Urban-rural differences in incidence rates of psychiatric disorders in Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - Urban-rural differences in incidence rates of psychiatric disorders in Denmark

AU - Vassos, Evangelos

AU - Agerbo, Esben

AU - Mors, Ole

AU - Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker

N1 - © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2015.

PY - 2016/5

Y1 - 2016/5

N2 - Background: People born in densely populated areas have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether urban-rural differences in place of birth influence a broad range of mental disorders. Method: Population-based cohort study of everyone born in Denmark between 1955 and 2006 (n = 2 894 640). Main outcome measures were incidence rate ratios for five levels of urbanisation and summary estimates contrasting birth in the capital with birth in rural areas. Results: For all psychiatric disorders, except intellectual disability (ICD-10 'mental retardation') and behavioural and emotional disorders with onset in childhood, people born in the capital had a higher incidence than people born in rural areas. Conclusions: Birth in an urban environment is associated with an increased risk for mental illness in general and for a broad range of specific psychiatric disorders. Given this new evidence that urban-rural differences in incidence are not confined to the well-studied psychotic disorders, further work is needed to identify the underlying aetiopathogenic mechanisms.

AB - Background: People born in densely populated areas have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and autism. Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether urban-rural differences in place of birth influence a broad range of mental disorders. Method: Population-based cohort study of everyone born in Denmark between 1955 and 2006 (n = 2 894 640). Main outcome measures were incidence rate ratios for five levels of urbanisation and summary estimates contrasting birth in the capital with birth in rural areas. Results: For all psychiatric disorders, except intellectual disability (ICD-10 'mental retardation') and behavioural and emotional disorders with onset in childhood, people born in the capital had a higher incidence than people born in rural areas. Conclusions: Birth in an urban environment is associated with an increased risk for mental illness in general and for a broad range of specific psychiatric disorders. Given this new evidence that urban-rural differences in incidence are not confined to the well-studied psychotic disorders, further work is needed to identify the underlying aetiopathogenic mechanisms.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84973541514&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.161091

DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.114.161091

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 26678865

SN - 0007-1250

VL - 208

SP - 435

EP - 440

JO - British Journal of Psychiatry

JF - British Journal of Psychiatry

IS - 5

ER -