Mental Health, Deprivation, and the Neighborhood Social Environment: A Network Analysis

Abstract

2 Word count (not including abstract, refs etc.): 9,174 Abstract Different aspects of the neighbourhood social environment have been linked with mental illhealth, however the mechanisms underlying these associations remain poorly understood because of the number and complexity of the components involved. We used a novel statistical approach, network analysis, to explore the complex associations between neighbourhood social cohesion, social disorder and mental health symptoms in a sample of 3,670 adults from an economically deprived region of the UK (mean age [SD] = 49.34 years [18.87]; 57% female). Elasso regularised networks were estimated, and network comparisons were conducted by level of deprivation. Mental health symptoms and neighbourhood components formed relatively distinct clusters of items. These domains were linked primarily by paranoia, although only in the most deprived group. Drunken/rowdy behaviour was particularly influential within the neighbourhood cluster, therefore policies aimed at reducing such disruptive behaviour could have positive knock-on effects for social cohesion and mental health.

Evaluating the effect of change in the built environment on mental health and subjective well-being: a natural experiment

“…The staggered recruitment, where those in social housing were moved in before other housing types, before the East Village development was fully complete, may have dampened exposure effects and not allowed sufficient time for social networks that might encourage positive mental health and well-being to become established. 34 While no appreciable change in the primary outcome of the study (physical activity) was observed, 14 which could have plausibly impacted mental health and well-being, it remains possible that a longer term follow-up may have demonstrated significant effects. However, this seems unlikely given the weak evidence from other urban regeneration studies with longer durations of follow-up.…”

The relationship between ingroup identity and Paranoid ideation among people from African and African Caribbean backgrounds

“…Although typically seen as a symptom of psychosis, in which case the paranoia may be said to constitute a delusion, substantial psychometric evidence now shows that clinical paranoia exists on a continuum with sub-clinical paranoid thoughts that are common in the general population (Bebbington et al, 2013;Elahi, Algorta, Varese, McIntyre, & Bentall, 2017). Sub-clinical paranoia is also associated with common psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and may be a 'bridge' symptom linking these common disorders to adverse circumstances such as harsh urban environments (Krabbendam & van Os, 2005;McElroy et al, 2019;van Os, 2005). Thus, understanding the determinants of paranoia in the community, particularly in vulnerable populations, could make a substantial contribution to the development of policies and interventions that improve population mental health.…”

Mental Health, Deprivation, and the Neighborhood Environment: What Is the Impact of Loneliness and Social Anxiety?

“…McElroy et al (2019) also found that social cohesion was linked to anxiety symptoms. Specifically, the paranoia item suspicions regarding the intentions of others linked the social neighborhood and mental-health networks.…”

“…McElroy and colleagues (2019) used a network analysis to clarify how neighborhood social environment (social cohesion and disorder) influences mental-health outcomes within different economically deprived regions of the United Kingdom. They identified two nodes, social neighborhood and mental health, that were connected via specific paranoia symptoms.…”