Survey to gather 2020 vision of mental health and wellbeing in Australian media, marketing and creative industry

Everymind has today launched The Mentally Healthy 2020 national survey to further understand mental health and wellbeing in Australia's media, marketing and creative industry.

This major follow-up study launched in partnership with Never Not Creative and UnLtd follows a 2018 survey completed by more than 1,800 participants, which aimed to bring transparency to mental health issues affecting individuals working in the sectors.

Everymind’s Acting Director Associate Professor Carmel Loughland said the new research will build on the 2018 data, which identified people working in the media, marketing and creative sectors as 20% more likely to show symptoms of depression and 29% more likely to show symptoms of anxiety than the general population.

“As an Institute dedicated to increasing understanding and prevention of mental ill-health and suicide through translational research, it is important for Everymind to follow up the 2018 survey with an updated snap shot of mental health across the industry,” she said.

“We want to provide our industry partner organisations with the most up-to-date and comprehensive data to help them work toward impactful change.”

Following the 2018 study, Never Not Creative and UnLtd partnered to form the Mentally Healthy Change Group, a group of industry volunteers working to tackle mental health issues. So far, the group has launched mentally-healthy.org, a website to provide easy access to information around mental health to people in the industry and introduced the Industry Minimum Standards for Mental Health.

Everymind’s Acting Program Manager for Mental Health and Research Dr Sally Fitzpatrick, encourages everyone aged 18 or over working in the creative, media and marketing industry to take part in the survey and give insight into how the workforce is faring in 2020.

“Mentally Healthy 2020 will measure industry changes over the past 18 months, and it will also investigate new questions around causes of stress, coping mechanisms, alcohol use, preferred methods of support and readiness to support others experiencing mental ill-health within the sector,” said Dr Fitzpatrick.

“In order to add to the evidence base in this area, it is vital that we evaluate - and seek to measure - changes in perceptions and attitudes based on the efforts for change within the industry.”

Results of the survey are expected to be released in the autumn.

More information about Mentally Healthy 2018, including a summary of key findings, is available here.