Surveys of Psychiatric Morbidity

Aims
The Surveys of Psychiatric Morbidity aim to provide information about the prevalence of psychiatric problems among people in Great Britain, as well as their associated social disabilities and use of services. The surveys covering adults in private households (undertaken in 1993, 2000, 2007 and 2014) and children and adolescents (1999, 2004 and 2017), are detailed elsewhere on the Catalogue. The surveys detailed on this page were designed to show the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in a series of marginalised populations: adults in institutions specifically catering for people with mental illness (1994); homeless people (1994); prisoners (1997); and children and young people looked after by local authorities (2001/2). These surveys provide key context for understanding mental illness in Britain and for informing initiatives in this area.

Institution
NHS Digital, NatCen Social Research & Office of National Statistics

Geographic coverage - Nations
England, Scotland, Wales

Geographic coverage - Regions
Nationwide

Start date
1994-2002

Catalogue record last updated
12/04/2024

Sample type
Repeated cross-sectional study

Sample details
Prisoners survey This survey covered male and female prisoners (remand and sentenced), aged 16-64, recruited from all Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. All inmates aged under 65 in each prison on the day of sampling were eligible, including civil prisoners, fine defaulters and juveniles aged 16 years and over. Approximately 1,200 male sentenced prisoners, 1,200 male remand prisoners and 800 women prisoners were recruited.

Institutions survey This survey recruited adults aged 16–64, living in institutions specifically catering for those with mental health problems in England, Wales and Scotland (excluding the Highlands and Islands). Five broad categories of institutions were included: NHS hospitals or trusts, private hospitals, clinics or nursing homes, residential care homes, and alternative types of residential accommodation (hostels, group homes, etc).

A total of 4,295 institutions relevant to the survey were identified using lists provided by the Department of Health, the Scottish Home and Health Department and the Welsh Office. 399 institutions were randomly selected from this sampling frame, and interviews were carried out in 208 of these. Residents in these institutions were randomly selected for interview. 1,191 people living in institutions were recruited.

Homeless people survey The population covered in this survey were homeless adults aged 16 to 64 years in England, Wales and Scotland (excluding the Highlands and Islands). The study took a broad definition of homelessness, and included people sleeping rough who use daycentres, night-shelter users, residents of hostels for the homeless and people ‘temporarily’ placed by local authorities in leased accommodation. The survey did not include people staying with friends, in hotel or bed and breakfast accommodation or squatters.

Participants were recruited through service providers. On the day of recruitment at each service provider, interviewers contacted all service users to establish their eligibility. Interviewers then systematically drew a sample at random from the list of eligible service users. 1,166 participants were recruited.

Looked after children survey The population in this survey were children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 looked after by local authorities in England, including children in foster care, placed with parents or family members, and children in residential care facilities.

A sample of children from each local authority was drawn from an anonymised database of looked after children held by the Department of Health. A total sample of 2,500 children was drawn, (approximately 1 in 18 of all looked after children aged 5–17) with the numbers being proportional to the number of children ‘looked after’ in each authority. The sample was selected to ensure equal proportions of children in each age band between ages 5 and 17 years. Information was collected on 1,039 looked after children.

Sample size at recruitment
Varied

Sample size at most recent sweep
Varied

Sex
All

Age at recruitment
16 years +

Cohort year of birth
Varied