Skip navigation

Custom Search

Youth Facts and Stats

Mental health

Risks to health: The potential consequences of risk taking by young people

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' publication Australian Social Trends 2008 contains a section titled 'Risk taking by young people'.

Besides  providing statistics on drinking at risky levels, hospitalisation due to  drug use and acute alcohol intoxication, use of illicit drugs, dangerous  driving, injury and death from transport accidents, and violence, the section,  'Risk taking by young people' also examines some of the potential consequences  of this risk taking, providing statistics on:

The burden of disease and injury

Levels of death and disability from diseases, injuries and risks to health (known as the burden of disease and injury) are measured using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The potential years of life lost due to premature death are combined with the potential years of 'healthy life' lost due to disease, disability or injury - one DALY is equal to one lost year of healthy life.

In 2003, the total burden of disease and injury among young people aged 15-24 years was an estimated 197,000 DALYs.

The largest individual risk factors contributing to DALYs for young males:

  • illicit drugs: 12%
  • alcohol: 11%

Individual risk factors contributing to DALYs for young females:

  • illicit drugs: 5%
  • alcohol: 2%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Australian social trends, Cat. no. 4102.0, viewed 2 October 2008, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Chapter5002008.

Mental health and psychological distress

Young people who experience mental health problems and disorders are at a greater risk of poor health and wellbeing outcomes than other young people. Mental health problems and disorders may lead to increased substance use and antisocial behaviours.

The 2004-05 National Health Survey collected information on mental health from people aged 18 years and over.

The proportion of young people aged 18-24 years who reported high to very high levels of psychological distress in the five weeks prior to interview:

  • young women: 19%
  • young men: 12%

The prevalence of risky/high risk drinking (at least once a week during the 12 months prior to interview) among:

  • young women who had reported high to very high levels of psychological distress: 18%
  • young women who reported low to moderate levels of psychological distress: 9%

The prevalence of risky/high risk drinking (at least once a week during the 12 months prior to interview) among:

  • young men who had reported high to very high levels of psychological distress: 19%
  • young men who reported low to moderate levels of psychological distress: 19%

Causes of death

Over the period 2004-2006, the average number of deaths of young people (aged 15-24 years) registered was:

  • young men: 955 per year, (equivalent to rate of 66 per 100,000)
  • young women: 389 (equivalent to rates of 28 deaths per 100,000).

'External causes' was the main underlying cause of death for young people, and was much more common (70% of all deaths in this age group) than among people aged 25 years and over (5%).

Intentional self-harm and suicide

Intentional self-harm refers to a range of behaviours including cutting, poisoning and attempted suicide. It is likely that only a small number of young people who harm themselves will seek medical treatment.

In  2005-06, number of hospital separations for intentional self-harm among people  aged 15-24 years:

  • 8,040

In 2005-06, rates of hospital separations (per 100,000) for intentional self-harm among people years:

  • for young women aged 15-24: 392, (in 1998-99: 294).
  • for young men aged 15-24: 171, (in 1998-99: 165)
  • female teenagers aged 15-19 years: 481 (highest rate for all age groups)
  • male teenagers aged 15-19 years: 148
  • women aged 20-24 years: 307 (second-highest rate for all age groups)
  • men aged 20-24 years: 193

Deaths attributed to suicide

In 2004-2006, deaths per year attributed to suicide (average):

  • among people aged 15-24 years: 266 (20% of deaths in this age group)
  • among people aged 25 years and over: 1% of deaths in this age group.

The suicide rate (deaths per 100,000) for young people aged 15-24 years: 9 (lower than most of the other age groups).

For a death to be classified a suicide, there must be a coronial enquiry to  establish evidence of suicidal intent. The quality of suicides data can be  affected by delays in completion of coroners' cases, and there can be difficulty  in determining suicidal intent for some causes of death, for example in cases  of single vehicle accidents. For these reasons it is unclear whether the number  of suicides could be an undercount. For more information see the Australian  Bureau of Statistics document, Suicides,  Australia, 2005 (cat. no. 3309.0), viewed 10 October 2008, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3309.0Main+Features12005?OpenDocument

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2008, Australian social trends, Cat. no. 4102.0, viewed 2 October 2008, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Chapter5002008.


