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Mental Health: vulnerable groups


There are a number of groups with complex needs at particular risk of mental health problems:

Substance Users (alcohol and drugs)

For information on specific mental health problems and issues facing alcohol and drug users and the prevalence of mental health problems among substance users in Scotland, see Mind the Gaps: Meeting the needs of people with co-occurring substance misuse and mental health problems.

Ethnic Minority Groups

For information on specific mental health problems and issues facing ethnic minority groups in the UK, see EMPIRIC: Ethnic Minority Psychiatric Illness Rates in the Community.

Homeless

Prevalence data on the extent of mental health problems in Scotland and the UK is limited.  A study of a hostel population in Glasgow found that 44% of the survey sample had some sort of neurotic disorder (such as severe anxiety or an obsessive compulsive disorder (Kershaw et al 2000PDF Button (22.8kB)).  UK prevalence data is available from the 1997 ONS Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity among Homeless People, though there is no Scottish specific data available from this survey.

For information on specific mental health problems and issues facing the homeless population see the Mental Health Foundations report on the Mental Health Needs of Homeless Young PeoplePDF Button(257kB).

Prisoners/Offenders

The 2004 Scottish Prison SurveyPDF Button (565kB) asks a series of questions relating to anxiety and depression. A majority of prisoners did report problems, with a significant minority experiencing problems on a daily basis. Although a standard instrument was not used, the questions were based on the GHQ. Prevalence data for mental health problems among Prisoners for England and Wales is available from the 1997 ONS survey of Psychiatric Morbidity among Prisoners .

For information on specific mental health problems and issues facing prison population see the Mental Health Foundations report on the Mental Health of Young OffendersPDF Button(139kB).

Learning Disabilities

For information on specific mental health problems and issues facing people with learning disabilities see NHS Health Scotland’s report (2004) People with Learning Disabilities in Scotland PDF Button (70.7kB).

Refugees

For more information on mental health problems and issues facing refugees see HARP's Mental Health and Well Being Web resource. This website, part of the Social Inclusion Research programme, has been designed to help health professionals in assisting asylum seekers and refugees with mental health issues.

People who are Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender

For more information on mental health issues facing people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, see the Inclusion (the LGBT) Project.