title: Mental health inequalities in Wales, UK: multi-level investigation of the effect of area deprivation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Geographical variation in the prevalence of common mental disorders has not been explained adequately.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether regional mental health differences in Wales would persist after having taken into account the characteristics of individuals and regional social deprivation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the 1998 Welsh Health Survey were used. Common mental disorders were assessed with the mental health index included in the Short-Form 36 health survey (SF-36). The data were analysed using a multi-level linear regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the total variance in the mental health index, 1.47% occurred at regional level (95% CI 0.56-2.38). Adjustment for individual characteristics did not explain the between-region variation. A higher area deprivation score was associated with a higher score on the mental health index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental health differences in Wales are partly explained by the level of regional social deprivation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Bristol, Cotham House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JL, UK. p.skapinakis@bristol.ac.uk
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skapinakis
authors.forename: Glyn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araya
authors.forename: Kelvyn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology