Rethinking Accessibility in Light of the Orange Declaration: Applying a Socio-Ecological Lens to Rural Mental Health Commissioning

The prevalence of mental illness is a critical public health issue. In Australia, the prevalence of mental illness is similar across all settings, however, people living in rural and remote areas experience worse outcomes than their urban counterparts. Access to mental health services is critical, however, the notion of accessibility needs to be understood in the context of the uniqueness and variability of the rural experience.

Citation:
Coleman M, Cuesta-Briand B, Collins N. Rethinking Accessibility in Light of the Orange Declaration: Applying a Socio-Ecological Lens to Rural Mental Health Commissioning. Front Psychiatry. 2022;13.

Keywords:
Accessibility; commissioning; mental health; orange declaration; funding; reward; rural area; social capital; Western Australia

Abstract:
The prevalence of mental illness is a critical public health issue. In Australia, the prevalence of mental illness is similar across all settings, however, people living in rural and remote areas experience worse outcomes than their urban counterparts. Access to mental health services is critical, however, the notion of accessibility needs to be understood in the context of the uniqueness and variability of the rural experience.