Table 2.
Descriptive characteristics of the 12-item GHQ (GHQ-12) and the four different predetermined HSE 2014 occupational and sociodemographic comparator groups (EN, CM, AM, HIG)
| n | WP | n | WP | n | WP | n | WP | n | WP | |
| 95% CI | 95% CI | 95% CI | 95% CI | 95% CI | ||||||
| MP | EN | CM | AM | HIG | ||||||
| Item 1: Have you recently been able to concentrate on whatever you’re doing? | ||||||||||
| Better than usual | 5 | 0.03 0.01 to 0.07 |
223 | 0.035 0.03 to 0.04 |
15 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.05 |
24 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.05 |
10 | 0.03 0.01 to 0.05 |
| Same as usual | 93 | 0.66 0.57 to 0.74 |
6073 | 0.85 0.84 to 0.86 |
394 | 0.88 0.84 to 0.91 |
602 | 0.88 0.85 to 0.91 |
371 | 0.9 0.87 to 0.93 |
| Less than usual | 40 | 0.26 0.19 to 0.34 |
771 | 0.1 0.10 to 0.11 |
38 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.11 |
53 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.10 |
29 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.10 |
| Much less than usual | 8 | 0.05 0.02 to 0.11 |
103 | 0.01 0.01 to 0.02 |
2 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.04 |
3 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.03 |
1 | 0.005 0.00 to 0.01 |
| Item 2: Have you recently lost much sleep over worry? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 24 | 0.18 0.12 to 0.26 |
2334 | 0.33 0.32 to 0.34 |
146 | 0.33 0.28 to 0.38 |
226 | 0.33 0.29 to 0.37 |
130 | 0.3 0.26 to 0.35 |
| No more than usual | 66 | 0.47 0.38 to 0.56 |
3573 | 0.5 0.49 to 0.51 |
246 | 0.54 0.49 to 0.59 |
370 | 0.55 0.50 to 0.59 |
220 | 0.56 0.51 to 0.61 |
| Rather more than usual | 38 | 0.26 0.19 to 0.34 |
1035 | 0.14 0.13 to 0.15 |
51 | 0.11 0.08 to 0.14 |
76 | 0.11 0.09 to 0.14 |
55 | 0.13 0.10 to 0.16 |
| Much more than usual | 18 | 0.1 0.06 to 0.16 |
240 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.04 |
7 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
11 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
6 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.03 |
| Item 3: Have you recently felt you were playing a useful part in things? | ||||||||||
| More so than usual | 27 | 0.19 0.13 to 0.27 |
676 | 0.10 0.09 to 0.11 |
58 | 0.16 0.12 to 0.21 |
83 | 0.14 0.11 to 0.18 |
39 | 0.10 0.07 to 0.13 |
| Same as usual | 67 | 0.46 0.38 to 0.55 |
5696 | 0.8 0.79 to 0.81 |
362 | 0.77 0.72 to 0.81 |
548 | 0.78 0.74 to 0.81 |
339 | 0.82 0.77 to 0.85 |
| Less useful than usual | 43 | 0.3 0.22 to 0.39 |
625 | 0.08 0.07 to 0.09 |
26 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.10 |
47 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.10 |
30 | 0.08 0.05 to 0.12 |
| Much less useful | 9 | 0.05 0.02 to 0.11 |
157 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
3 | 0.005 0.00 to 0.02 |
4 | 0.005 0.00 to 0.02 |
3 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 4: Have you recently felt capable of making decisions about things? | ||||||||||
| More so than usual | 9 | 0.06 0.03 to 0.11 |
509 | 0.08 0.07 to 0.09 |
29 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.11 |
42 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.09 |
28 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.10 |
| Same as usual | 118 | 0.84 0.77 to 0.89 |
6162 | 0.85 0.84 to 0.86 |
403 | 0.88 0.84 to 0.91 |
613 | 0.89 0.86 to 0.91 |
367 | 0.89 0.85 to 0.92 |
| Less so than usual | 17 | 0.09 0.05 to 0.15 |
444 | 0.066 0.06 to 0.08 |
17 | 0.04 0.02 to 0.07 |
27 | 0.04 0.03 to 0.06 |
16 | 0.04 0.02 to 0.07 |
