The mental health of young people with disabilities: impact of social conditions.
BACKGROUND
Young people with disabilities have poorer mental health than their non-disabled peers. However, people with disabilities are more likely than others to experience financial hardship and low social support, both of which have been linked with poor mental health outcomes. This article explores the extent to which the relatively poor mental health of young people with disabilities is related to the social conditions in which they live.


METHODS
Secondary analysis was performed on Wave 6 (2006) of the survey of Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA). This nationally representative sample included 3,392 young Australians, aged 15-29, of whom 475 reported having a long-term health condition, impairment or disability.


RESULTS
Young people with disabilities reported poorer mental health than their non-disabled peers. However, this relationship was moderated by both social adversity and social support, with minimal differences in mental health observed between the groups under conditions of high social support and low financial hardship.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that disability represents a potential adversity that may be exacerbated or ameliorated by the effects of wealth/financial hardship and social support.


CONCLUSIONS
It may be possible to improve the mental health of disabled people by addressing their social exclusion.
Honey
Anne
A
Australian Family and Disability Studies Research Collaboration, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, P.O. Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW, 1825, Australia. a.honey@usyd.edu.au
Emerson
Eric
E
Llewellyn
Gwynnyth
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D010379:Peer Group; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D012924:Social Conditions; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult