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.