| Much less capable | 2 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.05 |
66 | 0.01 0.01 to 0.01 |
1 | 0 0.00 to 0.02 |
1 | 0 0.00 to 0.01 |
0 | NA |
| Item 5: Have you felt under constant strain recently? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 9 | 0.07 0.03 to 0.13 |
1778 | 0.25 0.24 to 0.27 |
130 | 0.28 0.24 to 0.33 |
194 | 0.28 0.24 to 0.31 |
94 | 0.22 0.18 to 0.27 |
| No more than usual | 60 | 0.41 0.33 to 0.50 |
3974 | 0.56 0.54 to 0.57 |
243 | 0.54 0.49 to 0.59 |
374 | 0.55 0.51 to 0.59 |
236 | 0.57 0.51 to 0.62 |
| Rather more than usual | 53 | 0.38 0.30 to 0.47 |
1192 | 0.16 0.15 to 0.17 |
69 | 0.17 0.13 to 0.21 |
102 | 0.16 0.13 to 0.20 |
75 | 0.19 0.15 to 0.24 |
| Much more than usual | 24 | 0.14 0.09 to 0.21 |
225 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.03 |
7 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
12 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
6 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.04 |
| Item 6: Have you recently felt you couldn’t overcome your difficulties? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 41 | 0.29 0.21 to 0.37 |
2659 | 0.38 0.37 to 0.39 |
183 | 0.4 0.35 to 0.45 |
278 | 0.4 0.36 to 0.44 |
156 | 0.36 0.31 to 0.41 |
| No more than usual | 76 | 0.52 0.44 to 0.61 |
3762 | 0.52 0.51 to 0.53 |
234 | 0.53 0.47 to 0.58 |
352 | 0.52 0.48 to 0.56 |
229 | 0.57 0.52 to 0.62 |
| Rather more than usual | 24 | 0.16 0.10 to 0.23 |
602 | 0.08 0.08 to 0.09 |
31 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.10 |
48 | 0.07 0.05 to 0.09 |
23 | 0.06 0.04 to 0.09 |
| Much more than usual | 5 | 0.03 0.01 to 0.08 |
143 | 0.02 0.02 to 0.02 |
2 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.03 |
5 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
2 | 0 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 7: Have you recently been able to enjoy your normal day-to-day activities? | ||||||||||
| More so than usual | 6 | 0.03 0.01 to 0.06 |
376 | 0.06 0.05 to 0.07 |
35 | 0.11 0.07 to 0.16 |
47 | 0.09 0.06 to 0.13 |
23 | 0.05 0.04 to 0.08 |
| Same as usual | 88 | 0.61 0.52 to 0.69 |
5649 | 0.79 0.78 to 0.80 |
358 | 0.76 0.71 to 0.81 |
544 | 0.77 0.73 to 0.81 |
344 | 0.83 0.79 to 0.87 |
| Less so than usual | 36 | 0.27 0.19 to 0.36 |
924 | 0.12 0.12 to 0.13 |
47 | 0.11 0.08 to 0.14 |
78 | 0.12 0.09 to 0.15 |
40 | 0.11 0.08 to 0.15 |
| Much less than usual | 16 | 0.10 0.06 to 0.16 |
225 | 0.025 0.02 to 0.03 |
9 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.04 |
14 | 0.02 0.01 to 0.03 |
4 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 8: Have you recently been able to face up to your problems? | ||||||||||
| More so than usual | 9 | 0.07 0.04 to 0.13 |
340 | 0.06 0.05 to 0.07 |
19 | 0.06 0.04 to 0.11 |
30 | 0.06 0.04 to 0.09 |
17 | 0.05 0.03 to 0.08 |
| Same as usual | 118 | 0.80 0.71 to 0.86 |
6157 | 0.87 0.86 to 0.88 |
404 | 0.90 0.85 to 0.93 |
610 | 0.9 0.86 to 0.92 |
372 | 0.91 0.87 to 0.94 |
| Less able than usual | 19 | 0.14 0.08 to 0.21 |
510 | 0.07 0.06 to 0.07 |
15 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.06 |
27 | 0.04 0.03 to 0.06 |
17 | 0.04 0.02 to 0.07 |
| Much less able | NA | NA | 72 | 0.01 0.01 to 0.01 |
1 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.03 |
1 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
1 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 9: Have you recently been feeling unhappy and depressed? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 43 | 0.3 0.22 to 0.38 |
2846 | 0.4 0.39 to 0.42 |
213 | 0.47 0.42 to 0.52 |
