Mental health disorders

Problem gambling is an emerging public health issue in Australia and around the world, with around 1.5% of the Australian population experiencing serious gambling problems that may require them to seek help.

The spill-over effects are significant. For each person with gambling problems it is known that between 7 and 10 others are adversely affected.

Flinders University has a recognised strength in research into the causes, prevalence, treatment and long-term effects of problematic gambling.

Our partnerships with Beyond Blue, Drug and Alcohol Services SA, the World Health Organisation Drug and Alcohol Section, the International Think-Tank on Gambling Research and other national and international groups and government departments are helping Flinders’ researchers develop validated assessment tools that will lead to continuous improvements in the management of behavioural addictions.

Lead - Professor Malcolm Battersby
Head of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Public Health

In Australia and internationally, people with mental illness die between 13 - 30 years earlier than the rest of the population. Issues of comorbidity create ongoing complications that current national and international recommendations on monitoring and management of physical health in people with severe mental illness struggle to overcome.

The life expectancy gap continues to widen. As an example, almost half of all cigarettes smoked in Australia, the US and the UK are consumed by people with mental illness. Smoking has led to a tenfold increase in the death rate from respiratory disease for people with schizophrenia alone.

Flinders University has research strengths in chronic condition self-management and care planning in community mental health settings. We are internationally recognised in the field of chronic condition management within diverse populations with both comorbidity and multimorbidity scenarios.

Lead - Professor Sharon Lawn
Professor, College of Medicine and Public Health

In Australia, it is estimated at least 1,000,000 people have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in any given year, yet only half of those seek therapy.

The 12-month prevalence of PTSD was placed as the most prevalent mental disorder, higher than anxiety, depressive and substance disorders, in the 2007 Australian Wellbeing Survey.

Flinders University research explores personalised approaches to standard treatment for clients with complex presentations by better individualising treatments to match their problems.

Activities within this theme also examine a stepped-care approach to PTSD, including increased accessibility of services by using online and telehealth methods.

If we can improve treatment for 10-15% of people who actually seek help, this means 50,000 – 75,000 PTSD sufferers will be better off in just one year.

Working with national and international partners ranging from headspace and Phoenix Australia to the National Center for PTSD (USA) will help us improve current treatments and develop new approaches for sufferers across their lifespan.

Lead - Professor Reg Nixon
Professor, College of Education, Psychology and Social Work