A quick snapshot of mental health around the globe

What does the state of mental health look like around the world?

While recent years have brought many exciting advancements to mental health care, it’s a need that remains unmet for most people in most areas of the world.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2022, about one in every eight people in the world live with a mental health disorder. That’s equivalent to over 970 million individuals, each with unique challenges that may affect their access to care.

To further demonstrate the scope of mental disorders, in 2023, researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of Queensland conducted over 150,000 in-person surveys across 29 countries. Results revealed that one out of every two people in the world–half our global population–will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime.

And, as global rates of mental illness grow, the consequences of a lack of effective treatment skyrocket.

Mental Health Around the Globe: Key Stats by Region

The international mental health crisis is certainly a concern, but zooming in on each major region of the world reveals that localized change and support will likely be necessary to solve the problem. Let’s take a look at some key mental health facts and statistics from around the globe.

Africa

1. More than 116 million people living in African nations were estimated to be living with mental health conditions prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. (WHO)
2. Attitudes around mental health in Africa remain a significant barrier to proper identification of and treatment for mental disorders. For instance, one survey conducted in Nigeria found that 97% of people in the region believed people with mental health conditions were dangerous. (British Journal of Psychiatry)
3. As of 2022, there were fewer than two mental health workers for every 100,000 people throughout Africa. (WHO)

Asia

1. Between 2014 and 2020, both the number of outpatient mental health facilities and visits to those facilities decreased in countries in the WHO’s South-East Asia Region. (WHO 2020 Mental Health Atlas)

2. The South-East Asia Region also accounted for about 27% of global cases of depression and 23% of all anxiety cases. (WHO)

3. India’s 2016 National Mental Health Survey reported a treatment gap of 85% for depression and 86% for substance use disorders, both of which are among the most common mental health conditions in the nation. (International Journal of Social Psychiatry)

Australia

1. As of 2023, more than two in five Australians (about 42.9%) aged 16-85 years have experienced a mental health disorder within their lifetime. (ABS)

2. The Productivity Commission found that adequate reform of Australia’s mental health system could be valued at up to $18 billion annually. When implemented, this new health system could offer an additional $1.3 billion in growth due to increased economic participation. (Mental Health Inquiry)

3. Just under half (45.1%) of all people in Australia who had a mental health disorder in the past 12 months saw a health professional for their symptoms. (ABS)

Europe

1. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, as many as one in six people in the EU lived with a mental health condition, at a cost of 4% of the GDP. (European Commission)

2. About 62% of EU citizens think that recent world events–like the pandemic, the climate crisis, and the war in Ukraine–have “somewhat” or “greatly” affected their mental health. (2023 Eurobarometer Report)

3. The same survey found that 54% of citizens with a mental health condition had not received help from a professional. (2023 Eurobarometer Report)

The Americas

1. Currently, experts estimate that more than one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, with 57.8 million meeting the criteria in 2021. (NIMH)

2. In Latin America (including countries throughout Central and South America), at estimated 45% of the total population needing mental health care is located in areas without access to trained professionals. (World Psychiatry)

3. Cultural concepts and orientations that are common throughout Latin America, such as machismo and familismo, continue to be one of the most significant barriers to proper mental health care for men and women alike. (Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry)

What Global Mental Health Differences Teach Us

While many of the figures we’ve explored here indicate a need for more accessible, culturally relevant, and engaging mental health care, our current climate is not all gloom and doom.

Promising changes like the increase in digital health tools–and overall positive reception of them–show that there is hope for discovering new ways to bridge the gap between patients and quality care.

Only by recognizing the facts behind our global mental health situation can we address the challenges it creates and the solutions that will make things better.

Linear Health is here to help spearhead the effort to improve patient and provider experiences to facilitate more regular and successful care. Our tools to support digital patient communication and patient intake can help your practice connect with patients far and wide, all while delivering personalized support.

We hope accessible and scalable mental health tools like ours will play an important role in supporting those in need now and well into the future.