Understanding the effect of ethnic density on mental health: multi-level investigation of survey data from England

OBJECTIVES: To determine if living in areas where higher proportions of people of the same ethnicity reside is protective for common mental disorders, and associated with a reduced exposure to discrimination and improved social support. Finally, to determine if any protective ethnic density effects are mediated by reduced exposure to racism and improved social support. DESIGN: Multi-level logistic regression analysis of national survey data, with area-level, own-group ethnic density modelled as the main exposure. Participants and setting 4281 participants of Irish, black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and white British ethnicity, aged 16-74 years, randomly sampled from 892 "middle layer super output areas" in England. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Common mental disorders (assessed via structured interviews); discrimination (assessed via structured questionnaire); and…