title: The mental health of rural Australians: developing a framework for strategic research.
abstract: This paper argues that lack of adequate research is a barrier to the long-term improvement of the mental health and well-being of rural Australians. Following from national mental health policy, potential research avenues in four broad domains (prevention and early intervention, pathways to care, outcome of illness and aetiology) are defined. These four broad domains are interdependent and research into them can be brought together into a simple framework or model. This model could be used to guide research into rurality and mental health. The proposed model uses the inclusive concept of place to capture the potential complexities of the rural locale as a variable in mental health and disorder. The model's predictor variables include both risk and resilience factors, and the outcome variables extend beyond morbidity to positive psychological wellness. It is proposed that this provisional model, and the strategic research that it directs, will act as a useful counterpoint to the more immediate evaluation and resourcing needs that confront rural mental health.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rural Mental Health, Bendigo Health Care Group, Bendigo, Australia. fjudd@bendigohealth.org.au
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Judd
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: Gene
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hodgins
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jackson
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006293:Health Promotion; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D019035:Rural Health Services