nov. and P. tanjili sp. nov.), Tasmania (Phyllhermannia acalepha sp. nov., P. craticula sp. nov., P. lemannae sp. nov., P. luxtoni sp. nov. and P. strigosa sp. nov.) and Victoria (P. croajingolongensis sp. nov., P. errinundrae sp. nov., P. gigas sp. nov., P. hunti sp. nov., P. leei sp. nov. and P. leonilae sp. nov. and P. sauli sp. nov.). A partial supplementary description and new distribution record is given for P. eusetosa Lee, 1985 from South Australia. Phyllhermannia dentata glabra Hammer, 1962 is elevated to specific status. Hermannia macronychus Trägårdh, 1907 and H. fungifer Mahunka 1988 are recombined to Phyllhermannia. A new diagnosis of Phyllhermannia is given and immature stages are described for the first time. Three species-groups are tentatively recognised: Acalepha, confined to Tasmania, Colini, found in the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and New South Wales and Eusetosa, found in Victoria and South Australia.

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