Socio-Economic Development and Mental Health: Case Study of the Spanish Region of Aragon (2010–20) (original) (raw)

Variability of the Prevalence of Depression in Function of Sociodemographic and Environmental Factors: Ecological Model

Frontiers in Psychology

Major depression etiopathogenesis is related to a wide variety of genetics, demographic and psychosocial factors, as well as to environmental factors. The objective of this study is to analyze sociodemographic and environmental variables that are related to the prevalence of depression through correlation analysis and to develop a regression model that explains the behavior of this disease from an ecological perspective. This is an ecological, retrospective, cross-sectional study. The target population was 1,148,430 individuals over the age of 16 who were registered in Aragon (Spain) during 2010, with electronic medical records in the community's primary health care centers. The spatial unit was the Basic Health Area (BHA). The dependent variable was the diagnosis of Depression and the ecological independent variables were: Demographic variables (gender and age), population distribution, typology of the entity, population structure by sex and age, by nationality, by education, by work, by salary, by marital status, structure of the household by number of members, and state of the buildings. The results show moderate and positive correlations with higher rates of depression in areas having a higher femininity index, higher population density, areas with a higher unemployment rate and higher average salary. The results of the linear regression show that aging +75 and rural entities act as protective factors for depression, while urban areas and deficient buildings act as risk factors. In conclusion, the ecological methodology may be a useful tool which, together with the statistical epidemiological analysis, can help in the political decision making process.

The Relationships between Depression Spatial Clusters and Mental Health Planning in Catalonia (Spain)

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2014

This study aims to analyse potential risk factors which could influence the occurrence of hot spots of depression. They cannot only be explained through municipal socio-demographic characteristics and which is why causes at catchment area level should also be studied. Indicators at both spatial levels were analysed by a multi-level regression model. The analysis included various socio-demographic, geographical and service allocation indicators. According to scientific literature, unemployment and rurality were identified as risk factors for depression and, therefore, for hot spots. On the other hand, low educational levels and poor accessibility showed little relationship here while other studies indicated otherwise. Preliminary results described diverse risk factors at two levels which were related to a high likelihood of hot spots, although more in-depth analysis will be needed.

Inequalities in mental health in the Autonomous Communities in Spain: A multilevel study

The aim of this study was to analyze inequalities in the prevalence of poor mental health and their association with socioeconomic variables and with the care network in the Autonomous Communities in Spain. A cross-sectional multilevel study was performed, which analyzed individual data from the National Health Survey in Spain (ENS), in 2006 (n = 29,476 people over the age of 16). The prevalence of poor mental health was the dependent variable, measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12 > = 3). Individual and contextual socioeconomic variables, along with mental health services in the Autonomous Communities, were included as independent variables. Models of multilevel logistic regression were used, and odds ratios (OR) were obtained, with confidence intervals (CI) of 95%. The results showed that there are inequalities in the prevalence of poor mental health in Spain, associated to contextual variables, such as unemployment rate (men OR 1.04 CI 1.01-1.07; women OR 1.02 CI 1.00-1.05). On the other hand, it was observed that inequalities in the mental health care resources in the Autonomous Communities also have an impact on poor mental health.

Identification and location of hot and cold spots of treated prevalence of depression in Catalonia (Spain)

International Journal of Health Geographics, 2012

Background Spatial analysis is a relevant set of tools for studying the geographical distribution of diseases, although its methods and techniques for analysis may yield very different results. A new hybrid approach has been applied to the spatial analysis of treated prevalence of depression in Catalonia (Spain) according to the following descriptive hypotheses: 1) spatial clusters of treated prevalence of depression (hot and cold spots) exist and, 2) these clusters are related to the administrative divisions of mental health care (catchment areas) in this region. Methods In this ecological study, morbidity data per municipality have been extracted from the regional outpatient mental health database (CMBD-SMA) for the year 2009. The second level of analysis mapped small mental health catchment areas or groups of municipalities covered by a single mental health community centre. Spatial analysis has been performed using a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) which identified...

Contribution of the Economic Crisis to the Risk Increase of Poor Mental Health in a Region of Spain

Previous research suggests that the economic crisis can affect mental health. The purpose of this study was to analyse the association of risk of poor mental health with various socioeconomic, demographic, health, quality of life and social support variables; and to evaluate the contribution of socioeconomic variables most affected by the beginning of the economic crisis (employment situation and income) on the changes in the prevalence of the risk of poor mental health between 2005 and 2010. A study of prevalence evolution in adult population residents of the Valencian Community in the Spanish Mediterranean was conducted. We studied 5781 subjects in 2005 and 3479 in 2010. Logistic regression models have been adjusted to analyse the association between variables. A standardization procedure was carried out to evaluate which part of the changes in overall prevalence could be attributed to variations in the population structure by age, sex, employment status and income between the yea...

