The association between neighbourhood-level deprivation and depression: evidence from the south african national income dynamics study
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2017-12-11
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BMC Psychiatry
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BioMed Central
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
Background: Depression contributes substantially to the burden of disease in South Africa. Little is known about how neighbourhoods affect the mental health of the people living in them. Methods: Using nationally representative data (N=11,955) from the South African National Income Dynamics Study and the South African Indices of Multiple Deprivation (SAIMD) modelled at small-area level, this study tested associations between neighbourhood-level deprivation and depression, after controlling for individual-level covariates. Results: Results showed a significant positive association between neighbourhood-level deprivation and depression using the composite SAIMD (β = 0.31 (0.15); p=0.04) as well as the separate deprivation domains. Living environment deprivation (β =0.53 (0.16); p=0.001) and employment deprivation (β = 0.38 (0.13); p=0.004), respectively, were the two most salient domains in predicting this relationship. Conclusions: Findings supported the hypothesis that there is a positive association between living in a more deprived neighbourhood and depression, even after controlling for individual-level covariates. This study suggests that alleviating structural poverty could reduce the burden of depression in South Africa.
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Dowdall, N., Ward, C. L., & Lund, C. (2017). The association between neighbourhood-level deprivation and depression: evidence from the south african national income dynamics study. BMC psychiatry, 17(1), 395.