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Few studies have compared urban and rural adolescents' mental health problems, especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mental health problems and coping styles of adolescents in urban and rural areas in China. A total of 927 urban and rural high school students in Shandong Province of China were recruited for the study. The results of the study are as follows: (a) students in rural low-socioeconomic status (SES) areas, especially females, had more mental health problems than did those in rural high-SES and urban areas; (b) rural low-SES students were more likely to cope by venting and fantasizing than did the other two groups; (c) regardless of residence and SES, mental health problems were inversely related to the use of problem solving as a coping strategy, but positively related to fantasizing; and (d) urban-rural differences in mental health problems were not entirely accounted for by group differences in coping strategies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Elderly who have experienced negative life events are more likely to self-harm. • The association is largely explained by loneliness and economic status. • Interventions to prevent self-harm among elderly should take these factors into account. Negative life events have been reported as a risk factor for elderly self-harm. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between negative life events and self-harm in a large sample of people aged 60 and older, and explore the role of some previously identified influential factors in this relationship. Multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select the elderly people over 60 years old in Shandong, China. Information were collected through face-to-face interviews. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used for initial analysis. Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method was used for mediating effect analysis. A total of 7070 participants were included in the study, 160 reported they had a history of self-harm (2.3%), 756 reported they had negative life event experience (10.7%). After model adjustment, the association between negative life events, loneliness, economic status and self-harm was still statistically significant. Mediation analysis showed that the association is explained by loneliness (proportion of mediation 48.86%), self-rated economic status (16.13%). Negative life events, loneliness and economic status were associated with self-harm among the older adults. Loneliness and economic status may play an intermediary role in the relationship between negative life events and self-harm, especially loneliness. More psychological and social functions intervention strategies and prevention measures on the self-harm of the elderly should be provided for the elderly who have experienced negative life events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]