Common mental disorder in Basque Country

Background/Objectives

One of the public health problems of our time is the prevalence of mental disorders. In Spain, it is estimated that 2.5 million people suffer from depression and 2 million from anxiety. The literature has highlighted the link between social and economic determinants and physical and mental health. Several studies have claimed that the positive correlation between socioeconomic status and health varies between European countries and welfare states. This may indicate that geographical location is a factor that needs to be considered. Spatial epidemiology describes, quantifies, and explains geographical and geo-temporal variations in disease and assesses the relationship between disease incidence and possible social, economic, and environmental risk factors. Understanding, handling, and analysing this information requires specific techniques. Among these techniques, spatial autocorrelation analysis attempts to show a pattern in the variable's behaviour according to the variable's geographical location. This research aims to identify the hot/cold spots of incidence and prevalence of common mental disorders and the use of specialised services in the Basque Country in 2019.

Methods.

This research examined the minimum dataset corresponding to community mental health centres by the smallest available spatial unit (basic health areas/municipality) in the Basque Country in 2019. The variables considered in the study included prevalence and incidence of attendance and visits per inhabitant. Bayesian empirical standardisation was applied to smooth the data to avoid overestimation, and then global and local autocorrelation indices were used to identify statistically significant clusters.

Results.

Spatial clusters were identified at both global and local levels for both variables, identifying points that need special attention within the Basque Country.

Conclusion

The results provide helpful information for planners and decision-makers searching for efficiency, quality, and equity in mental health care. The next step of this research will be identifying risk factors that explain these spatial patterns.