Table 1 Characteristics of mental health clients (MHCs) and non-MHCs at the start of follow up
Characteristic* | MHCs (n = 139,208) | Non-MHC (n = 294,180) |
|---|---|---|
Age, years, mean (SD) | 43.7 (18.6) | 45.1 (19.7) |
Sex, % male | 40.3% | 40.4% |
Indigenous status, % | Â | Â |
   Indigenous (excluding missing) | 5.7% (5.7%) | 2.1% (2.3%) |
   Non-Indigenous (excluding missing) | 93.9% (94.3%) | 87.9% (97.7%) |
   Missing | 0.4% | 10.0% |
Level of social disadvantage | Â | Â |
   Most disadvantaged (the lowest 10% of IRSD scores**) | 14.8% | 10.9% |
   More disadvantaged (10% to < 25%) | 18.7% | 15.8% |
   Little disadvantaged (25% to < 50%) | 25.4% | 23.6% |
   Less disadvantaged (50% to < 75%) | 18.5% | 20.1% |
   Least disadvantaged (75%+) | 22.6% | 29.6% |
Residential remoteness | Â | Â |
   Metropolitan WA | 68.6% | 73.0% |
   Rural WA | 22.7% | 20.6% |
   Remote WA | 8.7% | 6.4% |
Physical comorbidity (Charlson) score, mean (SD) | 1.28 (2.34) | 1.04 (2.24) |
Category of mental disorders (%) | Â | Â |
   Alcohol/drug disorders | 8.0% | - |
   Schizophrenia | 4.2% | - |
   Affective psychoses | 17.1% | - |
   Other psychoses | 6.7% | - |
   Neurotic disorders | 16.2% | - |
   Personality disorders | 2.5% | - |
   Adjustment disorders | 7.3% | - |
   Depressive disorders | 4.4% | - |
   Other mental disorders | 8.0% | - |
   In MHR but had no mental health diagnosis, including suicide attempts | 25.5% | - |