Socioeconomic Factors and Mental Health

TY - JOUR

T1 - Socioeconomic Factors and Mental Health

A2 - Smith, Matthew

A2 - Richert, Lucas

PY - 2018/1/30

Y1 - 2018/1/30

N2 - This article collection examines how the relationship between socioeconomic factors and mental health has been and is understood in an array of different places and periods. Although much of the focus of current mental health research and clinical practice is on the neurological aspects of mental illness and psychopharmacological treatment, historical research demonstrates that a wide range of factors—from vitamin deficiencies such as pellagra, and infections such as syphilis to traumatic life events—have contributed to the onset and exacerbation of mental health problems. Among all these factors, one looms largest: socioeconomic status. On the one hand, socioeconomic inequality has been long recognised as a potential cause of mental illness, as the history of mental hygiene and social psychiatry during much of the twentieth century demonstrates. On the other hand, however, the mentally ill have also historically faced much socioeconomic hardship; today, a high proportion of the homeless and incarcerated in many countries suffer from mental illness.

AB - This article collection examines how the relationship between socioeconomic factors and mental health has been and is understood in an array of different places and periods. Although much of the focus of current mental health research and clinical practice is on the neurological aspects of mental illness and psychopharmacological treatment, historical research demonstrates that a wide range of factors—from vitamin deficiencies such as pellagra, and infections such as syphilis to traumatic life events—have contributed to the onset and exacerbation of mental health problems. Among all these factors, one looms largest: socioeconomic status. On the one hand, socioeconomic inequality has been long recognised as a potential cause of mental illness, as the history of mental hygiene and social psychiatry during much of the twentieth century demonstrates. On the other hand, however, the mentally ill have also historically faced much socioeconomic hardship; today, a high proportion of the homeless and incarcerated in many countries suffer from mental illness.

KW - mental health

KW - social inequality

KW - economic inequality

UR - https://www.nature.com/collections/ytzblvgrzk

M3 - Special issue

JO - Palgrave Communications

T2 - Palgrave Communications

JF - Palgrave Communications

SN - 2055-1045

ER -