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Improving mental wellbeing and social connection

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The Victorian Government highlights mental health as an essential ingredient of individual and community wellbeing and points out that social isolation and loneliness can increase the risk of poor mental health (Victorian public health and wellbeing plan 2019–2023).

Most adults (aged 18 and above) in Boroondara are satisfied with their life (Figure 1) but fewer than half have low levels of psychological distress (Figure 2) according to the 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey. There was an increase in psychological distress in Boroondara between 2017 and 2020, during which time the proportion with high or very high levels of psychological distress went from 8.9% to 20.4%. There was also an increase across metropolitan Melbourne, and although its impacts cannot be separated from other factors – the COVID-19 pandemic and associated control measures may have played a role in this increase. 

In 2021, 3% of the 1,112 Boroondara children who commenced school had emotional or behavioural difficulties at the time (see School entrant health questionnaire on the Victorian Government website). This rate is considerably lower than the metropolitan Melbourne rate of 6.2%.

The 2021 Census was the first to measure long-term health conditions. It revealed striking differences in self-reported long-term mental health conditions by age group and sex (Figure 3).

Bar chart which shows the rate of self reported (in the 2021 Census) diagnosed mental health conditions by age group and sex for the Boroondara population. Females had higher rates than males in all age groups and the highest rate was 15.4% among females 18 to 34 years. The next highest rate is among females 85 and over. The lowest rate (less than 2%) is among males and females 0 to 11 years.

Figure 3: Self-reported rates of diagnosed long-term mental health conditions in Boroondara vary by age and sex. Data source: ABS Tablebuilder Pro, 2021 Census 

Indicators of social connection

The 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey suggests that while most Boroondara residents feel valued, and connect frequently with family and friends, some are perhaps more at risk of feeling isolated (Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7). 
 

Column chart which shows that 58% of Boroondara residents report that they definitely feel valued by society, 31% sometimes do and 8% never or rarely do. By contrast, 52% of metropolitan Melbourne residents definitely feel valued, 34% sometimes do and 11% never or rarely do.

Figure 4: Most Boroondara residents report that they feel valued by society, but almost one in 10 never or rarely do. Data source: 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey, published by the Victorian Agency for Health Information 2023

Column chart which shows that 94% of Boroondara residents and 95% of metropolitan Melbourne residents report having close friends or family that they talk to regularly

Figure 5: Around one in twenty Boroondara (and metropolitan Melbourne) residents have no close friends or family who they talk to regularly. Data source: 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey, published by the Victorian Agency for Health Information 2023
 

Column chart which shows that 35% of Boroondara residents speak to a friend every day, 48% do so a few times a week, around 17% do so less often. In metropolitan Melbourne, 34% of residents speak to a friend at least once a day, 45% do so a few times a week, and 20% do so less often.

Figure 6: Around 4 in 5 Boroondara and metropolitan Melbourne residents speak to friends at least a few times a week. Data source: 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey, published by the Victorian Agency for Health Information 2023
 

Column chart which shows that 24% of Boroondara residents speak to family every day, 51% do so a few times a week and more than 20% do so less often. By contrast, in metropolitan Melbourne 29% of residents speak to family at least once a day, 47% do so a few times a week, and 24% do so less often.

Figure 7: Around three quarters of Boroondara and metropolitan Melbourne residents speak to family at least a few times a week. Data source: 2020 Victorian Population Health Survey, published by the Victorian Agency for Health Information 2023
 


 

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