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Health care reform

National Study to Investigate Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children Aged 4-17 Launched by Curtin University

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Curtin University will lead a comprehensive study to understand the mental health and wellbeing of children and adolescents in Australia. The study, titled Young Minds: Our Future, will receive an $8.1 million investment from the Albanese Government to provide an updated understanding of the mental health of this age group. This study aims to inform and improve mental health services for children and adolescents, as well as establish benchmarks to track progress towards better mental health and wellbeing outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study will focus on children and adolescents aged 4-17, an age group that has not been comprehensively studied in a decade, with the last study being Young Minds Matter.
  • The study aims to address the increasing demand for mental health services and the emergence of more complex mental ill-health in children and adolescents.
  • Young people aged 16-24 have the highest rate of mental ill-health across all age groups, with nearly 40% experiencing mental ill-health in the past 12 months, with anxiety disorders being the most common.
  • The study will involve consultation with young people who have lived experience of mental ill-health and their carers, as well as collaboration with child and adolescent mental health experts across Australia.
  • Researchers at Curtin University will partner with experts from the University of Queensland to design the study and collect data.
  • The study will inform the planning and improvement of mental health services for children and adolescents and provide benchmarks to track progress towards better mental health and wellbeing outcomes.

Statistics:

  • Almost 40% of young people aged 16-24 experienced mental ill-health in the past 12 months.
  • Anxiety disorders are the most common mental ill-health issue among young people.
  • Children and adolescents under the age of 16 lack comprehensive mental health data, making the study's findings particularly important to inform services for this age group.

Sources:

  • Euclid Infotech Pvt. Ltd., distributed by Contify.com (2024)

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