title: The cost of healthcare for children with mental health difficulties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Childhood mental health difficulties affect one in every seven children in Australia, posing a potential financial burden to society. This paper reports on the early lifetime individual and population non-hospital healthcare costs to the Australian Federal Government for children experiencing mental health difficulties. It also reports on the use and cost of particular categories of service use, including the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) mental health items introduced in 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) were used to calculate total Medicare costs (government subsidised healthcare attendances and prescription medications) from birth to the 8th birthday associated with childhood mental health difficulties measured to 8-9 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Costs were higher among children with mental health difficulties than those without difficulties. While individual costs increased with the persistence of difficulties, population-level costs were highest for those with transient mental health difficulties. Although attenuated, these patterns persisted after child, parent and family characteristics were taken into account. Use of the MBS-reimbursed mental health services among children with a mental health difficulty was very low (around 2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Australian healthcare costs for young children with mental health difficulties are substantial and provide further justification for early intervention and prevention. The current provision of Medicare-rebated mental health services does not appear to be reaching young children with mental health difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Parenting Research Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Nina.Lucas@anu.edu.au
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lucas
authors.forename: Jordana K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Bayer
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.forename: Fiona K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Mensah
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canterford
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wake
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Westrupp
authors.forename: Jan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000191:economics*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Australia; child; early intervention; healthcare costs; mental health