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 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 Skapinakis, P. Articles by Williams, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Skapinakis, P. Articles by Williams, G.

Mental health inequalities in Wales, UK: multi-level investigation of the effect of area deprivation

Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, UK and University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Greece

Glyn Lewis, FRCPsych

Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol

Ricardo Araya, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol

Kelvyn Jones, PhD

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol

Gareth Williams, PhD

School of Social Sciences, University of Cardiff, UK

Correspondence: Petros Skapinakis, Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JL, UK. E-mail: p.skapinakis{at}bristol.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None.

Background Geographical variation in the prevalence of common mental disorders has not been explained adequately.

Aims To investigate whether regional mental health differences in Wales would persist after having taken into account the characteristics of individuals and regional social deprivation.

Method Data from the 1998 Welsh Health Survey were used. Common mental disorders were assessed with the mental health index included in the Short-Form 36 health survey (SF–36).The data were analysed using a multi-level linear regression model.

Results Of the total variance in the mental health index, 1.47% occurred at regional level (95% CI 0.56–2.38). Adjustment for individual characteristics did not explain the between-region variation. A higher area deprivation score was associated with a higher score on the mental health index.

Conclusions Mental health differences in Wales are partly explained by the level of regional social deprivation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Stafford, D. Gimeno, and M. G. Marmot Neighbourhood characteristics and trajectories of health functioning: a multilevel prospective analysis Eur J Public Health, December 1, 2008; 18(6): 604 - 610. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C Mair, A V D. Roux, and S Galea Are neighbourhood characteristics associated with depressive symptoms? A review of evidence J Epidemiol Community Health, November 1, 2008; 62(11): 940 - 946. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. O'Reilly, M. Rosato, S. Connolly, and C. Cardwell Area factors and suicide: 5-year follow-up of the Northern Ireland population The British Journal of Psychiatry, February 1, 2008; 192(2): 106 - 111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Thomas, N. Weaver, J. Patterson, P. Jones, T. Bell, R. Playle, F. Dunstan, S. Palmer, G. Lewis, and R. Araya Mental health and quality of residential environment The British Journal of Psychiatry, December 1, 2007; 191(6): 500 - 505. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. Murphy and K. Lloyd Civil Conflict in Northern Ireland and the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disturbance Across the United Kingdom: a Population Study Using the British Household Panel Survey and the Northern Ireland Household Panel Survey International Journal of Social Psychiatry, September 1, 2007; 53(5): 397 - 407. [Abstract] [PDF]

				P. Tyrer From the Editor's desk The British Journal of Psychiatry, March 1, 2007; 190(3): 282 - 282. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. JOHNSTON, J. COOPER, R. WEBB, and N. KAPUR Individual- and area-level predictors of self-harm repetition The British Journal of Psychiatry, November 1, 2006; 189(5): 416 - 421. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]