Blind spots in Australian bipolar disorder surveillance: Limitations of population-based and consumer needs surveys

Population-based surveys provide a critical means of characterising the prevalence, burden, lived experience, service use and unmet needs associated with bipolar disorder, including among people who may not be engaged with formal healthcare services. However, existing Australian survey efforts are often cross-sectional, outdated and affected by important sampling and ascertainment biases. Administrative and linked datasets can provide complementary information on service use and outcomes, but their reach is constrained by the absence of an integrated national data system and their reliance on contact with health and other services. Consequently, current surveillance approaches provide an incomplete picture of bipolar disorder in Australia. Despite its considerable burden, substantial unmet need persists in diagnosis, treatment and service provision, even though many people with bipolar disorder can achieve recovery with timely and appropriate care. In this Perspectives–Viewpoint article, we argue that more inclusive, longitudinal and co-designed national surveillance is needed to accurately characterise bipolar disorder and generate the evidence required to guide investment, service planning and reform.