title: Does conurbation affect the risk of poor mental health? A population based record linkage study.
abstract: To determine if urban residence is associated with an increased risk of anxiety/depression independent of psychosocial stressors, concentrated disadvantage or selective migration between urban and rural areas, this population wide record-linkage study utilised data on receipt of prescription medication linked to area level indicators of conurbation and disadvantage. An urban/rural gradient in anxiolytic and antidepressant use was evident that was independent of variation in population composition. This gradient was most pronounced amongst disadvantaged areas. Migration into increasingly urban areas increased the likelihood of medication. These results suggest increasing conurbation is deleterious to mental health, especially amongst residents of deprived areas.
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Clinical Sciences B, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, BT12 6BJ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: a.maguire@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.affiliation: Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Queen's University Belfast, Institute of Clinical Sciences B, Royal Hospitals Site, Grosvenor Road, BT12 6BJ, United Kingdom. Electronic address: d.oreilly@qub.ac.uk.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008498:Medical Record Linkage / Q000379:methods*; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012307:Risk Factors; D014504:Urban Health; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: Antidepressant; Data linkage; Pharmacoepidemiology; Urban