Loneliness and Rurality: Important Risk Factors for Young Australians' Mental Health

We are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis. Internationally, youth mental health is a recognised priority, with global prevalence of adolescent mental health disorders estimated to be 15%, and suicide recognised as the third leading cause of death for 15–29-year-olds (World Health Organisation 2024). Concerningly, in Australia, the reported rates are even higher. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2023) recently reported that in the 2020–2022 period, 38.8% of young people in Australia aged 16–24 years experienced a mental health disorder. In addition, suicide is recognised as the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15–24 years (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2024). These statistics are alarming and highlight the need for urgent action to improve mental health outcomes for Australian young people.