Skip to main page content

• HOME
• Current
• Archive
• Feedback
• Subscribe
• Help

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Stansfeld, S. A. Articles by Booy, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stansfeld, S. A. Articles by Booy, R.

The British Journal of Psychiatry (2004) 185: 233-238
© 2004 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Ethnicity, social deprivation and psychological distress in adolescents

School-based epidemiological study in east London

Stephen A. Stansfeld, PhD, MRCPsych and Mary M. Haines, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London

Jenny A. Head, MSc

Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London and the Royal Free Medical School,london

Kamaldeep Bhui, MD, MRCPsych

Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London

Russell Viner, PhD

Department of Medicine, Royal Free and University College London Medical School

Stephanie J. C. Taylor, MFPHM, MRCGP, MD

Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London

Sheila Hillier, PhD

Department of Human Science and Medical Ethics, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London

Emily Klineberg, BPsychol

Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London

Robert Booy, MRCPCH, MD

Department of Health, Institute of Community Health Sciences, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, London UK

Correspondence: Professor Stephen Stansfeld, Department of Psychiatry, Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, Medical Sciences Building, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, UK. Tel: +44 (0)207 882 7727; fax: +44 (0)207 882 7924; e-mail: s.a.stansfeld{at}qmul.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background In adults the prevalence of psychological distress varies in different ethnic groups, and this has been explained by differences in socio-economic status. Is this also the case in adolescents?

Aims To examine whether ethnic differences in prevalence of psychological distress in adolescents are associated with social deprivation.

Method A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was used to assess 2790 male and female pupils, aged 11–14 years, from a representative sample of 28 east London secondary schools.

Results Rates of psychological distress were similar to rates in UK national samples in boys and girls. Bangladeshi pupils, although highly socially disadvantaged, had a lower risk of psychological distress (OR=0.63, 95% CI 0.4–0.9). Non-UK White girls had higher rates of depressive symptoms (OR=1.54, 95% CI1.1–2.2).

Conclusions High rates of depressive symptoms in non-UK White girls may be related to recent migration. Low rates of psychological distress in Bangladeshipupils in this sample relative to White pupils, despite socio-economic disadvantage, could be associated with cultural protective factors that require further investigation.

Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue

BJP 2004 185: 189-a11. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K Bhui, Y Khatib, R Viner, E Klineberg, C Clark, J Head, and S Stansfeld Cultural identity, clothing and common mental disorder: a prospective school-based study of white British and Bangladeshi adolescents J Epidemiol Community Health, May 1, 2008; 62(5): 435 - 441. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. M. Viner, C. Clark, S. J. C. Taylor, K. Bhui, E. Klineberg, J. Head, R. Booy, and S. A. Stansfeld Longitudinal Risk Factors for Persistent Fatigue in Adolescents Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, May 1, 2008; 162(5): 469 - 475. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. V.A. Van Oort, J. Van der Ende, A. A.M. Crijnen, F. C. Verhulst, J. P. Mackenbach, and I. M.A. Joung Ethnic Disparities in Mental Health and Educational Attainment: Comparing Migrant and Native Children International Journal of Social Psychiatry, November 1, 2007; 53(6): 514 - 525. [Abstract] [PDF]

				N. Dogra, P. Vostanis, H. Abuateya, and N. Jewson Children's Mental Health Services and Ethnic Diversity: Gujarati Families' Perspectives of Service Provision for Mental Health Problems Transcultural Psychiatry, June 1, 2007; 44(2): 275 - 291. [Abstract] [PDF]

				L. Hackett, L. Theodosiou, and J. Patel Service innovations: developing a service for the mental health needs of South-Asian children and adolescents Psychiatr. Bull., December 1, 2006; 30(12): 460 - 462. [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. Pantzer, L. Rajmil, C. Tebe, F. Codina, V. Serra-Sutton, M. Ferrer, U. Ravens-Sieberer, M.-C. Simeoni, and J. Alonso Health related quality of life in immigrants and native school aged adolescents in Spain. J Epidemiol Community Health, August 1, 2006; 60(8): 694 - 698. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ercan, A. Kevern, and L. Kroll Evaluation of a mental health website for teenagers Psychiatr. Bull., May 1, 2006; 30(5): 175 - 178. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]