The mental health of rural Australians: developing a framework for strategic research

This paper argues that lack of adequate research is a barrier to the long-term improvement of the mental health and well-being of rural Australians. Following from national mental health policy, potential research avenues in four broad domains (prevention and early intervention, pathways to care, outcome of illness and aetiology) are defined. These four broad domains are interdependent and research into them can be brought together into a simple framework or model. This model could be used to guide research into rurality and mental health. The proposed model uses the inclusive concept of place to capture the potential complexities of the rural locale as a variable in mental health and disorder. The model's predictor variables include both risk and resilience factors, and the outcome variables extend beyond morbidity to positive psychological wellness. It is proposed that this provisional model, and the strategic research that it directs, will act as a useful counterpoint to the more immediate evaluation and resourcing needs that confront rural mental health.