Researchers are concerned that people with mental health conditions are not being provided with equal access to COVID-19 vaccines, amid calls for more data to be collected.
Professor Russell Roberts, the national director of Equally Well — an advisory group on mental health — said statistics paint a clear picture of inequity.
"People with mental illness have less contact with services generally and are a little bit more suspicious because often when they contact services, they're not treated with respect and dignity," he said.
"When someone with mental illness contacts a health professional, there's a focus on the mental illness and that overshadows people from general physical health care.
"It's hurting their health; they're being hospitalised and they're dying and it's completely preventable.
Farmer David* from north of Coffs Harbour, is one of an estimated three million Australians living with anxiety and depression.
He is currently unvaccinated, but said, "I believe in the technology and the science in vaccines".
He said his mental health, which has been impacted by a three-year-long custody battle, is the main reason he had chosen not to be vaccinated.
David said he spoke with his GP about his concerns.
"I was put onto a psychologist, but they were totally booked out and weren't taking on new customers and now I'm going through the process of trying to find someone else," he said.
"You're going through a situation where you're trying to get the truth be told. If something were to happen to me if I took that vaccine and I got a blood clot or got extremely sick from it, I'm the only one fighting this family court battle.
David said it would be good to have somewhere for people with mental health issues to raise their concerns that could be passed on to the state or federal government to consider.
"If there's 100,000 people in Coffs Harbour 16 and older, and only 90 per cent get double vaccinated, that's 10,000 people that aren't vaccinated," he said.
"Some of them would definitely be dealing with mental health issues."
Vaccine equity for most vulnerable
Statistics from the international Equally Well alliance show "people living with mental illness twice as likely to be hospitalised, experience long-term effects or die from COVID-19".
Professor Roberts said a "multi-level" solution involving health services proactively reaching out to people is needed.
"You've got to reach out with respect, and respect the person's autonomy and personal agency," he said.
"It'll relieve pressure on hospitals, which with COVID, are really under the pump.
"They (the federal government) should recognise this as an issue and prioritise it."
Those diagnosed with severe mental illness were prioritised in Phase 1b of the Commonwealth's vaccine rollout.
At a local level in southern NSW, Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive, Jill Ludford said initiatives have been in place that target vulnerable groups in the area.
"There's a mental health alliance across the Riverina region with 19 participants and we're very much working with our partners to opportunistically vaccinate these people," she said.
More data needed
In a 2021 University of Melbourne survey of 2,400 vulnerable Australians on vaccine coverage and hesitancy, researchers discovered that in the majority of cases vaccine recipients are not asked about their mental health.
Disability and health researcher, Zoe Aitken, said the lack of data is concerning.
Ms Aitken was worried that without more information it would be difficult to understand the possible implications of easing restrictions.
* Farmer David chose to not disclose his surname.
