Does childhood disadvantage lead to poorer health in second generation Irish people living in Britain?
Lead Research Organisation:
King's College London
Department Name: Inst of Psychiatry School Offices
Abstract
Second generation Irish people living in Britain die earlier and have poorer mental and physical health than non-Irish people, despite improvements in social class over generations. They are Britain’s largest minority group, yet little is known about their early life experiences which might lead to poor health in adulthood. How far is the experience of growing up as second-generation Irish in Britain protective or harmful for adult health? Are second-generation Irish people more upwardly socially-mobile, and if so, is this less health-protective for them when compared to non-Irish people? Records spanning the lives of 17,000 babies born in a single week in 1958 and 1970, will be analysed. Early life risk factors predisposing to adult psychological illness, chronic illness, alcohol misuse, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and smoking, will be analysed and compared between second-generation Irish and non-Irish people. This will hopefully provide insights into how Irish people differ in their early life chances compared with non-Irish British people, and how this might predispose to poorer adult health. The findings will possibly be of use to health and welfare agencies and potentially contribute to the development of early interventions supporting second-generation Irish and other migrant groups growing up in Britain.
Technical Summary
Three decades of research has shown that Irish people living in Britain suffer elevated mortality and increased psychiatric morbidity, compared with the non-migrant British population and other migrant groups. These adverse health outcomes affect second and third generations, and are not fully explained by social class.
This study will use the National Child Development Survey (NCDS) and the 1970 British Birth Cohort (BCS70) to analyse the health of second generation Irish people born in Britain. Both cohorts surveyed 17,000 babies born in a single week in 1958 and 1970, and followed into adulthood. There are 627 cohort members who are second-generation Irish in the 1958 cohort, and 847 second-generation Irish people in the 1970 cohort. Prevalence rates of illness in adulthood (common mental disorders, alcohol misuse, self-reported longstanding illness, hypertension (NCDS); common mental disorders, hazardous alcohol use and self-reported longstanding illness (BCS70)) will be examined, alongside antecedent factors in childhood and early adulthood. Prevalence figures for these illnesses in adulthood will be compared to age and gender-adjusted rates from the Ethnicity Minority Psychiatric Illness Rates in the Community survey; a separate cross-sectional survey which interviewed 733 Irish respondents. Using a life-course approach, factors which might account for poorer health in adulthood amongst second-generation Irish people born in Britain will be examined, in particular: 1) Whether a concentration of adverse experiences in childhood amongst the children of Irish-born migrants predisposes to poorer health in adulthood; 2) Whether the effect of upward social mobility amongst Irish-descended people is less protective for adverse adult health outcomes, compared to non-Irish cohort members also upwardly socially mobile; 3) Whether tobacco use and hazardous alcohol use in adulthood is predicted by increased psychological morbidity across the life course, in Irish compared to non-Irish cohort members.
Logistic regression and structural equation modelling will be used to analyse the data.
The findings of this study will be of importance in elucidating early life factors impacting on the adult health of second-generation Irish people in Britain, and may also shed light on the health of other migrant groups living in Britain. Through this study it might be possible to begin to understand how adverse health may be ‘transmitted‘ across generations, amongst migrant groups living in Britain. This study will therefore enable the identification of earlier intervention time-points which could help in preventing adverse health outcomes in adulthood, amongst second generation migrant groups.
This study will use the National Child Development Survey (NCDS) and the 1970 British Birth Cohort (BCS70) to analyse the health of second generation Irish people born in Britain. Both cohorts surveyed 17,000 babies born in a single week in 1958 and 1970, and followed into adulthood. There are 627 cohort members who are second-generation Irish in the 1958 cohort, and 847 second-generation Irish people in the 1970 cohort. Prevalence rates of illness in adulthood (common mental disorders, alcohol misuse, self-reported longstanding illness, hypertension (NCDS); common mental disorders, hazardous alcohol use and self-reported longstanding illness (BCS70)) will be examined, alongside antecedent factors in childhood and early adulthood. Prevalence figures for these illnesses in adulthood will be compared to age and gender-adjusted rates from the Ethnicity Minority Psychiatric Illness Rates in the Community survey; a separate cross-sectional survey which interviewed 733 Irish respondents. Using a life-course approach, factors which might account for poorer health in adulthood amongst second-generation Irish people born in Britain will be examined, in particular: 1) Whether a concentration of adverse experiences in childhood amongst the children of Irish-born migrants predisposes to poorer health in adulthood; 2) Whether the effect of upward social mobility amongst Irish-descended people is less protective for adverse adult health outcomes, compared to non-Irish cohort members also upwardly socially mobile; 3) Whether tobacco use and hazardous alcohol use in adulthood is predicted by increased psychological morbidity across the life course, in Irish compared to non-Irish cohort members.
Logistic regression and structural equation modelling will be used to analyse the data.
The findings of this study will be of importance in elucidating early life factors impacting on the adult health of second-generation Irish people in Britain, and may also shed light on the health of other migrant groups living in Britain. Through this study it might be possible to begin to understand how adverse health may be ‘transmitted‘ across generations, amongst migrant groups living in Britain. This study will therefore enable the identification of earlier intervention time-points which could help in preventing adverse health outcomes in adulthood, amongst second generation migrant groups.
People |
ORCID iD |
Jayati Das-Munshi (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications

