A study in Australia has revealed the severe impact of childhood maltreatment on mental health, attributing up to 40% of major mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts to such experiences. The research, which used extensive national data and robust analytical methods, indicates that addressing childhood maltreatment through comprehensive public health policies and preventive measures could significantly reduce the mental health burden in the country.
The analysis also found that if childhood maltreatment was eradicated in Australia, more than 1.8 million cases of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders could be prevented. The study also found the elimination of childhood maltreatment in Australia would, in 2023, have prevented 66,143 years of life lost and 118,493 years lived with disability, totaling 184,636 years of healthy life lost through mental health conditions.
The study made use of analytical methods to investigate the link between child maltreatment and mental health, which isolated other influential factors such as genetics or social environments. This provides stronger evidence that childhood maltreatment causes some mental health conditions.Mental health conditions are currently the leading cause of disease burden globally and affect 13 percent of the global population. In Australia, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people.