More than 1 billion people across the globe live with a mental health disorder, a report has revealed.
According to an updated 2022 report by the World Health Organisation: Transforming mental health for all, mental health conditions remain highly prevalent, with different mental disorders varying with sex, with females most affected overall.
The report noted that in both males and females, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders are the most common.
It stated that suicide affects people from all countries and contexts and is a major cause of death among young people.
“Globally, suicide accounts for more than one in every 100 deaths and for each death, there are 20 suicide attempts. Mental disorders account for one in twenty disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) globally,” the report noted.
“They are also the second leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs), accounting for one in every six YLDs globally. Depressive and anxiety disorders are major contributors to YLDs in all age groups (except 0–5-year-olds), and especially for 15–29-year-olds.”
The primary concern is schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which affect about 1 in 200 and 1 in 150 adults.
Schizophrenia in its acute state is modelled to be the most impairing of all health conditions.
According to the report, people with schizophrenia die on average nine years earlier than the general population, often of preventable non-communicable diseases.
People with bipolar disorder die on average 13 years earlier.
The report stated that productivity losses and other indirect costs to society far outstrip health care costs.
Financially, schizophrenia is the costliest mental disorder per person to society. Depressive and anxiety disorders are less costly per person, but since they are much more prevalent, these collectively contribute significantly to overall national costs.
The prevalence of mental disorders varies by sex and age, as males are estimated to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders, idiopathic disorder of intellectual development and other mental disorders.
Females are estimated to experience anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Anxiety disorders typically emerge earlier than depressive disorders, which are rare before ten years of age.
After the age of 40 years, depressive disorders become more prevalent than anxiety disorders, peaking between ages 50 and 69 years.
The report brought together the most recent global data on the prevalence, burden, and cost of mental health conditions – data that are indispensable for shaping effective, evidence-informed responses.
Drawing on the Mental Health Atlas 2024 by the World Health Organisation (WHO), it also sheds light on resource availability for mental health, including persistent gaps in service coverage, financing, and workforce capacity.
