Women without children are 1.3 times more likely to seek mental health support each year compared to mothers, a new study has found, prompting calls for further research into the relation between mental health service use and motherhood status.
The findings come from a study, conducted by the University of Queensland, which analysed data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, representing more than 6000 women over a 20-year period.
The study divided the women into four categories: mothers (84.3 per cent), women voluntarily without children (3.8 per cent), women experiencing medical infertility (5.6 per cent), and women experiencing “social infertility”, meaning a lack of a suitable partner (6.3 per cent).
Women without children were seen to use mental health services at an increasing rate, rising from 7.4 per cent in 2007 to 16.5 per cent in 2022.
Mental health service use increased for all women, regardless of parental status, with the data showing it rose from 6.3 per cent in 2007 to 13.5 per cent in 2022.
“Overall, 3,391 of the women analysed – or 53.3 per cent– used mental health services at least once during this period,” said lead researcher Dr Chuyao Jin, from UQ’s School of Public Health.
Looking at fertility rates, Dr Jin said there has been a global decline by more than half, with 4.8 births per woman in 1950 to 2.2 per woman in 2021.
“Understanding the health implications of this demographic shift is increasingly important,” said Dr Jin.
“Although several studies have linked women without children to having poorer mental health, few have explored mental health service use by motherhood status.”
While the study reflects a step forwards in service access, Dr Jin notes that this doesn’t mean the treatment is always effective.
“We need to shift the focus to whether these services address the diverse needs faced by women without children,” she says.
Pointing to the role of isolation on women’s mental health, Professor Gita Mishra AO, Centre Director of the Australian Women and Girls’ Health Research said many women without children experience greater social pressure and likely greater social exclusion than women with children.
Especially around the holidays, Professor Mishra says “many women face stress with family and friends, but for women who are involuntarily childless, it can be isolating and difficult, and it’s important to know that support is available.”
“Women can access mental health support through an appointment with a GP and asking for a subsidised Mental Health Treatment Plan for up to 10 treatments a year.”