A public health researcher is preparing a briefing about mental health problems in England. The researcher has applied current national estimates to illustrative groups of adults.
| Estimate source | Period covered | Adults in the illustrative group | Adults expected to report a mental health problem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mind estimate of any mental health problem | One year | 4,000 | 1,000 |
| Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey estimate of a common mental health problem | One week | 6,400 | 1,040 |
The 6,400 adults represented by the weekly estimate are also shown by age, gender and sexual orientation. The same adults are therefore included in each of the three comparisons.
| Group | Number of adults | Number reporting a common mental health problem in one week |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 16 to 24 | 1,000 | 210 |
| Aged 25 and over | 5,400 | 830 |
| Women | 3,200 | 640 |
| Men | 3,200 | 400 |
| Lesbian, gay and bisexual adults | 320 | 80 |
| Heterosexual adults | 6,080 | 960 |
Using the data and your knowledge, describe the pattern shown by the two overall estimates and by the comparisons of age, gender and sexual orientation. Explain why the two overall estimates could both be valid and why these results cannot be used to decide whether a particular person has a mental health problem.
69 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Psychology 3.1 Key Concepts, covering 3.1.1 Defining mental health and prevalence, 3.1.2 Incidence of mental health problems over time, 3.1.3 Effects of stigma and discrimination, and 3.1.4 Effects on wider society. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.