Mental Health and Wellbeing Bulletin

Statistical Press Release
Embargoed until 9.30am Thursday 7 February 2002

Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey 2001

Mental Health and Wellbeing Bulletin

The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) today published information on Mental Health and Wellbeing from the second Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey. The survey was commissioned by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to monitor the health and wellbeing of the Northern Ireland population.

The results of the survey, which was conducted between February and July 2001, reflect the findings from interviews of a representative sample of adults, aged 16 and over, living in Northern Ireland.

Among the key findings from the Mental Health section of the survey: -

Stressful life events

Respondents were asked if they had experienced a wide range of potentially stressful life events or difficulties in the previous 12 months.

The most commonly reported stressful life event (25%) was having a family member or friend with a serious health condition. 16% of people had experienced the death of a close family member.
Of those people in paid employment in the last year, the most commonly reported stressful life event was changing jobs (17%).  7% thought they would soon loose their job.
 
5% of respondents had experienced major financial problems in the previous 12 months.

Overall, 31% of respondents indicated they not experienced any potentially stressful life events in the previous 12 months.

Mental health problems

A widely used set of questions called the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) was used to identify the possible existence of a mental health problem such as depression in respondents.

Just over one fifth of people (21%) aged 16 and over showed signs of a possible mental health problem by scoring highly on the GHQ12.

The unemployed were almost twice as likely to show signs of a possible mental health problem (30%) as those in employment (16%).
 
Respondents who had little control over decisions that affect their life were more than twice as likely to show signs of a possible mental health problem (45%) as those who were satisfied with the amount of control they have (19%).

Respondents who experienced major financial problems in the previous 12 months were 3 times as likely as those who reported no personal problems to exhibit signs of a possible mental health problem, 51% compared with 17%.

Stress

Respondents were asked about the level of stress they had experienced over the previous 12 months.  Overall, 12% of persons aged 16 and over had experienced a great deal of worry or stress, 27% had experienced quite a lot of stress and 61% had experienced little or no worry or stress.

Women were more likely to have experienced a great deal of worry or stress than men, 14% compared with 10%.

Unemployed people were more likely to have experienced a great deal of worry or stress than those in employment, 17% compared with 10%.

People with difficulties in relationships reported the most stress.  Almost half of those who had felt betrayed or disappointed by their spouse or partner in the last year (44%) reported a great deal of worry or stress.

Social Support

Respondents were asked about the amount of social support they received from family and friends.  Overall, 40% of people aged 16 and over experienced a lack of social support, with 14% experiencing a ´severe lack´ of social support. 

Men were more likely to have experienced a severe lack of social support (17%) than women (12%).

Unemployed respondents were almost twice as likely as those in employment to have experienced a severe lack of social support, 27% compared with 14%.

30% of people aged 16 and over who felt betrayed or disappointed by their spouse or partner had experienced a severe lack of social support in the previous 12 months, compared with 12% of people who have not had relationship related stress problems during this time.

Respondents who felt their neighbourhood was not a place in which they personally feel safe were almost twice as likely to have experienced a severe lack of social support as those who feel their neighbourhood was a place of safety, 23% compared with 13%.

Copies of the bulletin and tables are available from the NISRA internet site
at: -

www.nisra.gov.uk

Additionally, the bulletin may be accessed through the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety internet site at:

www.dhsspsni.gov.uk

Alternatively, copies of the bulletin and tables can be obtained from: -

Central Survey Unit
NISRA
McAuley House
2-14 Castle Street
Belfast
BT1 1SY

Tel: (028) 9034 8244
Fax: (028) 9034 8205

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Commissioning of the survey

The Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey was commissioned by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to monitor the health and wellbeing of the Northern Ireland population. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), which is an Agency within the Department of Finance and Personnel, was commissioned to conduct the fieldwork for the survey.

2. The Aims and Design of the Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey

2.1 This report describes the results from the mental health section of the second Northern Ireland Health and Social Wellbeing Survey. This survey is designed to yield a representative sample of all adults aged 16 and over living in Northern Ireland. The sample is drawn from the Valuation and Lands Agency list of private addresses and made available to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency for research purposes. People living in institutions (though not in private households in such institutions) are excluded.

2.2 A total of 5000 addresses were issued to a panel of NISRA interviewers on a monthly basis between February and July 2001. In each household contacted, all persons aged 16 and over were asked to take part in the survey. From the allocated sample of 5000 addresses, a total of 5205 full or proxy interviews were obtained.

2.3 Respondents used a self-completion form to answer the more sensitive questions on mental health.

2.4 A Top line bulletin containing a summary of the survey results was published in December 2002. Additional bulletins will be produced over the next 6 months to look at other specific topic areas in more detail.  The Bulletins are planned to issue in the following order: Physical Activity, General Health, Sexual Health and Smoking and Drinking.

Press & PR Contact: DFP Press Office Ann Williamson Tel: 028 90527374