A meta-analysis of the role of neighborhood deprivation in psychotic disorders.

Purpose: Although current interventions have proven effective for improving outcomes for individuals with psychotic disorders, this population continues to encounter challenges and health disparities. Recently, researchers have investigated how social determinants of health influence the incidence and outcomes of psychotic disorders. In particular, neighborhood deprivation (i.e., a composite index capturing the social, material, and environmental challenges of a particular area relative to the broader area [1]), has been investigated in numerous studies on psychotic disorders but research has yet to consolidate and quantify its significance. The current meta-analysis assesses neighborhood deprivation and its relationship to psychotic disorder incidence and symptoms.

Methods: Articles published prior to April 1, 2024 were identified via two bibliographic databases: PubMed and PsycINFO. The literature search yielded 17 studies consisting of 59,719 cases for the meta-analysis investigating the relation between neighborhood deprivation and psychotic disorder incidence. Six studies of 2,790 cases were included in the meta-analysis assessing the relation between neighborhood deprivation and psychotic disorder symptoms.

Results: There was a robust relation between psychotic disorder incidence and neighborhood deprivation, such that as neighborhood deprivation within an area increased so too did the incidence. There was no evidence of a substantial relationship between neighborhood deprivation and psychotic disorder symptoms.

Conclusions: The results of this study identified a social determinant of health that has high relevance to the incidence of psychotic disorders. Findings underscore the need to develop multi-level interventions to address neighborhood deprivation and reduce resource inequalities across geographical locations.