Using the first wave of the BNLA study (about 2,400 humanitarian migrants), this study linked traumatic events before migration and stresses after arrival to PTSD and serious distress. Stresses after arrival made the link between past trauma and poor mental health stronger.
Topic: Data and measurement
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Fact sheet: Suicidality among culturally and linguistically diverse communities
A short fact sheet from the national suicide prevention peak body. It says data on suicide in CALD communities is patchy or missing, and highlights higher risk for refugees and people seeking asylum.
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If We Don’t Count It… It Doesn’t Count! Towards consistent national data collection and reporting on cultural, ethnic and linguistic diversity
An issues paper arguing that Australia collects data on cultural, ethnic and language diversity poorly and inconsistently, including in health and mental health services. It calls for national data standards.
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Building a New Life in Australia (BNLA): The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants
A ten-year study (2013–14 to 2023) that followed about 2,400 people who arrived on humanitarian visas, covering settlement, health and mental health. Researchers can apply to use the data, and it underpins many Australian refugee mental health studies.
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Cultural and Linguistic Characteristics of People Using Mental Health Services and Prescription Medications, 2011
Links 2011 Census data with Medicare (MBS) and PBS records to show who uses subsidised mental health services and medicines. People who spoke a language other than English at home were less likely to use Medicare mental health services, and use was especially low among people born in Asian countries.
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Cultural diversity: Census, 2021
Census data on country of birth, ancestry, languages spoken at home and religion across Australia. It is the key source for describing the size and make-up of multicultural and multifaith communities.
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The State of Multicultural Mental Health in Australia: Research Report
A national report on the mental health of people born overseas. It found recent arrivals had the highest rates of mental health conditions among overseas-born people, that access and continuity of care were uneven, and that co-designed, culturally tailored programs work better; it sets six priority areas for action.
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National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020–2022
Australia’s main survey of how common mental disorders are; about one in five people (21.5%) had a mental disorder in the past year. The headline release does not break results down by country of birth or language, but researchers can apply for the detailed microdata.
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Dementia in Australia: Dementia among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
A section of AIHW’s national dementia report focused on people from CALD backgrounds. It shows that about half of CALD people with dementia living in the community did not speak English well or at all, which matters for assessment and care.
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Suicide & self-harm monitoring: Migrants and refugees
National data on suicide among people who came to Australia as humanitarian entrants and other permanent migrants. Rates were lower than for the whole population but rose with time spent in Australia, and humanitarian entrants had higher rates than other permanent migrants.