A new study by Rose et al. shows that although challenging, small local economic changes can significantly improve mental health outcomes. The study evaluated the effect of a new economic development program called ‘community wealth building’ on the local population’s mental health and wellbeing. The program was implemented in Preston, England, which has a population of 140,000 and is within the 20% most deprived local authorities in the country, by a joint initiative including public and non-profit organizations. The aim of the program is to promote economic inclusion by prioritizing local supply chains, supporting local businesses, improving employment conditions, and maximizing the use of socially productive land and property.
The authors compared the mental health and economic outcomes of people in Preston with a synthetic control group derived from 16 other matched (equally deprived) districts that were not under the community wealth building program or anything similar. They used data from the National Health Service Digital, the Quality and Outcomes Framework, the Office for National Statistics, the Annual Population Survey, and the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings from before (2011–2015) and after (2016–2019) the program started. The mental health outcomes measured were antidepressant prescription, primary care depression diagnosis for adults over 18 years old, and mental health-related hospital attendance rates. Other outcomes evaluated were mean life satisfaction scores, employment rate, and median wages.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
