Is headspace making a difference to young people’s lives?

Appendix C
Regarding gender, in both groups males are relatively under-represented (with a magnitude of around
10 percentage points) relative to females in the intervention group compared to the entire population.
Figure C2 Sex distribution – hCSA and intervention survey group
Source: Authors calculations from headspace intervention survey data and hCSA data.
Conversely, native-born Australians, those from native-English speaking as well as from non-
Indigenous background are relatively over-represented in the headspace survey intervention group
compared to the entire population (results not shown). The distribution of individuals across states
is relatively uniform in the intervention group and the entire population as is, to an extent, the degree
of disadvantage of the localities where the individuals come from, as captured by SEIFA scores.
However, those in the intervention group have a higher representation in major city residential origin
group, and a lower representation in outer regional group, compared to the entire population.
Mental health measures
Mental health and behaviour are recorded as the primary presenting issue at first visit for the majority
of clients in headspace intervention groups and in the population as a whole (Figure C3). Just over
80% of those in both intervention groups and around 72% in the entire population present with
mental health and behaviour issues at their first visit.
Figure C3 Primary issues at first visit
Source: Authors calculations from headspace intervention survey data and hCSA data.
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