title: A comparison of the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of private household and communal establishment residents in a multi-ethnic inner-city area.
abstract: This study compares the socio-demographic, physical and psychiatric profiles of representative samples of adults resident in communal establishments (n = 170) with those living in private households (n = 544) in a deprived multi-ethnic inner-city health district. Respondents were interviewed about their psychiatric and physical health as well as their early life experiences, close personal relationships, experiences of police contact and episodes of deliberate self-harm. Communal establishment residents were more likely to be single, white men and to be out of work than those in the private household sample. They typically left school at an earlier age, had a more disrupted upbringing, were less likely to have close personal relationships and reported more contact with the police. Both physical and psychiatric morbidity were substantially higher in the communal establishment residents than among those living in private households (especially for psychotic disorders). In contrast to these findings, comparisons between communal establishment residents with and without mental health problems revealed few differences. Our data highlight the extensive needs of those living in communal establishments and the need for a wide range of agencies to co-ordinate their efforts effectively if services to this population are to be effective.
authors.affiliation: University of Birmingham and Academic Unit, Northern Birmingham Mental Health Trust, UK.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Commander
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Odell
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Sashidharan
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Surtees
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011638:Public Housing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*