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The association between loneliness and common mental disorders in adults with borderline intellectual impairment

Papagavriel, K; Jones, R; Sheehan, R; Hassiotis, A; Ali, A; (2020) The association between loneliness and common mental disorders in adults with borderline intellectual impairment. Journal of Affective Disorders , 277 pp. 954-961. 10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.005. Green open access

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Abstract

Background: Loneliness is linked to a number of adverse health outcomes in the general population. There is a lack of evidence on the prevalence and impact of loneliness in people with borderline intellectual impairment. / Methods: Data from the 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, a national survey of England, was analysed using Weights-adjusted regression analyses to compare the prevalence of loneliness and the association between loneliness and socio-demographic and clinical variables in people with borderline intellectual impairment and the general population. / Results: Data from 6877 participants were included. Ten percent (n=671) of the sample had borderline intellectual impairment and their prevalence of loneliness was 24.5% compared to 18.4% in the general population. This difference was explained by exposure to social disadvantages. Associations were found in both groups between loneliness and being single, unemployed, low income, lower social support, feeling unsafe and discrimination in the past year. Loneliness was associated with lower wellbeing and higher rates of common mental disorders, suicidal thoughts and chronic physical disorders in both groups. Intellectual functioning moderated the relationship between loneliness and income (OR 1.82; 95%CI 1.06 to 3.11) and suicidal thoughts in the last week (OR 0.13; 95% CI 0.02 to 0.93). / Limitations: IQ was measured using the National Adult Reading Test (NART), which is only valid for English speakers and loneliness was measured using a single item. / Conclusion: Loneliness is more prevalent in people with borderline intellectual impairment. Interventions ttargeting social disadvantages (e.g. low income) may lead reduce loneliness and vulnerability to mental health problems.

Type: Article
Title: The association between loneliness and common mental disorders in adults with borderline intellectual impairment
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.005
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.09.005
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Borderline intellectual impairment, chronic physical diseases, loneliness, Common Mental Disorders, suicidal thoughts, wellbeing
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10109441
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