In deprived areas, depression hits hardest: UK study

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The people in Britain who have been hardest hit by the cost-of-living issue also suffer from depression the most, as per Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Households are experiencing inflation at 40-year highs of 11%, driving up food prices as energy costs are also on the rise as a result of the war in Ukraine.

"Moderate to severe depressed symptoms" were reported by 24% of those who had problems paying their energy bills in the four weeks leading up to October 23.

According to the ONS, who based their findings on responses from almost 4,300 people aged 16 and over, that was nearly three times more than the nine percent of people who claimed it was easy to pay.

Adults who said they had trouble making their rent or mortgage payments made up around one-fourth (27%) of those who had moderate to severe depression symptoms.

The percentage was 15% for people who had no trouble making payments, it was added.

The overall prevalence of moderate-to-severe depression symptoms among British people was one in sixteen (16%), which is similar to 2021 but higher than pre-pandemic levels (10 percent).

The study discovered that persons who were unable to work due to a long-term illness had the highest levels of depression (59 percent). Adults in England's most impoverished regions (35 percent) and unpaid carers (37 percent) were the next worst affected groups (25 percent).

The percentage for young adults (16 to 29) was 28%.

The UK's economy contracted in the third quarter of this year and is currently in a recession, as per a number of analyses.

According to the Bank of England, the contraction will endure for most of next year.