[A multilevel analysis on the association between socioeconomic status and psychiatric disorders]

To explore the association between psychiatric disorders and socioeconomic status such as education, income, employment and area of community settings in Zhejiang province.

Data were from the epidemiological survey of mental illnesses aged 15 and older in 2001 (n = 14 632). Psychiatric disorders were measured by GHQ-12 with a cut-point 4. Logistic multilevel analysis was the main statistical method being used.

The overall prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 18.5%(95% confidence intervals, 17.9% to 19.1%), higher than the data from Hebei province (u = 4.39, P < 0.001). Annual household income and employment were strongly associated with psychiatric disorders especially for those with low income (odds ratio 3.45, 95%CI: 1.72 - 6.67) and unemployment (odds ratio 2.03, 95%CI: 1.73 - 2.40). Factors as regional effect and education level showed weak or inconsistent association with psychiatric disorders after controlling on other indicators.

Inverse gradient relation between psychiatric disorders and SES seemed as the main result of low SES individual characteristics and some minor effects at the county level.