Where Australia’s Better Access scheme has had an impact on mental health: A commentary on Jorm (2018)

Abstract

In a recent paper, Professor Jorm (2018) concluded that there was no discernible impact of the Better Access Scheme on the mental health of the Australian population. In making this conclusion, Jorm focussed on two population metrics, namely, the prevalence of psychological distress as measured by the K10 and the annual suicide rate. He argued that the increased use of mental health services after the introduction of Better Access had no detectable effect on either measure. K10 data, however, significantly varied during periods that align with changes in Better Access. Furthermore, for several reasons, the annual suicide rate is not a reasonable metric to assess the influence of Better Access on population health. While it is undoubtedly important to evaluate the Better Access initiative, that evaluation should occur in the context of the intended purposes of Better Access.