FITZROY, Australia — Paramedics are faced with thousands of mental health-related emergency calls each year.
A new study from Australian research center Turning Point found that about 20 percent of Australian emergency calls are related to self-harm, mental health or substance misuse.
Numerous cases involved suicide attempts, accidental overdoses, anxiety, depression and psychosis.
The report took into account ambulance data for the 12 months of 2013.
“This report highlights the need for more open discussion about the significant impact of mental health on our community, and how we best implement the most effective prevention and treatment responses,” Director of Turning Point Dan Lubman said.
Head of Research and Workforce Development Belinda Lloyd said further research was needed to better identify and treat mental health issues at the frontline level and beyond, including the presence of alcohol and other drugs in mental health related ambulance calls.
“This work is world-leading in that it provides unique data that is timely, detailed and robust in its identification and monitoring of patterns and characteristics of acute self-harm and mental health cases nationally,” Lloyd said.