Poorer children more likely to be on anti-depressants and/or receiving psychiatric help
According to research carried out by the Socialist Health Mutual, children from poorer families are more likely to have been prescribed anti-depressants that those from more privileged backgrounds. Furthermore, children from poorer families are also more likely to be receiving psychiatric help than their peers from richer backgrounds. The Socialist Health Mutual surveyed its own members to gather the information for the survey.
The survey also found children from poorer families also visited the dentist less frequently than those from more affluent families. The figures from the survey confirm that he health gap between rich and poor starts at a young age.
Mental Health
Just over 1 in 200 children from richer families (That don’t benefit from the higher level of refund from health mutual given to families with more modest means) have taking medication for depression or psychosis at some point during the last year.
In poorer families this figure is much higher at around 1 in 100.
Meanwhile, 1 in 400 children from richer families have received treatment in a psychiatric hospital. In the case of poorer families almost 1 in 200 children have received psychiatric treatment.
What the study doesn’t say for sure is whether children from poorer families are more likely to suffer from mental issues than their richer peers. It could for example be the case that poorer parents are more likely to get their children put on medication if they are depressed. It could also be the case that poorer parents don’t have the time or the means to get their child into group therapy or to see a psychologist.
Nevertheless, the Socialist Health Mutual calls for measures to be taken to bridge the health gap between children from richer and those from poorer families.