Data Insight: European Union Settled Status Data Linkage Project (Wales) - Preliminary findings for mental health

Read publication

This analysis forms part of the EU Settled Status (EUSS) Data Linkage Project. EUSS aims to link EU citizen data (i.e. European nationality on the 2011 Census for Wales) with other data already held within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, based at Swansea University. It focuses on mental health, education, and employment. Using a range of de-identified data in the SAIL Databank, Welsh-born individuals living in Wales were compared to EU born individuals living in Wales to determine whether the:

  • number of reported mental health events
  • age at first mental health events
  • risk of depression, mixed anxiety and depression, and anxiety

were different across groups. The research used the 2011 Census to provide a spine to identify country of birth.

The project examined the differences between Welsh-born individuals and EU14-born and EU8-born individuals, in relation to mental health events recorded in the Welsh Longitudinal General Practitioner dataset linked to 2011 Census data. 

What we found

  • Initial findings indicate statistically significant differences in reported mental health events between Welsh-born individuals and individuals born in EU14 and EU8 countries, along with differences between EU14-born and EU8-born individuals.
  • Individuals born in EU countries reported a greater number of depression and mixed anxiety events compared to Welsh-born individuals.
  • EU14-born individuals were younger at first depression event when compared with EU8-born individuals. Welsh-born individuals were younger at first depression event when compared to EU14-born individuals. EU8-born individuals were younger at first anxiety event when compared with Welsh-born individuals.
  • Compared to Wales, only EU8 countries are at a greater risk of a depression, mixed anxiety and depression, and anxiety event within the study period. Individuals from EU8 countries were also at greater risk compared to those from EU14 countries.

Why it matters

Being able to analyse the different mental health events reported by individuals born in EU14 and EU8 countries living in Wales, and comparing with Welsh-born individuals living in Wales, enables us to inform policy makers within Welsh Government of the potential needs of this population. Our findings suggest that individuals born in EU8 countries living in Wales are at greater risk of mental health events than both EU14-born and Welsh-born individuals living in Wales. In particular, our findings indicate EU8-born individuals tend to be from lower socioeconomic status groups compared to EU14- and Welsh-born individuals, suggesting they may live in more deprived areas which could be related to poorer mental health.

Share this: