Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 12/2008

01-12-2008 | ORIGINAL PAPER

How to select representative geographical areas in mental health service research

A method to combine different selection criteria

Authors: Stefan Priebe, Marya Saidi, John Kennedy, Gyles Glover

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 12/2008

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Mental health service research can require the selection of representative geographical areas for data collection. This study designed and tested a new method of combining different relevant selection criteria within the context of a survey of housing services for people with mental health disorders in England.

Methods

Six criteria were considered relevant to select areas for the survey: deprivation, urban-ness, provision of community mental health care, residential care provision, total mental health care spend and pressure on housing generally. A measure was identified for each criterion and established for each of 166 local areas. Variables were converted to standardised scores and multi-dimensional scaling undertaken to produce a single axis representing all six variables. Study sites were chosen from this. Identifying the spread of the constituent variables among the finally selected areas we established how successfully the resulting selection represented each of the selection criteria. Reliability analyses were performed on the rank positions of each area.

Results

The measures were converted into one axis, and all areas were ranked according to the score on that specifically developed new axis. The scores on the axis showed good reliability when single criteria were eliminated from the equation. The finally selected six areas demonstrated a reasonable spread of scores of each of the constituent variables.

Conclusion

Converting several relevant criteria into one score is a feasible approach to ranking geographical areas to assist in identifying small samples that are arguably representative. The method may be used widely in similar research, but requires the availability of reliable data on relevant selection criteria.
Literature
2.
go back to reference Fakhoury WKH, Murray A, Shepherd G, Priebe S (2002) Research in supported housing. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 37:301–315PubMedCrossRef Fakhoury WKH, Murray A, Shepherd G, Priebe S (2002) Research in supported housing. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 37:301–315PubMedCrossRef
3.
go back to reference Glover G, Barnes D, Wistow R, Bradley S (2005) Mental health service provision for working age adults in England 2003. University of Durham Centre for Public Mental Health, Durham, UK Glover G, Barnes D, Wistow R, Bradley S (2005) Mental health service provision for working age adults in England 2003. University of Durham Centre for Public Mental Health, Durham, UK
4.
go back to reference Glover GR, Robin E, Emami J, Arabscheibani GR (1998) A needs index for mental health care. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 33:89–96PubMedCrossRef Glover GR, Robin E, Emami J, Arabscheibani GR (1998) A needs index for mental health care. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 33:89–96PubMedCrossRef
5.
go back to reference Ingham A (2006) Mental health finance mapping for english local implementation teams. Autumn review 2005 Ingham A (2006) Mental health finance mapping for english local implementation teams. Autumn review 2005
6.
go back to reference Office for National Statistics, 2001 Census: standard area statistics (England and Wales). ESRC/JISC census programme, census dissemination unit, Mimas (University of Manchester) Office for National Statistics, 2001 Census: standard area statistics (England and Wales). ESRC/JISC census programme, census dissemination unit, Mimas (University of Manchester)
7.
go back to reference Peen J, Dekker J, Schoevers RA, teb Have M, de Graaf R, Beekman AT (2007) Is the prevalence of psychiatric disorders associated with urbanization? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 42:984–989PubMedCrossRef Peen J, Dekker J, Schoevers RA, teb Have M, de Graaf R, Beekman AT (2007) Is the prevalence of psychiatric disorders associated with urbanization? Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 42:984–989PubMedCrossRef
8.
go back to reference Rezvyy G, Øiesvold T, Parniakov A, Ponomarev O, Lazurko O, Olstad R (2007) The barents project in psychiatry: a systematic comparative mental health services study between Northern Norway and Archangelsk County. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 42:131–139PubMedCrossRef Rezvyy G, Øiesvold T, Parniakov A, Ponomarev O, Lazurko O, Olstad R (2007) The barents project in psychiatry: a systematic comparative mental health services study between Northern Norway and Archangelsk County. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 42:131–139PubMedCrossRef
Metadata
Title
How to select representative geographical areas in mental health service research
A method to combine different selection criteria
Authors
Stefan Priebe
Marya Saidi
John Kennedy
Gyles Glover
Publication date
01-12-2008
Publisher
D. Steinkopff-Verlag
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 12/2008
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0383-4

Other articles of this Issue 12/2008

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 12/2008 Go to the issue