Young Australians aware of mental health risks associated with substance use

Results from a national survey of almost 3,800 young Australians and around 2,000 of their parents indicate that both groups are aware of the mental health risks associated with substance use among young people. However, given current high rates of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis use among young Australians, those who conducted the survey noted that this awareness is not necessarily leading to changes in young people's substance use behaviour.

The survey was conducted by researchers from the ORYGEN Research Centre at the University of Melbourne to inform their study of the beliefs of young people (aged 12 to 25 years) and their parents about the links between substance use and mental health problems. All participants completed a telephone survey in which they were presented with one of four case study vignettes about a young person with either psychosis, social phobia, depression or depression with alcohol misuse. Over 85% of those surveyed believed that alcohol, tobacco and marijuana would have been harmful to the young people presented in the vignettes, while over 80% of young people recognised that refraining from excessive drinking or marijuana use would reduce the chances of developing mental health problems such as those described in the vignettes.

Findings from the study indicate that media campaigns highlighting the links between substance use and mental illness are not sufficient to reduce substance use among young people. Instead, future campaigns need to address young people's perceptions of their own vulnerability to developing mental health problems and how substance use can affect this.

This study was published in the 3 September edition of the Medical Journal of Australia: http://www.mja.com.au

Source:
Lubman, D.I., Hides, L. & Jorm, A.F. 2007, 'Beliefs of young people and their parents about the harmfulness of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco for mental disorders', Medical Journal of Australia, v.187, n.5, pp.266-69.
Australian, 3/09/07, p.2.
Herald Sun, 3/09/07, p.7.
Adelaide Advertiser, 4/09/07, p.14.

Back to top

Young Australians: Their health and wellbeing 2007

Part Two of this report, produced by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, contains data on the health status and outcomes of young Australians. It includes a selection of data on mental health among this age group. These data were largely drawn from the Australian Bureau of Statistics: 2004 to 2005 National Health Survey.

Selected findings:

  • In 2004 to 2005, approximately 12% of young males aged 18 to 24 years and approximately 19% of females of the same age reported experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress (measured according to the Kessler 10 scale of psychological distress).
  • In the same period, there were 47,372 hospital separations for mental and behavioural disorders among 12- to 24-year-olds. This figure represents 16% of separations for mental and behavioural disorders among all age groups and 8% of all separations for 12- to 24-year-olds in 2004 to 2005.
  • Among young males, the leading causes of hospital separations for mental and behavioural disorders were psychoactive substance use (24%), schizophrenia (20%) and depression (13%). Among young females, depression (19%), eating disorders (14%) and psychoactive substance use (12%) were the leading causes of hospital separations for mental and behavioural disorders. Self-poisoning (80%) and self-harm by sharp object (15%) were the leading cause of hospital separations for intentional self-harm among young Australians.
  • In 2003 to 2004, young Australians aged between 12 and 24 years made more than one million contacts with community mental health services. This equates to 20% of all service contacts made during this period.
  • In 2004 to 2005, there were 7,874 hospital separations due to intentional self-harm among 12- to 24-year-olds. Approximately 71% of these separations were for females.
  • While hospital separation rates for intentional self-harm decreased by 4% for 12- to 24-year-old males between 2000 to 2001 and 2004 to 2005, they increased by 27% for young females over this period.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2007, Young Australians: Their health and wellbeing 2007, AIHW, Canberra [viewed 13/06/07].

Back to top

Report: 'Not For Service: Mental Health Services in Australia', 2005

The report, Not For Service: Experiences of Injustice and Despair in Mental Health Care in Australia was released on 19 October 2005 by the Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) and is the most significant report on mental health care in Australia for over a decade.

According to the MHCA, this report captures the persisting, distressing and daily experiences of inadequate mental health and community care. It details personal stories of people with mental illness, and their families and carers.

The report can be downloaded from the MHCA's website [viewed 18/01/2007].

Back to top

Self-harm in adolescents, 2004

In January and February 2004, Kids Help Line had 870 callers who were harming themselves. (Kids Help Line is a free, national telephone and internet counselling service for young people aged 5–18.)

A study by the Australian Institute of Suicide Research and Prevention called 'Who Are the Kids who Self-harm?' was published in the Medical Journal of Australia in August 2004. The study was conducted in 2002 to measure the extent of self-harm among 3,757 students in Year 10 and 11 in 14 high schools on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Of those surveyed, 464 reported a 'lifetime history' of self-harm, in which self-cutting and overdosing were the most common methods.

