Survey Targets Mental Health in Western Australia’s Construction Industry
The University of Western Australia’s Suicide Prevention and Resilience Research Centre (SPARRC) and a researchers have launched an Australian-first survey aimed at gaining deeper insights into mental health within the construction industry.
The study by Dr Joseph Carpini and Professor Gillian Yeo, from UWA’s Business School, and Dr Lisette Kanse and Dr Michael Kyron, from UWA’s School of Psychological Science, in collaboration with industry partner MATES in Construction will provide insight into factors contributing to suicide rates amongst construction workers – a rate which is twice that of other industries.
“Suicidal thoughts and behaviours, psychological distress, substance use and potential risk factors are all things that we are wanting to understand through this research,” Dr Kyron said.
Professor Yeo said by identifying personal and work-related factors that may contribute to poor mental health or suicide, the research would provide evidence-based recommendations for targeted interventions to allow proactive identification of at-risk individuals.
Dr Carpini said there were deeply entrenched barriers to accessing appropriate mental health-related support including stigma and a lack of awareness, both of which may inhibit construction workers from proactively seeking help or identifying colleagues who could benefit from help.
“Understanding how WA construction workers compare to the wider Australian population will provide a clear benchmark for the industry and help identify groups within the industry who are in most need of support,” Dr Kanse said.
The survey is open to all individuals working within the construction industry in WA, including tradespeople and non-trades job roles, with the research team hoping to recruit 10,000 participants from across the state to ensure a representative sample.
CEO of MATES in Construction WA Liam Cubbage, said understanding the psychosocial wellbeing of the construction workforce would provide valuable insights to guide targeted interventions.
“Without a clear understanding of the workforce’s needs, it is challenging to allocate resources effectively to address mental health issues,” Mr Cubbage said.
“By understanding the unique challenges faced by workers across all sectors of the industry, we hope to enable charities, businesses and services to ensure whatever resources are available are used to effectively improve psychosocial outcomes.”