Introduction
Method
Sample
Measurement
Social network indicators
Social support indicators
Mental health outcomes
Socio-demographic and socioeconomic indicators
Statistical analysis
Results
Sample description
Total sample n (%) | Total sample n (%) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Total sample | 1, 698 | Common mental disorder | |
Gender | No | 1,296 (75.8) | |
Female | 959 (66.7) | Yes | 396 (24.2) |
Male | 739 (33.3) | Hazardous alcohol use | |
Age (years) | No | 1,344 (82.5) | |
16–30 | 622 (30.7) | Yes | 343 (17.5) |
31–45 | 504 (26.8) | Personality dysfunction | |
46–59 | 339 (21.9) | No | 1,421 (84.7) |
60+ | 233 (20.6) | Yes | 241 (15.3) |
Ethnic group | Psychotic symptoms | ||
White | 1,051 (63.5) | No | 1,402 (83.9) |
Black Caribbean | 143 (8.7) | Yes | 285 (16.1) |
Black African | 234 (13.2) | Family social network | |
Other | 268 (14.7) | No contact | 149 (8.4) |
Migration status | 1 contact | 518 (31.9) | |
UK born | 1,005 (59.7) | 2 contacts | 785 (45.7) |
0–4 years | 139 (6.9) | 3 contacts | 232 (14.0) |
5–10 years | 184 (10.0) | Friend social network | |
≥11 years | 361 (23.4) | No contact | 78 (4.8) |
Household composition | 1 contact | 344 (20.3) | |
Living with others | 1,327 (74.1) | 2 contacts | 516 (30.3) |
Living alone/single parent | 371 (25.9) | 3 contacts | 515 (30.1) |
Educational attainment | 4 contacts | 231 (14.5) | |
Up to GCSE level | 560 (37.1) | Perceived instrumental support | |
A level or above | 1,119 (63.0) | No support | 64 (4.3) |
Employment status | 1 support | 217 (13.3) | |
Employed | 921 (51.2) | 2 supports | 1,396 (82.4) |
Unemployed | 170 (9.3) | Perceived emotional support | |
Student | 247 (12.5) | No support | 48 (2.9) |
Other | 351 (27.1) | 1 support | 116 (7.4) |
2 supports | 1,512 (89.7) |
Characteristics of social networks and social support indicators
Family network size | Friend network size | Instrumental support | Emotional support | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Regression coefficient (95 % CI) p
| Regression coefficient (95 % CI) p
| Regression coefficient (95 % CI) p
| Regression coefficient (95 % CI) p
| |
Gender | ||||
Male | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
Female | 0.21 (0.03, 0.40) p = 0.025 | −0.15 (−0.32, 0.02) p = 0.090 | 0.06 (−0.20, 0.33) p = 0.635 | 0.37 (0.03, 0.70) p = 0.032 |
Age (years) | ||||
16–30 | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
31–45 | 0.02 (−0.21, 0.25) p = 0.858 | −0.08 (−0.13, 0.30) p = 0.449 | −0.45 (−0.79, −0.12) p = 0.008 | −0.11 (−0.60, 0.38) p = 0.663 |
46–59 | −0.11 (−0.37, 0.16) p = 0.425 | −0.40 (0.15, 0.65) p = 0.002 | −0.70 (−1.07, −0.33) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.85 (−1.31, −0.38) p ≤ 0.001 |
60+ | −0.30 (−0.61, 0.01) p = 0.055 | −0.26 (−0.03, 0.55) p = 0.079 | −0.92 (−1.33, −0.51) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.88 (−1.39, −0.38) p = 0.001 |
Ethnic group | ||||
White | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
Black Caribbean | 0.22 (−0.09, 0.54) p = 0.167 | −0.02 (−0.34, 0.30) p = 0.902 | −0.66 (−1.14, −0.17) p = 0.008 | −0.20 (−0.81, 0.41) p = 0.526 |
Black African | 0.59 (0.31, 0.87) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.01 (−0.31, 0.28) p = 0.933 | −1.17 (−1.52, −0.81) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.11 (−0.58, 0.35) p = 0.637 |
Othera
| 0.49 (0.20, 0.78) p = 0.001 | −0.41 (−0.66, −0.16) p = 0.001 | −0.55 (−0.93, −0.17) p = 0.004 | −0.08 (−0.54, 0.39) p = 0.748 |
Migration status | ||||
UK born | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
0–4 years | −0.07 (−0.45, 0.31) p = 0.710 | −0.63 (−0.94, −0.33) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.36 (−0.85, 0.12) p = 0.140 | −0.12 (−0.64, 0.89) p = 0.751 |
5–10 years | 0.14 (−0.17, 0.46) p = 0.374 | −0.52 (−0.80, −0.25) p ≤ 0.001 | −1.07 (−1.47, −0.67) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.36 (−0.89, 0.17) p = 0.184 |
≥11 years | 0.32 (0.05, 0.59) p = 0.020 | −0.09 (−0.33, 0.15) p = 0.472 | −0.84 (−1.18, −0.51) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.37 (−0.77, 0.02) p = 0.065 |
Household composition | ||||
Living with others | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
Living alone/single parent | −0.55 (−0.89, −0.31) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.24 (−0.46, −0.24) p = 0.030 | −0.30 (−0.61, 0.07) p = 0.056 | −0.73 (−1.09, −0.36) p ≤ 0.001 |
Educational attainment | ||||
