Childhood Income Trajectories Linked to Later Depression and Anxiety in Swedish Cohort

Researchers analyzed nationwide Swedish register data for 1,194,015 non-immigrants and 315,793 second-generation immigrants who turned 15 between 2001 and 2020. Group-based trajectory modeling classified parental income patterns from ages 0 to 14 into five groups. Incident depression or anxiety, identified from inpatient and outpatient diagnoses, was assessed from ages 15 to 25; individuals with either condition before age 15 were excluded. Cox models examined associations by immigrant status and region of origin.

Persistent low income was more common among second-generation immigrants than non-immigrants (32.2% vs 12.2%). Compared with persistent high income, persistent low income and downward mobility were associated with higher hazards of depression or anxiety in most groups. For persistent low income, adjusted hazard ratios were 2.35 (95% CI 2.27–2.43) for non-immigrant males and 2.23 (2.17–2.29) for non-immigrant females. Among second-generation immigrants from the Middle East or North Africa, the corresponding estimates were 1.28 (0.98–1.66) and 1.29 (1.05–1.58). Upward mobility from low to middle income was associated with attenuated or absent elevations in risk in most second-generation immigrant groups.

The findings describe observational associations and do not establish that income changes caused differences in mental health. Outcomes were based on registered diagnoses, and the results may not generalize beyond the Swedish population and study period. The study suggests that the association between childhood economic circumstances and later mental health varies across immigrant backgrounds.