title: Women's uptake of Medicare Benefits Schedule mental health items for general practitioners, psychologists and other allied mental health professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify women's uptake of Medicare Benefits Schedule mental health items, compare characteristics of women by mental health service use, and investigate the impact on Medicare costs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis of linked survey data and Medicare records (November 2006 - December 2007) of 14 911 consenting participants of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH) across three birth cohorts (1921-1926 ["older cohort"], 1946-1951 ["mid-age cohort"], and 1973-1978 ["younger cohort"]).
  
  
  METHODS
  Uptake of mental health items; 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Mental Health Index scores from ALSWH surveys; and patient (out-of-pocket) and benefit (government) costs from Medicare data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A large proportion of women who reported mental health problems made no mental health claims (on the most recent survey, 88%, 90% and 99% of the younger, mid-age and older cohorts, respectively). Socioeconomically disadvantaged women were less likely to use the services. SF-36 Mental Health Index scores among women in the younger and mid-age cohorts were lowest for women who had accessed mental health items or self-reported a recent mental health condition. Mental health items are associated with higher costs to women and government.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although there has been rapid uptake of mental health items, uptake by women with mental health needs is low and there is potential socioeconomic inequity.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia. julie.byles@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Julie E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Byles
authors.forename: Xenia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Dolja-Gore
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Loxton
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Parkinson
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Stewart Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016390:Allied Health Occupations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011584:Psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors