What is the association between wealth and mental health?
BACKGROUND
Socioeconomic inequalities in mental health have been shown in a number of populations. This study aims to investigate the association between asset wealth and psychological distress in New Zealand and whether it is independent of other socioeconomic measures and baseline health status.


METHODS
Data for this study were from the first three waves of the Survey of Families, Income and Employment (SoFIE) conducted in New Zealand (2002-2004/05) (n = 15 340). The Kessler-10 was used as a measure of psychological distress. The association of quintiles of wealth with psychological distress was investigated using logistic regression, controlling for confounders, socioeconomic variables and prior health status.


RESULTS
The odds ratio (OR) of reporting high psychological distress were greater in the lowest wealth quintile compared with the highest (OR 3.06, 95% CI 2.68 to 3.50). Adjusting for age and sex did not alter the relationship; however, adjusting for income and area deprivation attenuated the OR to 1.73 (95% CI 1.48 to 2.04). Further controlling for baseline health status reduced the OR to 1.45 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.71), although the confidence interval still excluded the null.


CONCLUSIONS
Inequalities in wealth are strongly associated with psychological distress, over and above other confounding demographic variables and baseline health status. Much, but not all, of that association is confounded by adult socioeconomic position. This suggests that policy measures to improve asset wealth, through savings and home ownership, may have positive health implications and help to reduce health inequalities.
Carter
K N
KN
Health Inequalities Research Program, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, Wellington, Wellington South, Wellington 6242, New Zealand. kristie.carter@otago.ac.nz
Blakely
T
T
Collings
S
S
Imlach Gunasekara
F
F
Richardson
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*