Socio-economic Differentials in Mental Disorders and Suicide Attempts in Australia

The social determinants of mental disorders & attempted suicide in Australia were examined. Data from the 1997 Australian National Survey of Mental Health & Wellbeing were used to estimate assocations between socioeconomic status, mental disorders, & attempted suicide. Significant increasing gradients from high to low levels of education & employment were evident for affective & anxiety disorders for men & women & for substance use disorders in men. Similar gradients were found for suicide attempts, which decreased after adjusting for mental disorders, but remained significant in the working-age employed. (29 refs.)