title: The socio-spatial context as a risk factor for hospitalization due to mental illness in the metropolitan areas of Portugal.
abstract: This study's aims are: (i) identifying spatial patterns for the risk of hospitalization due to mental illness and for the potential risk resulting from contextual factors with influence on mental health; and (ii) analyzing the spatial association between risk of hospitalization due to mental illness and potential risk resulting from contextual factors in the metropolitan areas of Lisbon and Porto, Portugal. A cross-sectional ecological study was conducted by applying statistical methods for assessing spatial dependency and heterogeneity. Results reveal a spatial association between risk of hospitalization due to mental illness and potential risk resulting from contextual factors with a statistical relevance of moderate intensity. 20% of the population under study lives in areas with a simultaneously high potential risk resulting from contextual factors and risk of hospitalization due to mental illness. Porto Metropolitan Area show the highest percentage of population living in parishes with a significantly high risk of hospitalization due to mental health, which puts forward the need for interventions on territory-adjusted contextual factors influencing mental health.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamentodo Território, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamentodo Território, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cláudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamentodo Território, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Almendra
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamentodo Território, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ângela
authors.initials: Â
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Geografia e Ordenamentodo Território, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Santana
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008605:Mental Health Services; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D014504:Urban Health; D014505:Urban Population