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• From the data available in 2001–2005, mental and behavioural disordersaccounted for:– 2.5 times as many deaths as expected in Queensland– 4.4 times as many deaths as expected in WA– 3.1 times as many deaths as expected in SA– 7.9 times as many deaths as expected in the NT (table 9A.4.46).More data on death rates for mental and behavioural disorders by age and gendercan be found in tables 9A.4.42–46.Mental health of prisoners and juveniles in detentionPrisonersData on the health of prisoners (including mental health) in Australia is sporadic,inconsistent and incomplete (AIHW 2001; AMA 2006). Indigenous prisoners’health data is almost nonexistent.From the few Australian and international surveys that have been conducted onprisoner health, the common finding is that prisoners have high rates of mentalillness and emotional or mental health problems (ABS 1998; Brooke et al. 1996;Butler 1997; Butler and Allnutt 2003; Butler and Milner 2003; Fazel and Danesh2002; Hockings et al. 2002; Victorian Department of Justice 2003). These surveysdo not take into account how the prison environment influences the mental health ofprisoners.The need for more representative data on prisoner health has been one of the mainfactors influencing the development of a minimum dataset for prisoner health.Minimum dataset development is being undertaken by the Prisoner HealthInformation Group. Progress by the working group includes a report examiningcurrent data sources on prisoner health and identifies data gaps and issues(AIHW 2006). Data from the minimum dataset for prisoner health will not beavailable for several years.Another source of data for future reports may be the National Deaths in CustodyProgram (NDICP) database. Six new variables were added to the NDICP database.Two of these new variables relate to prevalence of mental illness and type of mentalillness. These new variables have been added only for deaths that occurred after1996. The Australian Institute of Criminology may be able to provide these data byIndigenous status for future reports.FUNCTIONAL ANDRESILIENT FAMILIESAND COMMUNITIES

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