https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/ Recent content in Mental health epidemiology on MIST Psychiatric Epidemiology Hugo -- gohugo.io en Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-climate-sr/ Mon, 03 Nov 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-climate-sr/ Figure 1: Eugene Isabey - A storm off the Normandy Coast Background Climate change is now recognised as the largest threat to global health, fundamentally reshaping our world. Climate change has intensified the frequency and severity of weather events like hurricanes, floods, wildfires, heat waves, and droughts. The impact of these events on physical health are well-documented, but less is know about the impact of climate change events on mental health. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-neigh-social-capital/ Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-neigh-social-capital/ Figure 1: O. Louis Gugleilmi - One third of a nation (1939) Background Social capital - the trust within communities, shared resources, values, and connections - has been linked to mental health. Strong ties within a community may protect against mental health problems, but it is not clear if low social capital is a risk factor for psychotic and bipolar disorders. Why did we do this research? https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-ucl-ki-funding/ Thu, 31 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-ucl-ki-funding/ New funding announcement I am delighted to share that we have been awarded seed funding to establish a collaborative research project exploring youth suicide and self-harm research. Over the next year, our UCL team including Prof Alexandra Pitman, Dr Michelle Arellano Spano, and Alua Yeskendir, will work with a research team from Karolinska Institutet including Dr Jill Åhs, Dr Andreas Lundin, Dr Aemal Akhtar to build a cross-national collaboration. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-cmd-young/ Thu, 31 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-cmd-young/ Figure 1: Bulat Silvia on iStock) Background Rates of common mental disorders (CMD) including anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders have increased in primary care for young people in the last 20 years. However, it is unclear if this reflects changes in help-seeking and/or an increase in symptoms affect millions of people each year. Why did we do this research? Our previous research found a large increase in CMD, but that the largest increases were observed in the youngest age groups. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-usoc-insights/ Thu, 20 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-usoc-insights/ Figure 1: Understanding Society Insight 2025 report: transforming housing Background Each year, Understanding Society (USoc) releases an in-depth report on a policy-relevant topic. For their 2025 report, they chose to focus on housing. This is particularly timely, as the UK has been facing a housing crisis. USoc’s rich longitudinal data is well-suited for exploring questions around housing affordability, suitability, and intersections with inequality, poverty, and differential impacts on marginalised groups. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-temp-depression-mania/ Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2025-temp-depression-mania/ Figure 1: Gustave Courbet - The young ladies on the bank of the Seine (1856) Background On days where it feels too hot to move, we may want to join the young ladies longing on the banks of the Seine, but how do changes in temperature affect symptoms of mental health problems? Some previous studies have found that extreme heat exposure may negatively impact mental health, with lower levels of well-being and higher suicide rates during heat waves. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-social-connect-review/ Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-social-connect-review/ Figure 1: Love of Winters, George Bellows (1888-1925) Background Social connectedness is a person’s experience of belonging and relatedness to others. This may include feeling socially supported or feeling like you belong, but also includes experiences of loneliness and social isolation. Social connectedness has been linked to a range of health outcomes, including higher rates of mortality and higher rates of anxiety and depression. Why did we do this research? https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-social-media-type/ Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-social-media-type/ Figure 1: If Renoir had Facebook, generated by Canva AI Background Previous studies have explored the association between social media use and mental health among adolescents. However, few studies using nationally representative longitudinal data have explored this relationship for adults and how the effect might change depending on how people use social media. Why did we do this research? We explored the key findings and possible explanations for these patterns. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-bbc4/ Sat, 17 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-bbc4/ Background The Briefing Room is a programme where David Aaronovitch invites experts to explore the big issues in the news. In a special 4 part series on health, Aaronovitch looked to explore the recent increase in mental health problems like anxiety and depression. I was invited to participate in the expert panel, alongside Prof Jennifer Wild, Dr Sharon Neufeld, and Prof Thalia Ele to discuss the research and what they mean. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hiding-in-plain-sight/ Wed, 17 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hiding-in-plain-sight/ Background Understanding the patterns of suicide is an essential aspect of public mental health. Consistent monitoring is not just a statistical exercise, it is vital to identifying at-risk groups, disentangling the underlying causes of suicide, and planning suicide prevention efforts. Despite the critical importance of regular surveillance data, there is a paucity of data on suicide rates across ethnic and migrant groups in the UK. Recently, Duleeka Knipe and colleagues published updated estimates of suicide rates in England & Wales by ethnic and migrant groups. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-nihr-researcher-spotlight/ Sat, 06 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-nihr-researcher-spotlight/ Dr Jen Dykxhoorn was selected by the NIHR to be featured as one of the “Researchers in the Spotlight.” You can see clips from this interview here. Learn about Jen’s background and current research What does a day-in-the-life of an academic researcher look like? Why pursue a career in mental health research Advice for those considering a career in research Thanks for the chat! https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hostile-env-kate/ Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hostile-env-kate/ Figure 1: Study for the city (1909-10) by Robert Delaunay Background In 2012, then Home Secretary Theresa May announced a desire ‘to create here in Britain a really hostile environment for illegal migration’, which has later been referred to by the Government as the ‘compliant environment policy’. The passage of the Immigration Acts of 2014 and 2016 enacted this ‘hostile environment’ by implementing policy changes that aimed to increase social exclusion for undocumented migrants. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-aff-disorders/ Fri, 16 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-aff-disorders/ Figure 1: The Arrival (1913) by Christopher Nevinson Background According to the UN Human High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), there are 36 million refugees living outside of their country of origin, forced to leave as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. This number has grown dramatically in the last 10 years due to ongoing conflicts and crises throughout the world. In addition to the stressors that non-refugee migrants face when leaving their home and settling in a new country, refugees are likely to contend with even more challenges before, during, and after migration. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hostile-env-annie/ Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-hostile-env-annie/ Figure 1: No Man’s Land (1943) by Jankel Adler Background Over the past decade, there have been broad changes to immigration and citizenship policies in the UK. In 2012, a series of policy reforms were introduced, collectively known as the “hostile environment policy.” These policies included deputizing landlords, employers, health services, banks, and police to enforce migration rules by checking “right-to-stay” documentation. Under these policies, hundreds of Commonwealth citizens who had been legally settled in the UK since the 1950s, many from the Caribbean (the Windrush Generation) were labeled as undocumented, and some were subject to deportation. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-sdmh-forum/ Fri, 12 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2024-sdmh-forum/ Figure 1: The social determinants of mental health (image by Alua Yeskendir) Why did we do this research? There is compelling evidence that the risk of developing mental health problems depend on social and structural factors. These factors, also called the ‘social determinants of mental health’ include a wide range of factors including income, housing, childhood adversity, and neighbourhood conditions. Critically, these factors are not randomly distributed. Some individuals and groups are much more likely to experience these social risk factors, and a far higher burden of mental health problems. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-social-media/ Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-social-media/ Figure 1: Is social media use driving mental health problems in young people? Why did we do this research? It is not a new refrain - worried parents wondering if social media is turning their kids social media is turning our kids brains to mush and creating a generation of anxious and depressed adolescents. The huge increase in social media use in recent decades seems to correspond to the high rates of mental health probvlems in young people. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-dep-traj/ Sun, 15 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-dep-traj/ Figure 1: The Arrival (1913) by Christopher Nevinson Background People with psychosis are more likely to live in densely populated, socioeconomically deprived areas. However, it is not clear if the relationship between these environmental risk factors and psychosis are due to causation or social drift. For example, the high rates of psychotic disorders among those living in crowded, deprived areas may be because these environmental risk factors cause psychotic disorders. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-cmd-incidence/ Tue, 22 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-cmd-incidence/ Figure 1: Automat by Edward Hopper (1927) Background Common mental disorders, including anxiety, depression, and stress-related disorders affect millions of people each year. In the UK, primary care doctors (general practitioners or “GPs”) diagnose and treat individuals with common mental disorders, which might include pharmaceutical treatment or referrals to talking therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy or counselling. Why did we do this research? The last 20 years have been a period of tremendous change in the UK, so in this research, we explored rates of new cases of common mental disorders (“incident” cases) over time. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-gender/ Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-gender/ Background Cast your mind back to the spring of 2020. As the crocuses and daffodils started to, we were hearing rumblings about a new virus. As the days went on, and the Facebook U was filled with infectious disease experts, it became clear that we were in for an “unprecedented” public health emergency. I would gather around the TV with my flatmates, watching Downing Street briefings, waiting to see what was going to happen. