Mental health and poverty in the UK - time for change?

Jed Boardman; Nisha Dogra; Peter Hindley

doi:10.1192/s2056474000000210

Mental health and poverty in the UK - time for change?

BJPsych Int. 2015 May 1;12(2):27-28. doi: 10.1192/s2056474000000210. eCollection 2015 May.

Authors

Jed Boardman¹, Nisha Dogra², Peter Hindley³

Affiliations

¹ Consultant/Senior Lecturer in Social Psychiatry, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and Health Services and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK, email jed.boardman@slam.nhs.uk.
² Professor of Psychiatry Education and Honorary Consultant in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Greenwood Institute of Child Health, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
³ Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, South London and Maudsley NHS FoundationTrust, Children's Psychological Medicine, St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK.

Abstract

Poverty and income inequality have increased in the UK since the 1970s. Poverty and mental ill-health are closely associated and disadvantage can have long-term consequences. In addition, the recent recession and austerity measures have had a detrimental effect on people with mental health problems and the mental health of the population. Mental health services can play a role in addressing the problems of poverty and inequality.

Publication types

Editorial