Neighborhood disadvantage and mental health

“Neighborhood disadvantage” is a term used to describe impoverished living conditions evident in one's immediate environment. There is a substantial body of empirical evidence that establishes an association between living in disadvantaged neighborhoods and mental health problems. Neighborhood disadvantage has been linked with problems such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, alcohol abuse, and schizophrenia. Most theories designed to explain these associations focus on stress, the community's lack of control over its residence for the public good, and the downward mobility of people suffering from mental illness into impoverished living conditions. Some longitudinal research suggests that neighborhood disadvantage may exert a causal effect on poor mental health in some cases.