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-social-ex/ Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-social-ex/ Figure 1: Measuring social exclusion Background Social exclusion is a term that has been used for many years in political rhetoric to represent the multidimensional processes which restrict groups or individuals from participating fully in society. While it is a powerful concept, we have not been able to measure it consistently across health and social studies. Many studies have used one aspect (e.g. low income) as a proxy for social exclusion. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-promotion/ Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2023-promotion/ Delighted to share that Dr Jen Dykxhoorn has been promoted to Principal Research Fellow (Associate Professor) at UCL within the Division of Psychiatry’s Department of Epidemiology and Applied Clinical Research. Thanks to all of the extraordinary mentors, collaborators, colleagues, and the psychiatric epidemiology community which has been tremendously supportive over the years. Looking forward to continuing breaking new ground in epidemiology & public health research. About UCL UCL has been consistently ranked as one of the top universities worldwide QS World University Rankings. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-map-mh-interv/ Thu, 22 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-map-mh-interv/ Background Improving public mental health, promoting well-being, and preventing mental illness is a major priority for public health in the UK. Importantly, communities can play an important role in providing public mental health interventions which target key determinants of mental health. Why did we do this research? Mapping available community-based mental health interventions can show us what is currently available across England, what do these interventions look like, and see if available services align with mental health needs. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-epa-conference/ Wed, 14 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-epa-conference/ EPA Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry - 20th biennial congress The year was 2018ish, and we were offered the opportunity to host the next EPA Epi & Social Psych section meeting. We spent the next year (or so) putting together an exciting programme of rockstar keynotes, inspiring early career researchers, and fun social events. The plan was to welcome delegates to Cambridge for the 2020 section meeting of the European Psychiatric Association’s Epidemiology & Social Psychiatry section meeting. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-conceptual-framework/ Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-conceptual-framework/ Background For the past 3 years, I have been the programme manager for the NIHR School for Public Health Research’s Public Mental Health Programme. An important part of this programme was to develop a conceptual framework of the factors which impact our mental health. Aim The aim of this tool is to summarise the current evidence around key factors (also known as determinants) that affect public mental health. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-neigh-age-dx/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-neigh-age-dx/ Why did we do this research? The relationship between neighborhood-level factors and the incidence of psychotic disorders is well established. However, it is unclear whether neighborhood characteristics are also associated with age-at-first-diagnosis of these disorders. What did we do? We used linked Swedish register data to identify a cohort of persons first diagnosed with an ICD-10 non-affective or affective psychotic disorder (F20-33) between 1997 and 2016. Using multilevel mixed-effect linear modelling, we investigated whether neighborhood deprivation and population density at birth were associated with age-at-first diagnosis of a psychotic disorder. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-parent-sui/ Thu, 14 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-parent-sui/ Figure 1: From unsplash.com Why did we do this research? Becoming a parent is thought to reduce the risk of suicide, but there are many questions, including does this protective effect change over the life course and if it is different for men and for women. Research questions Do parents have a lower or higher risk of suicide? Does this risk change over the life course? https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-housing-traj/ Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-housing-traj/ Figure 1: Westard Ho! homes Background With costs of living at a historic high, there are many families in the UK struggling to cover their basic needs of housing, food, and energy. Housing costs, in particular, have risen so the proportion of families facing affordable housing has also increased. While it seems apparent that housing and financial stress can impact mental health, longitudinal evidence is limited. Research question What is the longitudinal relationship between housing affordability and mental health? https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-ser-profile/ Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-ser-profile/ To accompany the launch of our interactive public mental health website, the School for Public Health Research published a profile on my work, as a glimpse “behind the research.” Wondering what sparked my interest in epi and why I think it is the best career? Check out this brief profile by the Society for Epidemiologic Research. It’s a treat to be featured on the SER site. I have been a member of SERs for several years, and am currently on the Membership & Nominations Committee and the International Sub-committee. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-neigh-sui/ Fri, 01 Jul 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-neigh-sui/ Background I have moved a lot over the past 15 years. I have moved houses, moved cities, moved countries, and continents. Each place I have lived has very different vibes – from the rural home I spent my formative years with vegetable gardens and chickens to the Toronto loft in the junction. It is likely that each place affected my health ways in myriad ways. Like the student flat that was filled with mold and centipedes, the fatal shooting a block from my Toronto home, the frost bite I endured when waiting for a bus during a polar vortex in Ottawa, and the shockingly poor water quality in London. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-triple-trauma/ Sun, 26 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-triple-trauma/ Every day, there is another headline about the ‘refugee crisis’ with the war in Ukraine and ongoing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. According to the UN Refugee Agency, there has never been this many forcibly displaced people in the world – over 89 million people have been forced from their homes due to war, violence, and human rights abuses. Behind these staggering statistics, there are millions of stories of human tragedy and survival. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-family-network/ Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2022-family-network/ I have published a new paper!! Family networks during migration and risk of non-affective psychosis. What did we look at? We had a cohort of migrants to Sweden and we looked to see if having family around during migration affected the risk of developing psychotic disorders (like schizophrenia). What did we find: We found sex-specific patterns, where the presence of family was protective for females but increased risk among males. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-sphr-profile/ Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-sphr-profile/ To accompany the launch of our interactive public mental health website, the School for Public Health Research published a profile on my work, as a glimpse “behind the research.” Check out the profile here https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-comp-care/ Fri, 02 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-comp-care/ I have been working from my flat for months, which makes it feel like the pace of research has slowed to an agonising crawl, which is why it is extra exciting to share this latest piece of research. This was work done by one of my MSc students, James Terhune, who I co-supervised with James Kirkbride with the usual cast of collaborators from Karolinska Institutet (Christina Dalman, Anna-Clara Hollander, and Euan Mackay). https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-sphr-ethnic/ Fri, 28 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-sphr-ethnic/ For the past two years, I have been the programme manager and senior research fellow on a large programme of research aimed at generating evidence for public mental health. As with many projects, it always takes time before you can see the fruits of all of the work. I am delighted that our first papers are coming out now, with more exciting stuff to follow. Figure 1: Mental health interventions for ethnic minoritised groups, Photo: V Karpovich on Pexels. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-psychosocial-intervent/ Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2021-psychosocial-intervent/ Figure 1: Photo from unsplash.com When people see the headlines “new research show____”, it is easy to forget the year(s) of work that went into every single research paper. I am of the opinion that every publication is a major success deserving of recognition. This past week, we published a paper in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health titled “Effectiveness of community interventions for protecting the mental health of working-age adults experiencing financial uncertainty: a systematic review. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-real-world-podcast/ Thu, 17 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-real-world-podcast/ One of the exciting new projects I have been involved in is the launch of a new podcast: Real World Public Mental Health. This podcast was developed as a forum to discuss how evidence can be used in the real world to prevent mental health problems and promote better mental health. Figure 1: Photo: www.nzcompare.com It is hosted by Stu King of the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network in partnership with a bunch of collaborators, including our NIHR Public Mental Health Programme and Public Health England. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-sud-ptsd-mig/ Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-sud-ptsd-mig/ Background Understanding the mental health of migrants and refugees is an important public health issue as over 258 million people are currently living as migrants outside of their birth country. Of these, there are over 25 million refugees which have been forcibly displaced by persecution, war, or violence. We have seen high rates some mental health problems in migrants, including high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-mig-dens/ Fri, 06 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-mig-dens/ I am thrilled to share my latest paper, published today in Lancet Psychiatry: Association of neighbourhood migrant density and risk of non-effective psychosis. It is open access and you can download your very own copy here: Neighbourhood migrant density and psychosis But it is a Friday afternoon and you may not want to dive into a methods-heavy paper, so I have prepared a brief summary, so you can discuss this latest paper over your Saturday morning coffee. https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-welcome/ Sun, 02 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://transcendent-sprite-853b4c.netlify.app/blog/2020-welcome/ One of the great things about academica is that you never stop learning, which is also one of the difficult things, as you are always a beginner and constantly feeling out of your depth. This site is something that has been on the back-burner for ages. I wanted to have a space where I could share research outputs, connect with other researchers, and experiment with different approaches to science communication, but it was never a “priority.