Income inequality and schizophrenia: increased schizophrenia incidence in countries with high levels of income inequality.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Income inequality is associated with numerous negative health outcomes. There is evidence that ecological-level socio-environmental factors may increase risk for schizophrenia.

Aims

The aim was to investigate whether measures of income inequality are associated with incidence of schizophrenia at the country level.

Method

We conducted a systematic review of incidence rates for schizophrenia, reported between 1975 and 2011. For each country, national measures of income inequality (Gini coefficient) along with covariate risk factors for schizophrenia were obtained. Multi-level mixed-effects Poisson regression was performed to investigate the relationship between Gini coefficients and incidence rates of schizophrenia controlling for covariates.

Results

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SUBMITTER: Burns JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4105302 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature