Investigating the relationship between multiple environmental exposures and inequalities in common mental disorders in England

Common mental disorders (CMD) such as depression and anxiety are a major health and well-being challenge in the United Kingdom and around the world. There are also significant inequalities in mental health across the UK population, for example with higher rates amongst lower income populations. To understand this critical public health issue, and to develop approaches to prevention and tackling inequalities, we need to consider how a wide range of social and environmental factors affect poor mental health.
This project aims to develop our understanding of how environmental/social conditions are geographically distributed in England, and how they interact to influence mental health.
Key research questions for the project are:
1. How do multiple physical and social environment factors influence the prevalence of depression and anxiety in the English population?
2. How do these factors shape inequalities in depression and anxiety between socioeconomic groups?
3. Which of these factors are most influential in reducing/widening mental health inequalities?
4. How can the findings inform and improve government strategies for tackling health inequalities and improving environments for better mental health?
In order to answer these questions, we will analyse existing datasets to explore the influence of multiple environmental exposures on depression and anxiety at population scale. An initial literature review will identify the various specific factors likely to play a role in shaping population mental health. We will then link geographical environmental data, such as on green space, noise and air pollution with survey data to investigate how these environmental factors in combination relate to mental health.
The project will develop evidence relevant to tackling public mental health inequalities through environmental improvements. It will benefit from partnership working with public health colleagues at national and local levels.