RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW. A national survey examining social determinants and risk and protective factors for mental illness, suicidal ideation and self-harm in young Australians

Funded Activity Summary

This MRFF-funded project seeks to understand what is driving worsening mental health, self-harm and suicidal ideation in young people across Australia, and to offer potential solutions. Specifically, this project seeks to answer the following broad research questions: What are the social determinants and broad protective factors associated with mental ill-health, suicidal ideation and self-harm in young Australians? What are the individual-level/ proximal risk and protective factors associated with mental ill-health, suicidal ideation and self-harm and how do these fluctuate in the short term? What macro-level policies and individual-level interventions are most likely to reduce mental ill-health, suicidal ideation and self-harm in young Australians over the near-to-medium term? The project involves three distinct studies: A national survey to investigate the social determinants and protective factors associated with mental ill health, suicidal ideation and self-harm in young people. Recruitment (n=3000) for this component will be managed through the Roy Morgan consumer panel and respondent database, as well as third party suppliers. A multi-site EMA (ecological momentary assessment) study to collect real-time data on the in-the-moment risk and protective factors for mental ill health, suicidal ideation and self-harm in young people. These participants (n=100) will be drawn from the larger pool of survey respondents, with the study to be conducted over three sites (Vic, ACT and NSW) in 2024. A modelling study to identify which interventions are likely to have the most impact on mental ill-health, suicidal ideation and self-harm among young Australians based on dynamic systems modelling of data from studies 1 and 2. The model will harness systems thinking and modelling, simulation and data assimilation to deliver an interactive decision support infrastructure tool to inform policy development, service planning and implementation at both a national and regional level.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2023

End Date: 01-01-2025

Funding Scheme: Funding Scheme not available

Funder: MRFF

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

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ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

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