Science: Explore the two-way causal relationship between poverty and common mental illnesses

DECEMBER 17, 2020 /--- Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in the Journal of Science published a review article titled "Poverty, depression, and anxiety: Causal evidence and mechanisms" that analyzed the relationship between poverty and poor mental health.
point out that studies have shown that supporting poor people with mental health problems can improve their standard of living, which in turn improves the standard of living of society as a whole.
between poverty and common mental illness, pictured is Science, 2020, doi10.1126/science.aay0214.
previous studies have shown a link between mental health and poverty in some people.
study also showed that it was not always easy to determine whether mental health problems led to poverty or, conversely, mental health problems.
in either case, the authors wanted to know from the outset why people living in poverty disproportionately suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression, and whether government and social interventions could improve the situation.
the authors also note that anxiety and depression are the most common forms of mental illness worldwide, and that studies have shown that both the rich and the poor suffer from these diseases, although recent evidence suggests that the poor are more likely to suffer from one or the other.
published their review, highlighting evidence of a two-way causal relationship between mental illness and poverty and exploring the potential benefits of mental health care.
authors believe that the logical starting point is to understand the mechanisms involved.
point out that this requires some research, which has historically been a high priority for policy makers.
the authors do point out that several studies have shown what happens when people with mental illness receive medical support--- their symptoms tend to improve as they improve their ability to improve their financial situation.
, the authors argue that there is a strong economic case for investing in health services for people living in poverty.
point out that if people are lifted out of poverty, society will benefit because they will no longer need other types of assistance, such as social assistance.
their children would also benefit because such programmes could break the chain of poverty that persists around the world.
the authors conclude that the current pandemic shows that such assistance is essential to protect some of the most at-risk populations in society.
(Bioon.com) Reference: 1. Matthew Ridley et al. Poverty, depression, and anxiety: Causal evidence and mechanisms. Science, 2020, doi10.1126/science.aay0214.2.Study of relationship between poverty and mental health shows cash support can help。