BACKGROUND: Inequality in health and treatment of disease across socioeconomic status groups is a major public health issue. AIMS: To examine differences in socioeconomic status in common mental disorders and use of psychotherapy provided by the public and private sector in the UK between 1991 and 2009. METHOD: During these years, 28 054 men and women responded to annual surveys by the nationally representative, population-based British Household Panel Survey (on average 7 measurements per participant; 207 545 person-observations). In each year, common mental disorders were assessed with the self-reported 12-item General Health Questionnaire and socioeconomic status was assessed on the basis of household income, occupational status and education. RESULTS: Higher socioeconomic status was associated with lower odds of common mental disorder (highest v. lowest household income quintile odds ratio (OR) 0.88, 95% CI 0.82-0.94) and of being treated by publicly provided psychotherapy (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.34-0.55), but higher odds of being a client of private psychotherapy (OR = 3.33, 95% CI 2.36-4.71). The status difference in publicly provided psychotherapy treatment was more pronounced at the end of follow-up (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.23-0.56, in 2005-2009) than at the beginning of the follow-up period (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.66-1.39, in 1991-1994; time interaction P<0.001). The findings for occupational status and education were similar to those for household income. CONCLUSIONS: The use of publicly provided psychotherapy has improved between 1991 and 2009 among those with low socioeconomic status, although social inequalities in common mental disorders remain.
BACKGROUND: Inequality in health and treatment of disease across socioeconomic status groups is a major public health issue. AIMS: To examine differences in socioeconomic status in common mental disorders and use of psychotherapy provided by the public and private sector in the UK between 1991 and 2009. METHOD: During these years, 28 054 men and women responded to annual surveys by the nationally representative, population-based British Household Panel Survey (on average 7 measurements per participant; 207 545 person-observations). In each year, common mental disorders were assessed with the self-reported 12-item General Health Questionnaire and socioeconomic status was assessed on the basis of household income, occupational status and education. RESULTS: Higher socioeconomic status was associated with lower odds of common mental disorder (highest v. lowest household income quintile odds ratio (OR) 0.88, 95% CI 0.82-0.94) and of being treated by publicly provided psychotherapy (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.34-0.55), but higher odds of being a client of private psychotherapy (OR = 3.33, 95% CI 2.36-4.71). The status difference in publicly provided psychotherapy treatment was more pronounced at the end of follow-up (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.23-0.56, in 2005-2009) than at the beginning of the follow-up period (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.66-1.39, in 1991-1994; time interaction P<0.001). The findings for occupational status and education were similar to those for household income. CONCLUSIONS: The use of publicly provided psychotherapy has improved between 1991 and 2009 among those with low socioeconomic status, although social inequalities in common mental disorders remain.
Authors: Pekka Varje; Anne Kouvonen; Lauri Kokkinen; Aki Koskinen; Ari Väänänen Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2017-12-13 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Haixia Liu; Xiaojing Fan; Huanyuan Luo; Zhongliang Zhou; Chi Shen; Naibao Hu; Xiangming Zhai Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-07 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Tom C Russ; Emmanuel Stamatakis; Mark Hamer; John M Starr; Mika Kivimäki; G David Batty Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2013-07 Impact factor: 9.319