Microeconometric Analysis of Socioeconomic Inequity in Mental Healthcare

Investigators: Prof David Johnston, Prof Michael Shields, Dr Nicole Black, Prof Anthony Harris, Prof Dan Lubman, and Prof Martin Knapp

MARC members Prof David Johnston, Dr Nicole Black and Prof Dan Lubman are part of this research team that aims to describe the extent of socioeconomic inequity in Australian mental healthcare use, identify the causal pathways that drive inequities, and conduct economic evaluations of programs aimed at increasing healthcare access. Microeconometric methods will be used to analyse large, longitudinal datasets that have not previously used for this purpose. The project expects to provide a greater understanding of the barriers that people face in accessing treatment and how to overcome them. Such understanding is currently missing from academic literature and policy inquiries. Ultimately, the research should aid in the design of cost-effective policies that improve health outcomes and that reduce inequities in treatment access.

Project funder

Australian Research Council (ARC)