318 | 0.47 0.43 to 0.51 |
168 | 0.39 0.34 to 0.44 |
| No more than usual | 59 | 0.42 0.33 to 0.51 |
3119 | 0.44 0.43 to 0.45 |
178 | 0.42 0.37 to 0.47 |
271 | 0.41 0.37 to 0.46 |
202 | 0.52 0.47 to 0.58 |
| Rather more than usual | 44 | 0.29 0.21 to 0.37 |
911 | 0.13 0.12 to 0.15 |
44 | 0.1 0.08 to 0.14 |
70 | 0.11 0.08 to 0.13 |
34 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.11 |
| Much more than usual | NA | NA | 206 | 0.03 0.01 to 0.04 |
3 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
7 | 0.01 0.01 to 0.03 |
3 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 10: Have you recently been losing confidence in yourself? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 53 | 0.37 0.29 to 0.46 |
3192 | 0.45 0.44 to 0.47 |
232 | 0.52 0.47 to 0.58 |
349 | 0.52 0.48 to 0.56 |
201 | 0.47 0.42 to 0.53 |
| No more than usual | 65 | 0.45 0.36 to 0.54 |
2979 | 0.42 0.41 to 0.43 |
175 | 0.4 0.35 to 0.45 |
261 | 0.39 0.35 to 0.43 |
174 | 0.44 0.39 to 0.50 |
| Rather more than usual | 28 | 0.18 0.13 to 0.26 |
739 | 0.1 0.10 to 0.11 |
24 | 0.06 0.04 to 0.10 |
46 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.10 |
32 | 0.08 0.06 to 0.12 |
| Much more than usual | NA | NA | 170 | 0.02 0.02 to 0.03 |
5 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
9 | 0.015 0.01 to 0.02 |
NA | NA |
| Item 11: Have you recently been thinking of yourself as a worthless person? | ||||||||||
| Not at all | 86 | 0.58 0.49 to 0.66 |
4689 | 0.66 0.65 to 0.68 |
323 | 0.73 0.68 to 0.77 |
480 | 0.72 0.68 to 0.75 |
285 | 0.69 0.64 to 0.74 |
| No more than usual | 44 | 0.31 0.24 to 0.40 |
1879 | 0.26 0.25 to 0.27 |
95 | 0.22 0.18 to 0.26 |
154 | 0.23 0.20 to 0.27 |
107 | 0.27 0.23 to 0.32 |
| Rather more than usual | 16 | 0.11 0.06 to 0.18 |
378 | 0.05 0.05 to 0.06 |
16 | 0.05 0.03 to 0.08 |
26 | 0.05 0.03 to 0.07 |
13 | 0.03 0.02 to 0.06 |
| Much more than usual | NA | NA | 133 | 0.02 0.02 to 0.02 |
3 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
6 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
2 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Item 12: Have you recently been feeling reasonably happy, all things considered? | ||||||||||
| More so than usual | 16 | 0.09 0.05 to 0.15 |
698 | 0.11 0.10 to 0.11 |
45 | 0.13 0.09 to 0.18 |
66 | 0.12 0.09 to 0.15 |
39 | 0.11 0.08 to 0.14 |
| About same as usual | 96 | 0.67 0.59 to 0.75 |
5633 | 0.79 0.78 to 0.80 |
364 | 0.8 0.75 to 0.85 |
553 | 0.81 0.77 to 0.84 |
346 | 0.84 0.80 to 0.88 |
| Less so than usual | 34 | 0.24 0.17 to 0.32 |
611 | 0.08 0.08 to 0.09 |
25 | 0.05 0.04 to 0.08 |
42 | 0.06 0.04 to 0.08 |
20 | 0.05 0.03 to 0.08 |
| Much less than usual | NA | NA | 137 | 0.02 0.02 to 0.02 |
4 | 0.01 0.00 to 0.03 |
7 | 0.01 0.01 to 0.03 |
2 | 0 0.00 to 0.02 |
| Presence of probable mental ill health | ||||||||||
| No evidence of probable mental ill health | 35 | 0.25 0.18 to 0.34 |
4256 | 0.53 0.52 to 0.55 |
290 | 0.58 0.53 to 0.62 |
446 | 0.58 0.54 to 0.62 |
254 | 0.56 0.51 to 0.61 |
| Less than optimal mental ill health | 62 | 0.40 0.32 to 0.49 |
1620 | 0.2 0.19 to 0.21 |
97 | 0.2 0.17 to 0.25 |
140 | 0.19 0.16 to 0.22 |
117 | 0.27 0.23 to 0.32 |
| Probable mental ill health | 49 | 0.34 0.27 to 0.43 |
2141 | 0.26 0.25 to 0.27 |
108 | 0.22 0.18 to 0.26 |
170 | 0.23 0.20 to 0.27 |
74 | 0.17 0.13 to 0.21 |
Weighted proportion (WP) with corresponding 95% CI.
AM, All managers (HSE 2014); CM, Corporate managers (HSE 2014); EN, English population (HSE 2014); HIG, high-income group (HSE 2014); MP, Member of Parliament sample.