Inequality can lead to poor mental health and depression, report says

GP surgeries could play a vital role in reducing the health effects of the divide between rich and poor, particularly in the current recession, says the author of a World Health Organization endorsed report.

The comments stem from a report by the Mental Health Foundation, which shows that the divide between rich and poor can have a detrimental effect on people’s mental health.

Its author, Dr Lynne Friedli, a mental health promotion specialist, argues that as well as dealing with physical illness, GP surgeries need to tackle psychological problems also.

Her report claims that inequality triggers the “fight or flight” response in humans. Living with inequality can raise …