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On World Mental Health Day, leading health organisations are urging people to check in with their mental and physical health and reconnect with their healthcare teams. 

鈥婽he聽Equally Well Alliance聽and the Australian Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance (ACDPA)聽are concerned聽the conditions surrounding聽coronavirus (COVID-19)聽are creating the perfect storm聽for聽mental and physical聽ill health.聽Both groups聽are encouraging聽Australians聽to prioritise their mental and physical wellbeing and聽take advantage of easing restrictions聽in Victoria聽to聽follow聽up any outstanding appointments.聽

鈥婸rofessor Malcolm Hopwood Chair of the聽Equally聽Well聽Alliance said聽the link between mental and physical illness is often overlooked聽and COVID-19 presents additional risks.聽聽

鈥嬧�淲e know that聽80聽percent聽of聽people with mental illness聽also聽have聽serious聽physical聽health conditions, like聽cardiovascular disease聽and聽diabetes,聽and聽they聽are聽five聽times聽more likely to die聽prematurely聽from聽cancer聽compared to the general population,鈥澛爃e said.聽

鈥婥OVID-19 is creating a new set of uncertainties that further exacerbate risk, due to the effects of social isolation and financial insecurity, as well risk factors like smoking, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diet.聽

鈥婣CDPA Chair聽Sharon McGowan added聽the link between physical and mental聽ill聽health聽goes both ways.聽

鈥嬧�淐hronic disease can increase risk of聽mental illness.聽Many聽people with聽chronic conditions like聽stroke,聽heart disease, diabetes,聽kidney disease聽and cancer聽experience anxiety or depression, and these conditions can have a significant social impact,鈥澛燤s McGowan said.聽

鈥婤oth groups聽are supportive of the聽government鈥檚 commitment to聽telehealth and聽the increased funding聽for聽mental health聽announced in the October budget, including聽doubling the number of聽Medicare-funded psychological services聽and聽investment in聽helplines and mental health聽services. However, they are concerned that聽links聽between mental and physical illness聽will聽still聽be missed.聽聽

鈥婨ach year, over 10,000 people with mental illness die from chronic physical health conditions聽鈥� equivalent to 28 people every day.聽This聽is more than the聽number of聽premature聽deaths from suicide and road accidents combined.聽

Professor Hopwood from the Equally Well Alliance urged health professionals, including mental health teams, to consider the whole patient 鈥� both physical and mental health.  

鈥嬧�淲e already have an epidemic of people with mental illness dying early from preventable chronic physical health conditions.聽With the impact of COVID-19 and the post COVID-19 context, this is likely to increase unless we take action now,鈥澛爃e聽said.聽

鈥婱s McGowan聽from聽ACDPA聽urged people to seek advice for any concerns聽via face-to-face or telehealth (video or telephone) consultations.聽

鈥淲e are worried that people聽may be聽putting off their regular聽medical appointments聽and not wanting to burden the health system,聽but it is important to pick up聽early warning聽signs聽to聽improve treatment聽options,鈥� she said.聽聽

鈥嬧�淐hronic聽conditions聽will聽continue to affect Australians聽long after the COVID-19聽storm聽has passed, and it is important聽that Australians聽are supported to聽receive the physical and mental care they need.鈥澛�

鈥妇辞飞苍濒辞补诲 .