Australian women who seek counselling: Psychosocial, health behaviour, and demographic profile

Abstract

Despite high rates of psychological distress in the Australian community, particularly among middle-aged women, use of counselling and psychological services is relatively low. This study examined self-reported use of counselling in the previous year among a population-based sample of 11,201 Australian women aged 50–55, and describes the profile of women who seek counselling. Using multivariate analyses to control confounding, women who had consulted a counsellor/psychologist/social worker in the previous year (6.9%) were found to have increased odds of higher stress, life satisfaction, and perceived control, and lower optimism. They also had higher odds of: experiencing more life events over the previous 12 months, changed health status compared with a year ago, taking more prescribed medications, living in urban versus rural areas, having university versus no formal education, living alone or with others rather than with a spouse/partner, and having ancillary versus full private health insurance. This multivariate profile is discussed in relation to the delivery, marketing, and accessibility of counselling services in the Australian community. The implications for counsellor training and the future development of the profession are also discussed.

Keywords:

• Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health
• counselling
• middle-aged women
• national survey
• psychosocial factors

Acknowledgements

The research on which this paper is based was conducted as part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, by the University of Newcastle and the University of Queensland. We are grateful to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing for funding and to the women who provided the survey data.