Background: This article examines the relationship between lower income and the risk of experiencing high psychological distress over twelve years.
Data and methods: Data from the first 12 years of the longitudinal National Population Health Survey (1994/1995 through 2006/2007) were analysed. Proportional hazards modelling was conducted to determine whether lower household income was associated with a greater risk of experiencing high distress, when adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and baseline health status. It was also used to examine the relationship between reporting a stressor and experiencing a subsequent episode of distress.
Results: Overall, 11% of the initial sample experienced at least one episode of high distress during the 12 years of the study. Low-income respondents were at a significantly higher risk of becoming psychologically distressed, and many of the stressors were associated with a significantly higher risk of becoming distressed. Stressors accounted for 22% of the relationship between low income and distress for men, and more than a third of this relationship for women.
Interpretation: Low income is an important risk factor for becoming psychologically distressed, and stressors account for part of this increased risk.