AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS (ABS)

NAME OF COLLECTION

The National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being (SMHWB)

OVERVIEW

The latest SMHWB was conducted in 2007 and collected information from people aged 16-85 years.

The survey provides information on the prevalence of selected lifetime and 12-month mental disorders by three major disorder groups: Anxiety disorders (e.g. Social Phobia), Affective disorders (e.g. Depression) and Substance Use disorders (e.g. Alcohol Harmful Use). It also provides information on the level of impairment, the health services used for mental health problems, physical conditions, social networks and caregiving, as well as demographic and socio-economic characteristics.

Data items within these topics are capable of being cross classified with Data Items Relevant to Migrants.

In 1997 the ABS ran the National Survey of Health and Wellbeing of Adults. Due to differences in how the data were collected, data from 1997 are not strictly comparable with the results from 2007.

DATA DETAIL

DATA ITEMS RELEVANT TO MIGRANTS AND ETHNICITY

• Country of birth
• Country of birth of father/mother
• Year of arrival
• Main language spoken at home
• Main language other than English spoken at home
• Proficiency in spoken English
  

OTHER DATA ITEMS COLLECTED

A full list of data items collected for the SMHWB is available in Technical Manual: National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Confidentialised Unit Record Files, 2007 (cat. no. 4326.0.30.002).

For further details on scope, geographic coverage, data availability and publications, methodology, classifications and concepts visit the National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being: Users' Guide, 2007.

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service.

Phone: 1300 135 070
Fax: 1300 135 211
Post: Client Services, ABS, GPO Box 796, Sydney 2001
Email: client.services@abs.gov.au