Up to GCSE level | −0.02 (−0.22, 0.18) p = 0.848 | −0.45 (−1.65, −0.25) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.87 (−1.15, −0.58) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.90 (−1.26, −0.54) p ≤ 0.001 |
A level or above | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
Employment status | ||||
Employed | Ref | Ref | Ref | Ref |
Unemployed | −0.16 (−0.49, 0.18) p = 0.363 | −0.53 (−0.84, −0.23) p = 0.001 | −0.90 (−1.32, −0.49) p ≤ 0.001 | −1.13 (−1.63, −0.64) p ≤ 0.001 |
Student | −0.07 (−0.31, 0.16) p = 0.548 | 0.02 (−0.20, 0.24) p = 0.843 | 0.59 (0.05, 1.12) p = 0.032 | 0.40 (−0.25, 1.05) p = 0.230 |
Other | −0.19 (−0.44, 0.07) p = 0.151 | −0.26 (−0.51, −0.02) p = 0.032 | −0.87 (−1.19, −0.54) p ≤ 0.001 | −0.77 (−1.18, −0.36) p ≤ 0.001 |
Family network size | – | – | 0.29 (0.12, 0,46) p = 0.001 | 0.48 (0.27, 0.70) p ≤ 0.001 |
Friend network size | – | – | 0.39 (0.25, 0.52) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.63 (0.47, 0.80) p ≤ 0.001 |
Social networks, social support and mental health
Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Unadjusted odds ratio (95 % CI) p
| Adjusted odds ratio (95 % CI) p
| Adjusted odds ratio (95 % CI) p
| Adjusted odds ratio (95 % CI) p
| |
Common mental disorder—CIS-R (12+) | ||||
Family network size | 0.59 (0.41, 0.86) p = 0.005 | 0.55 (0.38, 0.81) p = 0.003 | 0.52 (0.36, 0.77) p = 0.001 | 0.60 (0.40, 0.90) p = 0.013 |
Friend network size | 0.48 (0.29, 0.79) p = 0.004 | 0.42 (0.25, 0.69) p = 0.001 | 0.50 (0.29, 0.86) p = 0.012 | 0.64 (0.36, 1.14) p = 0.130 |
Instrumental support | 0.58 (0.43, 0.78) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.49 (0.36, 0.67) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.54 (0.39, 0.75) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.74 (0.52, 1.07) p = 0.106 |
Emotional support | 0.37 (0.27, 0.53) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.33 (0.23, 0.48) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.33 (0.23, 0.48) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.42 (0.28, 0.62) p ≤ 0.001 |
Hazardous alcohol use | ||||
Family network size | 0.64 (0.43, 0.96) p = 0.032 | 0.70 (0.45, 1.09) p = 0.112 | 0.73 (0.46, 1.15) p = 0.169 | 0.70 (0.44, 1.12) p = 0.139 |
Friend network size | 2.10 (1.02, 4.34) p = 0.045 | 1.82 (0.83, 4.01) p = 0.133 | 1.65 (0.75, 3.63) p = 0.217 | 1.54 (0.69, 3.44) p = 0.288 |
Instrumental support | 2.28 (1.50, 3.46) p ≤ 0.001 | 1.38 (0.88, 2.15) p = 0.162 | 1.28 (0.81, 2.01) p = 0.292 | 1.24 (0.78, 1.96) p = 0.356 |
Emotional support | 1.44 (0.88, 2.36) p = 0.146 | 1.11 (0.63, 1.94) p = 0.723 | 1.10 (0.61, 1.97) p = 0.755 | 0.99 (0.53, 1.85) p = 0.983 |
Personality dysfunction | ||||
Family network size | 0.43 (0.28, 0.65) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.41 (0.27, 0.64) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.36 (0.23, 0.57) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.38 (0.24, 0.61) p ≤ 0.001 |
Friend network size | 0.32 (0.19, 0.54) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.28 (0.16, 0.47) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.31 (0.17, 0.56) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.41 (0.22, 0.76) p = 0.005 |
Instrumental support | 0.43 (0.31, 0.60) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.39 (0.27, 0.57) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.47 (0.32, 0.69) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.71 (0.46, 1.09) p = 0.119 |
Emotional support | 0.31 (0.21, 0.46) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.29 (0.19, 0.43) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.31 (0.20, 0.47) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.41 (0.25, 0.66) p ≤ 0.001 |
Psychotic symptoms | ||||
Family network size | 0.71 (0.46, 1.10) p = 0.127 | 0.68 (0.43, 1.08) p = 0.101 | 0.98 (0.50, 1.91) p = 0.954 | 1.14 (0.56, 2.32) p = 0.714 |
Friend network size | 0.96 (0.52, 1.78) p = 0.903 | 0.83 (0.44, 1.56) p = 0.567 | 0.98 (0.43, 2.19) p = 0.952 | 1.42 (0.62, 3.25) p = 0.407 |
Instrumental support | 0.58 (0.42, 0.81) p = 0.001 | 0.55 (0.38, 0.78) p = 0.001 | 0.44 (0.28, 0.68) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.53 (0.33, 0.83) p = 0.006 |
Emotional support | 0.37 (0.26, 0.54) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.32 (0.22, 0.48) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.35 (0.21, 0.59) p ≤ 0.001 | 0.43 (0.25, 0.74) p = 0.002 |