Are we over-medicalising poverty?

Researchers behind a study called 'Poverty, Pathology and Pills', say we are over-medicalising poverty.

They have been looking at how depression is treated in impoverished communities in the south west of England.

It found that the stresses of life on a low income are too often treated as a purely medical problem, and that social problems like unemployment or cuts to services added to mental stress.

The report is a product of the Destress project, a collaboration between Exeter and Plymouth Universities.

Dr Felicity Thomas was one of the principal investigators and PM's reporter Chris Vallance went to meet her, and some of the volunteers who took part.