beyondblue the national depression initiative beyondblue: the national depression initiative...

beyondblue the national depression initiative www.beyondblue.org.au

beyondblue: beyondblue: the national depression the national depression

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Presentation to Alzheimer’s Australia Presentation to Alzheimer’s Australia National ConferenceNational Conference

Living with Dementia: Positive SolutionsLiving with Dementia: Positive Solutions

Leonie YoungLeonie YoungChief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officerwww.beyondblue.org.au May 2005 May 2005

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/


•beyondblue is a national, independent, not-for-profit organisation working to address issues associated with depression, anxiety and related substance-use disorders in Australia.

•Endorsed by AHMAC, established in 2000 by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments, beyondblue is now supported by other State and Territory Governments, private companies and community-based organisations.

•beyondblue works in partnership with health services, schools, workplaces, universities, media and community organisations, as well as people living with depression, to bring together their expertise around depression – health promotion in action.

What is beyondblue?


1 Increasing community awareness of depression, anxiety and related substance-use disorders and addressing stigma

2 Working with people living with depression and promoting their needs and lived experiences of depression with policy makers in the healthcare system

3 Developing prevention and early intervention programs around depression

4 Improving training and support for GPs and other healthcare professionals around depression

5 Initiating and supporting depression-related research

beyondblue’s 5 priorities


beyondblue’s approachA snapshot of beyondblue programs across the lifespan

Antenatal & postnatal

Youth

Schools

Parents

Workplace

Older people

Post Natal Depression Project

beyondbabyblues

Ybblue campaign and Ybblue Crew

National Schools Research Initiative

Every Family Initiative

National Depression in the Workplace Program

Beyond Ageing Project

Maturityblues

Research Practice


“Report highlights growing dementia cases”

Six leading causes of years of life lost due to disability (YLD) 1996

0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0%

Diabetes mellitus

Hearing loss

Osteoarthritis

Asthma

Dementia

Depression

YLD as a % of total YLD

Source: Mathers, Vos & Stevenson (1999)


How common is depression in the Australian

community?Twelve-month prevalence of mental disorders in Australian adults

MALES FEMALES

Any depressive disorder 4.2 275,300 7.4 503,300

Any anxiety disorder 7.1 470,400 12.0 829,600

Any substance use disorder 11.1 734,300 4.5 307,500

Any mental disorder 17.4 1,151,600 18.0 1,231,500

% Population % Population estimate estimate

Source: Andrews G, Hall W, Teesson M, Henderson S. The mental health of Australians. Mental Health Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 1999.

Depression is common affecting 1 in 5 Australians: 1 million people at any one time


Prevalence of depression by age and sex (community cases)

Source: Andrews G, Hall W, Teesson M, Henderson S. The mental health of Australians. Mental Health Branch, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, 1999.

Who gets depressed?

1 in 6 males

1 in 4 females


Depression in the elderly

However…

•Major depression rates among older people with comorbid conditions up to 25-36%

•Prevalence rates of major depression among older people living in residential care have been reported as high as 26%, with rates of depressive symptoms reported as high as 40%

•High suicide rates identified among older men

•Ageing population – number of depressed older Australians expected to double by 2021


beyondblue Depression Monitor

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

%

18-24 25-34 35-44 40-54 55-64 65+

age group

Identification of depression as a major mental health problem in Australia by age group


beyondblue Depression Monitor

Older respondents (aged 65 and over) were less likely to assign highest ratings of disability to depression when compared with younger age groups:

•19.4% perceived depression affects 1 in 5

•25.9% perceived depression affects 1 in 20

•25% perceived depression affects 1 in 50


Prevalence of depression among elderly people in residential care

Number of cases

Percentage of sample

Diagnosis of Depression

Major Depressive disorder

Minor Depressive Disorder

Prescribed antidepressant medication

No incidence of depression

54

30

61

155

18.0

10.0

20.3

51.7

Total 300 100

(Centre for Health Risk Behaviours & Mental Health, Deakin University 2004)


•Currently no routine screening for depression in residential care

•ACAT mini-mental instrument not adequate

•Research found that depression instruments are valid indicators of major depression, including where moderate dementia is present

•Need for research into whether the routine use of depression instruments can result in improved outcomes for residents with depression

Screening for depression among older people


General satisfaction with health service providerbut poor engagement around non-physical symptoms:

“He (GP) is a very nice gentleman, but he’s too busy to spend much time with people”

“…more interested in the physical parts of me”

•Poor understanding of illness and low awareness of treatment

•Poor perception of improvements in mental state following treatment

Satisfaction with health services for depression


• Low level of literacy in the general population and among health care professionals and older people

• Chronic under-treatment of depression – older people the most vulnerable

• Failure to recognise and diagnose depressive symptoms

• Major depression often untreated or wrongly treated

• Nihilistic belief that depression ‘is to be expected’ in old age

The need for action


Prevention methods proposed:

• Increasing literacy about depression in old age

• Improving recognition/diagnosis in primary care

• Promotion of physical exercise to alleviate symptoms of mild to moderate depression

• Nutritional supplements

• Partnerships: Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care -increased training for GPs

Potential interventions


Beyond Ageing Project

•Largest research project into depression and the elderly

•Will examine whether vitamin supplements, exercise and improving knowledge of depression can prevent depression in older people


Other beyondblue research into depression and the elderly

•Caring for depressed older people in the emergency department

•Using physical activity to promote wellbeing in older people in the primary care setting

•An interdisciplinary approach to recognising and treating depression among older Australians living in residential care

•MAP Project: sector module for aged care workers


Where to now?•Beyond Ageing project

•Maturityblues/blueVoices- Training program on depression for staff in

aged care settings

- Research with elderly consumers and carers

- Increase community awareness and improve literacy

•Partnership with Alzheimer’s Australia and Baptist Community Care

beyondblue the national depression initiative beyondblue: the national depression initiative...

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