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01-01-2014 | Brief Report

Social Characteristics of Psychological Distress in a Disadvantaged Urban Area of Kazakhstan

Authors: Yuriy Ignatyev, Marat Assimov, Dauren Dochshanov, Andreas Ströhle, Andreas Heinz, Adrian P. Mundt

Published in: Community Mental Health Journal | Issue 1/2014

Abstract

The present study aimed to systematically assess the association of socio-economic characteristics and psychological distress in a disadvantaged urban area of a post-Soviet Republic. Psychological distress was assessed in a random sample of 200 persons, aged 18–57, living in a disadvantaged urban area of Kazakhstan using the General Health Questionnaire with 28 items (GHQ-28). Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to examine the association of social characteristics and psychological distress. Female gender (P < 0.05), living without a partner (P < 0.01), higher age (P < 0.01), unemployment (P < 0.01), and low perceived income (P < 0.05) were associated with psychological distress in multivariate analyses. Non-Kazakh ethnicity (P < 0.05) was linked with psychological distress in bivariate analyses. The educational level was not significantly associated with psychological distress. Women, aged 38–57, living without partner and with low access to financial resources, were at a very high risk of psychological distress. Possibly due to social drift or status inconsistency, higher educational levels were not associated with lower levels of psychological distress in the disadvantaged area.

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Title: Social Characteristics of Psychological Distress in a Disadvantaged Urban Area of Kazakhstan
Authors: Yuriy Ignatyev
Marat Assimov
Dauren Dochshanov
Andreas Ströhle
Andreas Heinz
Adrian P. Mundt
Publication date: 01-01-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Community Mental Health Journal / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 0010-3853
Electronic ISSN: 1573-2789
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-013-9610-x

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Social Characteristics of Psychological Distress in a Disadvantaged Urban Area of Kazakhstan

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