Mental Health Status of the Population of a Hungarian Disadvantaged Region

Abstract

Lifestyle and health culture significantly determines people’s health status. Several demographic studies have proved the correlation between disadvantaged social situation, unfavorable socio-economic status and health status. Deprivation and disadvantaged situation have become important, which should be treated as the root of difficulties on several fields since they have great impact on health behavior and -culture. Families living in lagging areas require special attention because of their social and economic backwardness and mental disadvantages. Childhood is an especially important period since skills learned before the age of 14 have a determining role in future life chances and adult health status: satisfactory psychosomatic development, loading capacity and the developing unfavorable habits influence adult health. As the part of the Creative Region program, our goal is to explore the mental health status of people living in the Hungarian Abaúj region by monitored data. 516 persons from 25 settlements and 7 primary schools of the region were included. We used the Beck Depression Inventory (filled under the age of 12) and the Spielberg State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (filled by all participants) by the help of measuring commissioners. Among children, a significant difference could be detected between genders (p=0.007). Body image seems to be a really important factor in youngsters’ life. Body weight (p=0.022) and physical exercises (p=0.02) significantly occur in the manifestation of depression symptoms in young people. The level of adult’s depression is influenced by the education level (p=0.00012), labour market status (p=0.003), alcohol consumption (p=0.007), subjective bad financial situation (p=0.022), sedentary lifestyle (p=0.001) and obesity (p=0.002). 5.5% of youngsters and 1.3% of adults are victims of domestic violence. It is important to highlight that negative future vision, unemployment and hopelessness cause anxiety and depression increasing by age, and it will manifest in endangering health behavior (inappropriate eating, sedimentary lifestyle, addictive disorders).

Health Anxiety Among the Normal Population and Healthcare Professionals in a Highly Disadvantaged Region During Three Waves of COVID-19

“…Wave 2), but men's health anxiety level was higher than women's in case of data measured in Wave II. This rate turns in Wave III, as the health anxiety values of women participating in the sample were higher than men's values (Rucska & Lakatos, 2021). These rates increased in Wave IV: the health anxiety level of women became significantly higher (p<0.0001).…”

“…In our study, we present the partial results of a great and complex research the subject of which is the examination of mental health of a highly disadvantaged Hungarian region's population in the different waves of the pandemic. In our research, besides health anxiety, we examined perceived stress, the level of aggression, well-being and hope measured among the population (Rucska & Lakatos, 2021a; Rucska & Lakatos, 2021b; Rucska et. al., 2021).…”