Social Class And Mental Health: A Comparative Community Study

OBJECTIVE Study of the state of mental health of people living in socioeconomically contrasting urban neighborhoods during a period of severe, persistent economic crisis. METHOD A cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted in socioeconomically contrasting neighborhoods by means of 312 face to face structured interviews, covering a wide range of topics related to human experiences across different social fields. RESULTS Correspondence analysis revealed that low-income groups were more vulnerable to chroni c strain, mainly financial and job distress, poor living conditions and undesirable life events, than highly skilled wage earners. CONCLUSIONS The widening of class inequalities in mental distress observed during the economic crisis underlines the need for introduction of policies based on social justice and work protection.