title: Mental health, service use and social capital among Indian-Australians: findings of a wellbeing survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Indian-Australians represent a distinct immigrant group both demographically and culturally. Yet, despite an expanding body of research on transcultural mental health in Australia, there is a paucity of studies regarding mental health of Indian-Australians. This paper explores the extent of psychological morbidity and related service use in a representative sample of Indian-Australians. It further examines the association of mental health with social participation and networking in this ethnic community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures to assess current levels of psychological distress, functional disability, service use, and social capital were administered in a random sample of 71 Indian-Australian family groups living in Sydney.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Amongst participants, 15% reported high to very high levels of psychological distress. Psychological distress was associated with increased days of functional disability and higher levels of functional impairment, and an increased likelihood of a GP consultation. However, 91% of participants with identifiable mental health needs did not seek any mental health consultation. Social capital was not found to be a significant predictor of psychological health or service use in this sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Psychological morbidity in the Indian-Australian community is associated with high levels of functional disability, both in number of days and extent of severity, but only a small proportion seeks mental health help.
authors.affiliation: Concord Centre for Mental Health, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales and NSW Institute of Psychiatry, Sydney, NSW, Australia. drrajmaheshwari@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maheshwari
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Steel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012917:Social Adjustment; D058992:Social Participation / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*