Data Release: Homelessness and Mental Health Data

Data released this week through the AURIN Workbench includes a range of datasets from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (AIHW)

The AIHW have opened access to this data for AURIN researchers after producing the Specialist Homelessness Services Annual Report 2017–18 

The report found that over 280,000 Australians were assisted by Specialist Homelessness Services in 2017-2018.  Most (57%) clients seeking assistance were housed but at risk of homelessness; most were living in private or other housing or public or community housing at the time.

The data that was generated from this reporting process has been cleaned, harmonised and released at a variety of geographic levels including GCCSA, LGA, PHN and the ABS statistical geographies.

This makes it easy for researchers to access and analyse the data alongside thousands of other datasets relating to population and demographics, health and well-being, and housing and property.  All free, spatialised, and research-ready.

The map above shows the Adelaide locality with homeless females aged 10-19 counts for 2017-2018 as SA3 polygons overlaid with mental health related presentations into emergency departments for all people aged 12-17 years for the 2017-2018 period.

Additional datasets from the AIHW include Mental Health Services data on emergency department presentations and overnight admittance for mental health reasons.

The data is sourced from the National Hospital Morbidity Database (NHMD) which is a compilation of episode-level records from admitted patient morbidity data collections in Australian hospitals. It includes demographic, administrative and length of stay data for each hospital separation. Clinical information such as diagnoses, procedures undergone and external causes of injury and poisoning are also recorded.

Mental health services in Australia (MHSA) provides a picture of the national response of the health and welfare service system to the mental health care needs of Australians.

Access to this data can enhance research into issues surrounding homelessness and links to mental health and wellness.  Providing the evidence base that researchers and policy makers need for their decision making.