Unravelling the dynamics of depression in high-risk urban populations using a complex systems approach

Depression is a highly prevalent and burdensome mental disorder in all parts of the world. Importantly, there are signs that depression is more prevalent in cities and that risk factors for depression cluster in urban areas. Given that the urban environment is now the main habitat of the world population, understanding the impact of urban living on depression is of major importance.

The main purpose of this project is understanding how different aspects of the urban environment, spanning macro-, meso- and, micro-level factors, all dynamically interact and conspire to contribute to onset and maintenance of depression in vulnerable urban inhabitants. We aim to draw a theoretical causal-loop model of ‘urban factors’ and their impact on depression, and explore the (intersecting) roles of low socioeconomic status and ethnicity more in depth.

Results of this project will feed into a pilot study aimed to test a new accessible intervention for depression in vulnerable populations (i.e. with low socioeconomic status and ethnic minority groups).

PhD Candidate: Junus van der Wal

Project Applicants: prof. dr. Claudi Bockting (Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, dept. Psychiatry); prof. dr. Karien Stronks (Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, dept. Public Health)

Project Team: dr. Mary Nicolaou; dr. Anja Lok