MENTAL illness and cardiovascular disease are just some of the prominent problems faced by Limestone Coast residents, according to the University of South Australia (UniSA) Department of Rural Health.
Through ongoing research and formation of the department’s largest health survey, Dr Matthew Leach and Associate Professor Martin Jones have highlighted the large gap between high levels of need and the lack of services available throughout the region.
The pair visited Mount Gambier this week to discuss the increasing amount of additional challenges currently faced within the local community at a public lecture.
Hoping to gather further participants for the survey which began in May this year, Dr Leach said they need around 400 people from Mount Gambier to take part in order to have a meaningful sample.
“We understand that the access to a range of services is often much more limited in the country and for that reason want to hear about people’s experiences and their level of satisfaction with what is on offer,” he said.
“There is an assumption people can just get up and go to Adelaide for an appointment, but if you have a family and work it is difficult.
“Often you might go to the city for a five or 10 minute appointment, that isn’t an efficient system for people to have to give up a whole day of work and pay for childcare.”
As the second largest population outside of Adelaide in South Australia, Prof Jones said Mount Gambier is a community that they really want to get to know.
“It is all well and good understanding the health of regional South Australia, but perhaps we need to also understand a bit better the makeup of the workforce around to look after these people,” he said.
Prof Jones said part of the solution is to encourage more allied health and nursing students to practice in Mount Gambier.
“The evidence tells us that if people come to the country and have a good time and experience country life they are much more likely to come back,” he said.
“We want to give these guys a great rural experience and if they are connected to the community they tend to come back and practice.”
The survey will run until December this year with anyone over 18 years old invited to take part.
Visit www.conversations-project.info to complete the survey online or call 1800 905 825 to request a printed copy be delivered.
