Background:
Urban living is on the rise: more than 50 percent of the world’s population currently lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to rise to 66 percent by 2050. Urban environments, like Amsterdam, are characterized by features that make city life not only economically attractive and exciting (which likely attracts people with specific personality characteristics, such as sensation seeking), but also more challenging and stressful than rural environments (“urban stress”), which influences mental health. Indeed, several international studies have now shown a disproportional incidence of mental health problems in big cities, despite good infrastructure and health services. Although mental health problems have a strong impact on the personal, familial and health economic domain, the resources dedicated to mental health research in no way match the burden of urban stress and mental disorders.
The HELIUS study is a prospective cohort study among six large ethnic groups living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2015, a total 24 789 participants (aged 18–70 years) were included at baseline. Similar-sized samples of individuals of Dutch, African Surinamese, South-Asian Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin were included. Participants filled in an extensive questionnaire and underwent a physical examination that included the collection of biological samples (biobank). In 2019 follow up is starting.
- Helius study is een studie mede gesponsord door de Raad van Bestuur van het AMC
- De Helius study is een samenwerking van de volgende afdelingen: psychiatrie, public health, huisartsgeneeskunde, interne geneeskunde, cardiologie en de GGD
- Op de afdeling psychiatrie zijn diverse Principal Investigators betrokken bij de Helius study, zoals prof. Dr. C. Bockting (klinische psychologie), prof. Dr. K. Verweij (genetica in de psychiatrie) en prof. Dr. A. Goudriaan (verslavingsstoornissen)
- http://www.heliusstudy.nl
