title: Characteristics and rates of mental health problems among Indian and White adolescents in two English cities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sampling techniques for national surveys have constrained the statistical power in estimating prevalence rates of child mental health problems in minority ethnic groups.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish the prevalence rates of mental health problems in ethnic Indian adolescents in England and compare these with matched White adolescents living in the same areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey with oversampling of Indian adolescents aged 13-15 years of age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample size was 2900 (71% response rate) with 1087 (37%) Indian and 414 (14%) White adolescents. Ethnically Indian adolescents had lower rates of all types of mental health problems (5% v. 13% and 21% v. 30% for abnormal Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire scores, respectively) and substance misuse (18% v. 57%, 5% v.15% and 6% v. 9% for regular alcohol, smoking and drug use, respectively), with the exception of eating disorders, compared with their White counterparts. The odds of an abnormal score on the mental health questionnaires were worse for White compared with Indian children irrespective of sociodemographic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors relating to how Indian adolescents are parented or their social support networks may be influencing their mental health and may warrant further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Greenwood Institute of Child Health, School of Psychology, University of Leicester, Westcotes House, Westcotes Drive, Leicester LE3 0QU, UK. nd13@le.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dogra
authors.forename: Nadzeya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Svirydzenka
authors.forename: Pat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dugard
authors.forename: Swaran P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Panos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vostanis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*