Das-Munshi J.
(2011)
RESIDENTIAL CONTEXT BUFFERS AGAINST PSYCHOSIS: MULTI-LEVEL INVESTIGATION OF ETHNIC MINORITY GROUPS LIVING IN ENGLAND
in AMERICAN JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

Singer S
(2010)
Prevalence of mental health conditions in cancer patients in acute care--a meta-analysis.
in Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology

Stansfeld SA
(2017)
Exposure to violence and mental health of adolescents: South African Health and Well-being Study.
in BJPsych open

Das-Munshi J
(2010)
Understanding the effect of ethnic density on mental health: multi-level investigation of survey data from England.
in BMJ (Clinical research ed.)


Das-Munshi J
(2012)
Migration, social mobility and common mental disorders: critical review of the literature and meta-analysis.
in Ethnicity & health

Das-Munshi J
(2014)
Does social disadvantage over the life-course account for alcohol and tobacco use in Irish people? Birth cohort study.
in European journal of public health

Bécares L
(2013)
Ethnic density, health care seeking behaviour and expected discrimination from health services among ethnic minority people in England.
in Health & place

Das-Munshi J
(2014)
Cross-cultural factorial validation of the Clinical Interview Schedule--Revised (CIS-R); findings from a nationally representative survey (EMPIRIC).
in International journal of methods in psychiatric research