Of the 1,800 young women interviewed, 200 had self-harmed in the previous year, significantly outnumbering the young men (33 out of 1,943).

The main methods of self-harm were:

  • self-cutting (138 respondents, 59.2%) and
  • overdosing with medication (69 respondents, 29.6%).

Source: 'Who are the kids who self-harm? An Australian self-report survey' [viewed 18/01/2007] Diego De Leo and Travis S Heller, Medical Journal of Australia 2004, vol.181, no.3, pp.140–4. Weekend Australian, 21–22/08/04, p.20.

Back to top

Mental health problems, 2001

Mental health problems, including drug dependence disorders, are the major burden of disease for young Australians.
Of people aged 13–17, 13.4% of males and 12.8% of females were diagnosed with a mental health problem. In 1997, the prevalence of a mental disorder among 18–24-year-olds was 27%.

Source; Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004, Australia's Health 2004, cat. no. 44, AIHW, Canberra, p.187 [viewed 18/01/2007].

Back to top

Prevalence of affective disorders, 1999–2002

Affective disorders comprise depression, dysthymia, mania, hypomania and bipolar affective disorder. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, depression comprised the majority of the affective disorders suffered by Australians in 1997. 92% of all males and 83% of all females with an affective disorder suffered from depression.

Percentage of people aged 18–24 with an affective disorder in 1999: 6.7%
… of females: 10.7%
… of males: 2.9%

Prevalence of depressive disorders in children and adolescents in 1998:

Percentage of the
population		 6–12 13–17 Total
Males 3.7 4.8 4.2
Females 2.1 4.9 3.2
Total n.a. n.a. 3.7

Community mental health care service contacts per 1,000 population, with a principal diagnosis of depression, 2001–02*:


Less than 15 years 15–24 years

Number
Males 5,421 18,813
Females 6,684 37,911
Total 13,031 58,024

Per 1,000 population
Males 3.4 29.1
Females 2.7 13.9
Total 3.3 21.9



* The rate per 1,000 is a crude rate based on the Estimated Resident Population at 31 December 2001. The data should be interpreted cautiously because of incomplete coverage and inconsistencies in the definition of a service contact between jurisdictions.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2004, Mental Health Services in Australia 2001–02, Mental Health Series no. 5, AIHW,Canberra, Publication catalogue [viewed 18/01/2007]. Back to top

Anti-depressants prescribed to patients under 20 years old, 2002/2003

State 2002 2003
NSW 69,325 78,876
QLD 50,198 56,049
VIC 48,676 55,753
WA 22,543 25,975
SA 19,383 20,621
TAS 6,114 7,153
ACT 5,525 5,855
NT 67 63
Source: Health Insurance Commission, quoted in the West Australian, 16/05/04, p.9.

Back to top

National Health Survey, 2001

Young women aged 18–24 who reported suffering high levels of psychological distress during the four weeks before interview: 5.4%
… Young men: 2.7%

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004, Year Book Australia 2004, cat. no. 1301.0, ABS, Canberra, Health chapter [viewed 18/01/2007].

Back to top

The mental health of young people in Australia, 2000

Percentage of young people in Australia with mental health problems: 14%
Number of young people with mental health problems who receive professional help: 1 in 4
Number of young people with severe mental health problems who receive professional help: 50%

The findings of the child and adolescent components of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing are presented in a report described as 'the first reliable, national information on the burden of mental illness in children and adolescents aged 4 to 17'. It reveals that mental health problems experienced by a relatively large number of young people in Australia cuts across all age and gender groups, but are more prevalent among low-income, step/blended and sole-parent families.

Adolescents with mental health problems reported a high rate of suicidal ideation and other health-risk behaviours, including smoking, drinking and drug use. The report highlights how complex and wide-ranging these problems are in young people's lives and how there is a need for more services to assist them, together with joint policies across services to provide coordinated programs.

Source: Sawyer M.G., Arney F.M., Baghurst P.A., Clark J.J., Graetz B.W., Kosky R.J., Nurcombe B, Patton G.C., Prior M.R., Raphael B, Rey J, Whaites L.C. and Zubrick S.R., 2000, Mental Health of Young People in Australia: Child and Adolescent Component of the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being, Mental Health and Special Programs Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care.

Back to top