Related Experiment Videos
Rural/non-rural differences in rates of common mental disorders in Britain: prospective multilevel cohort study
Scott Weich1, Liz Twigg, Glyn Lewis
1Division of Health in the Community, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. s.weich@warwick.ac.uk
Background:
Some UK studies have reported an urban excess in the prevalence of the most common mental disorders of anxiety and depression.
Aims:
To investigate rural/non-rural differences in the onset and maintenance of episodes of common mental disorders, after adjusting for the characteristics of respondents and their households.
Method:
A12-month cohort study of 7659 adults aged 16-74 years living in 4338 private households, nested within 626 electoral wards in England, Wales and Scotland. Common mental disorders were assessed using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Electoral wards were characterised by Office for National Statistics classification and by population density. Data were analysed using multilevel statistical modelling.
Results:
Rural residents had slightly better mental health than non-rural counterparts. The effects of geographical location on the mental health of participants were neither significantly confounded nor modified by socio-economic status, employment status or household income.
Conclusions:
There are small but statistically significant differences in rates of common mental disorders between urban and rural residents. Quantifying between-place differences using population density alone risks missing important contextual effects on mental health.
Related Concept Videos
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Theoretical Approaches to Psychological Disorder
Biological approach
The biological approach posits that internal, organic factors are the primary causes of such disorders. This perspective emphasizes brain structure and function, genetic predispositions, and neurotransmitter imbalances. For example, schizophrenia has been associated with both genetic...
Bias in Epidemiological Studies
Panic Disorder
Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia