The Australian and New Zealand journal of psychiatry
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Aust N Z J Psychiatry · Apr 2002
Psychiatry and the need for mental health care in Australia: findings from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.
This paper describes the pattern of consultations reported with psychiatrists and primary mental health care providers in the Australian adult population. It explores whether inequalities found in utilization of psychiatric services according to area are different in degree from inequalities in utilization of medical and surgical specialists,and describes the meeting of perceived needs for mental health care within those seen by psychiatrists. ⋯ Most care delivered by psychiatrists is de facto shared care. Psychiatrists as clinical professionals need to be continually mindful of the need to communicate with others providing care. Psychiatric services in Australia are not delivered in an equitable manner,and the inequalities are greater for psychiatric services than for other medical specialties.