Discrimination, Disadvantage, and Mental Health in the UK

More than 1 in 4 people in England experience mental health problems every year. There are many proposed contributing factors to developing mental health problems and one important factor is discrimination. Specifically, evidence suggests that perceived discrimination may be associated with an increased risk of worse mental health. However, despite there being consistent support for this association, and some suggestion that there may be increasing discrimination in the UK due to political and economic changes (e.g., increased racial discrimination in the wake of Brexit), there is an absence of research examining how experiencing discrimination has changed over time in the UK, and whether this relates to increases in mental health problems. The present project will explore changes in perceived discrimination over time.
Moreover, relative levels of "social disadvantage" (evaluated using socioeconomic disadvantage measures e.g., household income) is an important issue to consider in relation to discrimination and mental health, as social disadvantage is associated with more mental health difficulties. However, limited research has assessed how disadvantage may impact the discrimination-mental health association. It is possible that those who are in disadvantage may experience more discrimination, due to the stigmatisation of their socioeconomic status, which may in turn have a greater negative impact on their mental health. Additionally, living in disadvantage may reduce psychological buffers (e.g., high self-esteem, social connectiveness) that may protect against the damaging psychological effects of discrimination. In this project we will answer these questions by analysing data from large scale UK survey studies.
Furthermore, this project will consider the support available for those experiencing mental health problems. As the prevalence of people experiencing mental health problems in the UK has increased, the need for services to support individuals in mental health crises has also increased. One such service is the Samaritans, a charity who supports individuals experiencing mental health difficulties and crises via a freephone telephone service. During the project we will be conducting research with this charity, which will evaluate the benefits of their service to the local community, with a particular focus on social disadvantage and discrimination.