Socioeconomic gradients and mental health: implications for
                        public health

Stewart‐Brown, Sarah; Samaraweera, Preshila Chandimali; Taggart, Frances M.; Kandala, Ngianga‐Bakwin; Stranges, Saverio

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.114.147280

Cited by 105 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…However, Blanchflower and Oswald (2011) note that analyses that control REGIONAL STUDIES, REGIONAL SCIENCE for both income and education generally tend to find that the relationship comes through the influence of education on income -more highly qualified people tend to earn more. More recent research using mental well-being data also questions the effect of education by demonstrating that educational level has no impact on mental well-being (Stewart-Brown, Chandimali Samaraweera, Taggart, Ngianga-Bakwin, & Stranges, 2015). Our results find no impact of education on life satisfaction.…”

Section: Previous Analysis Of Life Satisfaction Life Satisfaction Anacontrasting

confidence: 60%

Metropolitan misery: why do Scots live in ‘bad places to live’?

Dunlop

Davies

Swales

2016

Regional Studies, Regional Science

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Section: Previous Analysis Of Life Satisfaction Life Satisfaction Anacontrasting

confidence: 60%

Metropolitan misery: why do Scots live in ‘bad places to live’?

Dunlop

Davies

Swales

2016

Regional Studies, Regional Science

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“…Surprising results relating to high versus medium wellbeing included the increased odds in Black and Asian ethnic groups, and in those who were obese, found with both instruments. Increased odds of high wellbeing among ethnic minority groups have been found before [6, 8], in particular among the Black minority ethnic group, which was suggested to be driven largely by high mean scores for wellbeing among Black African groups [6]. Black African groups were also found to have better self-reported health than White British groups after extensive adjustment for health behaviour and SEP confounders [28]; this may be attributable to a ‘healthy migrant effect’.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…The decision to model SWEMWBS as a categorical variable rather than continuous was based on the different associations at the low and high end of the spectrum found in a previous study [8]. Modelling SWEMWBS as a continuous variable therefore would mean that some of these differing properties may be masked.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is linked with good physical health and with longevity among older adults [7]. Its relationship with social and economic circumstances is complex [6, 8]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study in England [8] showed surprising findings relating to the social distribution of mental wellbeing. The expected social inequalities distribution was demonstrated for those at the lower end of the mental wellbeing scale—a group at high risk of mental health problems—but not for those at the high end of the mental wellbeing scale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluating and establishing national norms for mental wellbeing using the short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS): findings from the Health Survey for England

et al. 2016

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PurposeThe Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS), 14 positively worded statements, is a validated instrument to measure mental wellbeing on a population level. Less is known about the population distribution of the shorter seven-item version (SWEMWBS) or its performance as an instrument to measure wellbeing.MethodsUsing the Health Survey for England 2010–2013 (n = 27,169 adults aged 16+, nationally representative of the population), age- and sex-specific norms were estimated using means and percentiles. Criterion validity was examined using: (1) Spearman correlations (ρ) for SWEMWBS with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), happiness index, EQ-VAS (2) a multinomial logit model with SWEMWBS (low, medium and high wellbeing) as the outcome and demographic, social and health behaviours as explanatory variables. Relative validity was examined by comparing SWEMWBS with WEMWBS using: (1) Spearman correlations (continuous data), and (2) the weighted kappa statistic (categorical), within population subgroups.ResultsMean (median) SWEMWBS was 23.7 (23.2) for men and 23.2 (23.2) for women (p = 0.100). Spearman correlations were moderately sized for the happiness index (ρ = 0.53, P < 0.001), GHQ-12 (ρ = −0.52, p < 0.001) and EQ-VAS (ρ = 0.40, p < 0.001). Participants consuming <1 portion of fruit and vegetables a day versus ≥5 (odds ratio = 1.43 95% Confidence Interval = (1.22–1.66)) and current smokers versus non-smokers (1.28 (1.15–1.41)) were more likely to have low vs medium wellbeing. Participants who binge drank versus non-drinkers were less likely to have high versus medium wellbeing (0.81 (0.71–0.92)). Spearman correlations between SWEMWBS and WEMWBS were above 0.95; weighted kappa statistics showed almost perfect agreement (0.79–0.85).ConclusionSWEMWBS distinguishes mental wellbeing between subgroups, similarly to WEMWBS, but is less sensitive to gender differences.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11136-016-1454-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Mental health effects of education

Kondirolli

Sunder

2022

Health Economics

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We analyze the role of education as a determinant of mental health. To do this, we leverage the age-specific exposure to an educational reform as an instrument for years of education and find that the treated cohorts gained more education. This increase in education had an effect on mental health more than 2 decades later. An extra year of education led to a lower likelihood of reporting any symptoms related to depression ( 11.3% ) and anxiety ( 9.8% ). More educated people also suffered less severe symptoms -depression ( 6.1% ) and anxiety ( 5.6% ). These protective effects are higher among women and rural residents. The effects of education on mental well-being that we document are potentially mediated through better physical health, improved health behavior and knowledge, and an increase in women's empowerment.

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Socioeconomic gradients and mental health: implications for public health

Abstract: Odds ratios for low mental well-being mirrored those for mental illness, but not those for high mental well-being, suggesting that the socioeconomic factors associated with positive mental health are different from those associated with mental illness.

Cited by 105 publications

References 17 publications

Metropolitan misery: why do Scots live in ‘bad places to live’?

Metropolitan misery: why do Scots live in ‘bad places to live’?

Evaluating and establishing national norms for mental wellbeing using the short Warwick–Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (SWEMWBS): findings from the Health Survey for England

Mental health effects of education

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