Riddle of the Glasgow Effect

PEOPLE living in Scotland's largest city are more likely to suffer from anxiety or have a heart attack as a result of a mysterious "Glasgow Effect", a new report reveals.

The study, published by the Scottish Government, examined whether, even after all other factors were taken into account, living in Glasgow was in itself linked to poorer health than the rest of Scotland.

It found there were increased levels of anxiety and heart attacks among those living in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, compared with the rest of Scotland.

The report said that, after removing socio-economic and biological factors, there remained an unexplained "Glasgow Effect" in relation to prevalence of anxiety and doctor-diagnosed heart attack.

The researchers suggested that further investigation was needed into the reasons behind the city's health problems.

Politicians and health bodies said poverty and deprivation was at the root of the "effect" and that more had to be done to help the poorest members of society.

"Even after adjusting for socio-economic, behavioural, biological, relationship and social mobility variables, residents of Greater Glasgow and Clyde were nearly one and a half times as likely to have had a doctor-diagnosed heart attack," the report concluded.

The researchers said, even after taking account of other factors, "people living in Greater Glasgow and Clyde still had a 92 per cent higher risk of anxiety than those living elsewhere".

"For two important outcomes relating to both physical and mental health, no explanation can be derived for the excess risk of doctor-diagnosed heart attack or anxiety," the report said.

Labour MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Bill Butler, said the study showed that "more needs to be done to fight poverty", adding that it "should serve as a wake-up call to politicians".

He added: "We need a relentless campaign to raise expectations, drive up living standards and encourage people to live healthier lifestyles."

Theresa Fyffe, Royal College of Nursing Scotland director, said: "RCN Scotland also believes that the next government must build on the current Equally Well strategy to tackle inequalities and ensure that investment to reduce inequalities is prioritised and actually makes a difference to people's lives and health."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said that health inequalities remained a "significant challenge in Scotland, with the poorest in our society dying earlier and experiencing higher rates of ill-health" and that the SNP administration was targeting anxiety and heart attacks as part of its health policy.

She added: "This remains the case whether there is, or is not, a 'Glasgow Effect'."