Kira E Riehm1,2, Eric Latimer1,3, Amélie Quesnel-Vallée4,5, Gonneke W J M Stevens6, Geneviève Gariépy7, Frank J Elgar1,7. 1. Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 2. Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA. 3. Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Canada. 4. Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 5. Department of Sociology, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 6. Centre for Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. 7. Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Scant evidence exists on the relation between the availability of health professionals and adolescent health, and whether the size of the health workforce equally benefits adolescents across socioeconomic strata. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adolescent health in 38 countries. Data from 218 790 adolescents were drawn from the 2013/2014 Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. We used multilevel regression analyses to examine the association between the density of the health workforce and psychosomatic and mental health symptoms with differences in country wealth and income inequality controlled. RESULTS: A higher density of psychologists was associated with better self-reported mental health in adolescents (P = 0.047); however, this finding was not robust to sensitivity analyses. The densities of physicians and psychiatrists were not significantly associated with better adolescent psychosomatic or mental health. Cross-level interactions between the health workforce and socioeconomic status did not relate to health, indicating that larger health workforces did not reduce socioeconomic differences in adolescent health. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that adolescents in countries with a higher density of health providers do not report better psychosomatic or mental health. Other social or structural factors may play larger roles in adolescent health.
BACKGROUND: Scant evidence exists on the relation between the availability of health professionals and adolescent health, and whether the size of the health workforce equally benefits adolescents across socioeconomic strata. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adolescent health in 38 countries. Data from 218 790 adolescents were drawn from the 2013/2014 Health Behavior in School-aged Children survey. We used multilevel regression analyses to examine the association between the density of the health workforce and psychosomatic and mental health symptoms with differences in country wealth and income inequality controlled. RESULTS: A higher density of psychologists was associated with better self-reported mental health in adolescents (P = 0.047); however, this finding was not robust to sensitivity analyses. The densities of physicians and psychiatrists were not significantly associated with better adolescent psychosomatic or mental health. Cross-level interactions between the health workforce and socioeconomic status did not relate to health, indicating that larger health workforces did not reduce socioeconomic differences in adolescent health. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that adolescents in countries with a higher density of health providers do not report better psychosomatic or mental health. Other social or structural factors may play larger roles in adolescent health.
Authors: Russell M Viner; Elizabeth M Ozer; Simon Denny; Michael Marmot; Michael Resnick; Adesegun Fatusi; Candace Currie Journal: Lancet Date: 2012-04-25 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Liesbet Van Bulck; Eva Goossens; Koen Luyckx; Silke Apers; Erwin Oechslin; Corina Thomet; Werner Budts; Junko Enomoto; Maayke A Sluman; Chun-Wei Lu; Jamie L Jackson; Paul Khairy; Stephen C Cook; Shanthi Chidambarathanu; Luis Alday; Katrine Eriksen; Mikael Dellborg; Malin Berghammer; Bengt Johansson; Andrew S Mackie; Samuel Menahem; Maryanne Caruana; Gruschen Veldtman; Alexandra Soufi; Susan M Fernandes; Kamila White; Edward Callus; Shelby Kutty; Philip Moons Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2020-06-03 Impact factor: 2.655