Das-Munshi J
(2011)
Born into adversity; The intergenerational transmission of psychological morbidity in second generation Irish children living in Britain
in Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health
Description | Annual report of the Chief Medical Officer 2013 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | http://www.psymaptic.org/files/2014/09/CMO-Annual-Report-2013-Public-Mental-Health.pdf |
Description | Annual report of the Chief Medical officer 2013 |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Citation in NIH Funding Opportunity Announcement document |
Geographic Reach | North America |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
URL | http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-MH-12-090.html |
Description | Citation in a document to Department of Health |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a national consultation |
Description | Citation in a report compiled by Irish organisations |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Report in national press |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Description | Reporting of research in Spain's national newspaper "El Mundo" |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
Impact | In national press- Raised awareness through national press in Europe on mental health associated with migration and settlement |
URL | http://www.elmundo.es/elmundosalud/2010/10/21/neurociencia/1287675143.html |
Description | presentation of research findings to event organised in conjunction with UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ireland and the Irish in Britain. |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Gave evidence to a government review |
Description | Clinician Scientist Fellowship |
Amount | £636,897 (GBP) |
Organisation | The Health Foundation and the Academy of Medical Sciences |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2014 |
End | 06/2020 |
Description | Small fund grant |
Amount | £1,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Department | Social Psychiatry |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 06/2008 |
End | 06/2009 |
Description | Travel scholarship |
Amount | $500 (USD) |
Organisation | American Psychosomatic Society |
Sector | Learned Society |
Country | United States |
Start | 03/2013 |
End | 04/2013 |
Title | Using linked data to conduct multi-level modelling of area and mental health |
Description | I linked area level data (ethnic density and area level deprivation) to individual level data (EMPIRIC) and conducted multi-level regression analyses. At the time this was a novel method which allowed us to assess area based effects on individual mental health |
Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | There have been many others who have cited and built on our work on this field. |
Description | Collaboration with Stephen Stansfeld (QMW) and Crick Lund (University of Cape Town) |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Department | Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This collaboration was as a result of my research interests in mentL health inequalities |
Collaborator Contribution | I collaborated with Professors Stansfeld & Lund and led on an analysis of South African data on adolescent mental health. |
Impact | paper which is about to be submitted to peer reviewed journal "Mental health inequalities in adolescents growing up in post-apartheid South Africa: Cross-sectional survey, SHaW Study" |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | Collaboration with Stephen Stansfeld (QMW) and Crick Lund (University of Cape Town) |
Organisation | University of Cape Town |
Country | South Africa |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This collaboration was as a result of my research interests in mentL health inequalities |
Collaborator Contribution | I collaborated with Professors Stansfeld & Lund and led on an analysis of South African data on adolescent mental health. |
Impact | paper which is about to be submitted to peer reviewed journal "Mental health inequalities in adolescents growing up in post-apartheid South Africa: Cross-sectional survey, SHaW Study" |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | collaboration as a co-applicant on a grant |
Organisation | University of Sao Paulo |
Department | Institute of Psychiatry |
Country | Brazil |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am a co-applicant on a grant which is a feasibility study developing and evaluating a peer support intervention for ethnic minority elders (Indian and black Caribbean people) with dementia. This role involves my expertise in using electronic records from primary and secondary care to assess rates of service use, my expertise in quantitative data analysis, as well as my expertise as an old age psychiatrist and subject area expertise relating to health inequalities in ethnic minority communities. One of the datasets which will be used for this award comes from data I am using for my fellowship |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Vanessa Lawrence is the lead applicant for this grant application |
Impact | 1. Protocol for systematic review (see URL in previous question) 2. I am supervising an MSc student to complete synthesis of findings from retrieved papers using systematic searches, with a view to producing a peer-reviewed manuscript (Dr Lawrence has been involved). 3. Grant application for feasibility study submitted to NIHR, will be submitted to other bodies |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | collaboration with Jane Boydell |
Organisation | King’s Health Partners |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Advised on an analysis which was led by the collaborator |
Collaborator Contribution | The collaborator (Jane Boydell) led on the analysis |
Impact | Manuscript for peer reviewed publication- has been submitted |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | Findings reported in a national newspaper |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Reported in a newspaper read by Irish people living in Britain Engagement of non-research audiences |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.centreforglobalmentalhealth.org/news-events/news/irish-post-features-cgmh-study-health-in... |
Description | Interview by email with American newspaper |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Health professionals |
Results and Impact | I responded to questions asked by an American journalist which were put into a short feature on research for an American magazine read by Psychiatrists Dissemination outside of UK |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
Description | Podcast for BMJ |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Health professionals |
Results and Impact | Invited to give a podcast relating to one of the studies which had been published in the BMJ. Involved questions and answers with an interviewer (journalist) Received enquiries from the media and comments on 'rapid responses' on BMJ website |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
Description | presentation to members of 'Irish in Britain' group at event organised in conjunction with All-Party Parliamentary Working Group on Irish and Irish in Britain |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | 30-50 people from UK political parties (MPs and associated) and people from third sector organisations attended an event held in Westminster on identity and the health of second generation Irish people in Britain. I presented findings from this project which informed further debate and discussion and was later discussed on social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
URL | http://www.irishinbritain.org/whats-on/729/health-and-identity-of-irish-in-britain-discussion- |
Description | press release over internet (weblink and twitter) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | The newspaper story of main findings from our study was cited on the departmental webpage and tweeted- this is read by national and international audiences public engagement |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |
URL | http://www.centreforglobalmentalhealth.org/news-events/news/irish-post-features-cgmh-study-health-in... |