The BDQ asks participants whether they are limited in a number of activities, and whether they have cut down or stopped activities they were expected to do as part of their routine. Participants were then allocated a score characterising them as having a mild, moderate or severe disability, or none. This may partly reflect the emphasis the BDQ places on the physical rather than the mental aspects of disability. Combinations of disorders have a cumulative effect on disability. During the twelve months prior to interview.
Health service use Some people experience a mental disorder once and fully recover.
For others, it recurs throughout their lives or in episodes. The vast majority of mental illnesses are able to be treated if they have access to appropriate care and services 2 . The likelihood of using health services for a mental health problem was closely related to the type of mental disorder. For those with a disability, service use for mental disorders increased with the severity of the disability. These people may have consulted a health professional for a sub-clinical mental disorder such as stress, or for a mental disorder not included in the analysis of the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.