Inequalities in Mental Health in the Spanish Autonomous Communities: A Multilevel Study

The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 2015

The aim of this study was to analyze inequalities in the prevalence of poor mental health and their association with socioeconomic variables and with the care network in the Autonomous Communities in Spain. A cross-sectional multilevel study was performed, which analyzed individual data from the National Health Survey in Spain (ENS), in 2006 (n= 29,476 people over the age of 16). The prevalence of poor mental health was the dependent variable, measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12…

The local burden of emotional disorders. An analysis based on a large health survey in Catalonia (Spain)

Gaceta Sanitaria, 2012

Objective: Mental health conditions are associated with a significant burden on individuals. Using data from a large population health survey, the present study aimed to quantify the burden of emotional disorders (depression and anxiety) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the region of Catalonia (Spain) for evidence-informed policy making. Methods: Regression models were used to estimate the impact of emotional disorders on HRQoL, controlling by socioeconomic factors and somatic health problems. The rate of emotional disorders was based on the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and quality of life scores were based on the EQ-5D. Results: The impact of emotional disorders on HRQoL was equal to a reduction of 0.17 in the EQ-5D score. Translation of this individual impact to population figures yielded a total loss of 78,742 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for 2006. This strong impact highlights the need for global policies aiming to reduce this burden. Conclusion: The negative relation between emotional disorders and the HRQoL of individuals was confirmed and quantified for the population of Catalonia. The use of quality of life scales such as the SF or EQ-5D, combined with data on quasi-specific health conditions provides substantial information for prioritizing and planning health programs.

Prevalence of Mental Disorders in the South-East of Spain, One of the European Regions Most Affected by the Economic Crisis: The Cross-Sectional PEGASUS-Murcia Project

PloS one, 2015

To describe the lifetime and 12-month prevalence, severity and age of onset distribution of DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) disorders and to explore the association between socio-demographic variables and economic stressors with mental disorders during the economic crisis in the general population of Murcia (Spain). The PEGASUS-Murcia Project is a cross-sectional face-to-face interview survey of a representative sample of non-institutionalized adults in Murcia administered between June 2010 and May 2012. DSM-IV disorders were assessed by the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Main outcome measures were lifetime and 12-month prevalence of Anxiety, Mood, Impulse and Substance Disorders, Severity and Age of Onset. Sociodemographic variables and stressful economic life events during the preceding 12 months were entered as independent variables in a logistic regression analysis. A total of 2,621 participants (67.4% response rate) were ...

Effects of the economic crisis on demand due to mental disorders in Asturias: data from the Asturias Cumulative Psychiatric Case Register (2000-2010)

Actas españolas de psiquiatría

The economic crisis has negative effects on the population’s physical and mental health. Our objective has been to study the association between socioeconomic status and number of people demanding mental health services. We performed a correlation analysis of administrative morbidity data (incidence and prevalence) of mental illness (obtained from the Asturias Cumulative Psychiatric Case Register) and three economic indicators (unemployment, consumer price index and gross domestic product). The increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a clear decrease in both new and prevalent mental health demand. CPI has a minor weak positive correlation with the administrative incidence of some mental disorders (Neurotic disorders, Schizophrenia and addictions). GDP does not show a significant correlation with the administrative incidence and it is strongly associated with an increased administrative prevalence that is more intense in the case of alcoholism, neurotic disorders, mental...

Socioeconomic Burden of Mental Disorders in Spain 2006-2017

SSRN Electronic Journal

Mental health is not only the lack of mental disorders but is considered a crucial resource for overall health and well-being (including employment and productivity). The current paper tries to shed some light on the evolution of mental well-being over a period of 15 years, including the years before, during and after the most recent economic downturn. We use data coming from the Spanish National Health Surveys of 2006/2007, 2011/2012 and 2016/2017. Mental health is proxied by two measures, doctor-diagnosed mental disorder and psychological distress (based on GHQ-12). To account for the causal relationship between the two mental health indicators, we estimate a bivariate probit model. We observe different patterns of the two mental health indicators over time. Psychological distress increased during recession years, due to major risk factors as unemployment and loss of socioeconomic status. Even though the need for mental healthcare increased during the recession, the fact that fewer people were diagnosed suggests that barriers to access to mental healthcare may be aggravated during the crisis.