The impact of mental health in the workplace

The impact of mental health in Australia is significantly increasing with data showing that 4 million people were estimated to have experienced a common mental health disorder in 2015 and over $9 billion was spent on mental health in 2015-16. With rates of reported mental health issues on the rise in Australia and a lack of resources to keep up with the demand – are there enough initiatives in place to tackle the problem? 

Mental Health is defined by the World Health Organisation as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

The ‘stepped care’ approach

The Australian government recently developed the ‘mental health stepped care model’, which focuses on matching a person experiencing mental health issues to the intervention level most suited to them. Research has shown that using a stepped care approach, with treatments that become progressively intense dependent on a patient’s diagnosis, have been successful, with recovery rates ranging from 40 – 60%.

The stepped care approach involves the following four core elements:

1. Stratification of the population into different ‘needs’ groups, ranging from the whole of population needs for mental health promotion and prevention, through to those with severe, persistent and complex conditions.
2. Setting interventions for each group – this is necessary because not all needs require formal intervention.
3. Defining a comprehensive ‘menu’ of evidence-based services required to respond to the spectrum of needs; and
4. Matching service types to the treatment targets for each needs group and commissioning/delivering services accordingly.

Mental Health in the workplace

Studies have shown that there is a growing prevalence of mental health issues in the workplace. Technology company Medbio recently conducted Australia’s biggest mental health check in and found that a third of employees were affected by some form of mental illness. 36% of respondents were suffering from depression, 33% from anxiety and 31% from stress. The program used 100 profiling questions and captured heart rate data using wearable devices from approximately 3,500 employees across 41 separate organizations.

It was found that depression is Australia’s primary mental health disorder and is estimated to cost Australia $12.6 billion a year. According to Medibio board member, Michael Phelps, actions such as the mental health check in are designed to “make it easier, more accessible and standard practice to undertake a mental health check” and “equips individuals to take action on their mental health.”

Looking after your mental health is often something that can be taken for granted, and it’s been estimated that one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness at some point in their lives. Numerous everyday stressors and factors can trigger a mental health episode in a person, and it’s important to take the time to put your health and wellbeing first.

A Master of Mental Health at Southern Cross University is designed to prepare graduates for work within a range of health settings and disciplines. The course enhances one’s understanding of mental health and psychiatry while building the skills to respond to patients experiencing mental health challenges effectively.