SYDNEY, Jun 23 (NNN-AAP) – Poor mental health has become the norm for half of Australian women, according to a new report, released by the Liptember Foundation, in collaboration with the Sydney-based George Institute for Global Health.
The survey of over 7,000 Australian women found, 52 percent experience depression, 44 percent anxiety, 39 percent body image issues, and 30 percent insomnia, a media release, based on the report from the George Institute for Global Health, said.
The main factors driving mental health issues among women are, low self-esteem, financial pressures, feelings of low self-worth, and ongoing sleep deprivation, the media release said.
The study highlights especially high rates of psychological distress among women with physical health conditions, like polycystic ovarian syndrome or endometriosis, and among those experiencing menopause or perimenopause, where 37 percent report depression or anxiety, it said.
Young women, aged 14-19, are experiencing a sharp increase in body image concerns, with nearly two-thirds affected this year, compared to just under half the previous year.
Reports of suicide or self-harm among this group have also climbed, reaching 25 percent this year, after previously standing at 16 percent, the media release said.
“Much of women’s burden, such as caring for others, juggling work and home duties, and struggling to meet impossible beauty standards, are invisible, but they still have a significant impact on their psychological wellbeing,” said clinical psychologist, Professor Bronwyn Graham, co-author of the report.
Barriers, such as cost and a tendency towards self-reliance, continue to hinder access to care, prompting calls for urgent policy action, like gender-responsive services, a national screening programme for expectant mothers, and more affordable mental health support, the media release said.– NNN-AAP
