The University of New England will lead a $7 million research project on rural mental health, with funding of $4.8 million contributed by the Federal Government through the Collaborative Research Network (CRN) program.

 

The Collaborative Research Network for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Rural Regions will work with five partners - Universities of NSW, Sydney, Newcastle, and La Trobe, and Hunter New England Area Health Service - to expand rural health strengths, and feed into the education of health professionals and better rural mental health services.

 

CRN activities will build links with rural communities and health providers in NSW and Victoria, with a focus on investigating and improving mental health and wellbeing.

 

Studies show that people living in rural regions and remote areas tend to be in poorer health than those in urban areas. There is excessive mortality in rural areas related to mental health disorders, and differences in morbidity rates are linked to access to services and quality of life for those suffering from mental health disorders.