4364.0.55.001 - Australian Health Survey: First Results, 2011-12
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/10/2012 First Issue
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Good mental health is fundamental to the wellbeing of individuals, their families and the population as a whole. One indication of the mental health and wellbeing of a population is provided by measuring levels of psychological distress using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). The K10 questionnaire was developed to yield a global measure of psychosocial distress, based on questions about people’s level of nervousness, agitation, psychological fatigue and depression in the past four weeks [1]. In 2011-12, 70.1% of Australians (or 11.9 million people) aged 18 years and over experienced a low level of psychological distress according to the K10. Around one in ten adults (10.8%, or 1.8 million people) experienced high or very high levels of psychological distress, down from 12.0% in 2007-08 and 12.6% in 2001. Proportionally more females than males experienced high or very high psychological distress in 2011-12 (12.7% and 8.8% respectively), while in general, high and very high levels of psychological distress decreased slightly with age. For more information on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale see Psychological distress in the Glossary. ![]() Footnote(s): (a): Persons aged 18 years and over Source(s): Australian Health Survey: First Results Endnote(s): [1] Coombs, T. (2005) ‘Australian Mental Health Outcomes and Classification Network; Kessler -10 Training Manual’, NSW Institute of Psychiatry.
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