Global Mental Health Sector Statistics
The industry of mental health treatment and analysis is a sub-category of the pathology industry. According to the World Health Organisation the definition of a mental health problem is a psychological state preventing an individual from realizing his or her own potential, coping with the normal stresses of life, working productively and fruitfully, and being able to make a contribution to her or his community.
Mental health disorders can be treated and managed, but not always cured. Symptoms related to mental health illness can be managed with a combination of medication and behavioral therapies. Mental disorders are highly prevalent.
Approximately one in five people suffer from some form of mental illness globally. In the foreseeable future behavioral health disorders will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability worldwide. By 2030, mental disorders are estimated to cost the global economy around $6 trillion a year.
Key Segments
The major categories of mental health disorders are:
Anxiety disorders – Excessive or inappropriate states of arousal characterized by feelings of apprehension, uncertainty or fear. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders. Common anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorders and panic disorders. The treatment rate of anxiety disorders is low: Only about one-third of anxiety patients receive treatment.
Mood disorders – Distortions of the general emotional state. Depression, bipolar disorder and seasonal affective disorder are common mood disorders. Mood disorders are highly prevalent. Globally around 350 million people suffer from depression.
Schizophrenia disorders – Serious brain disorders characterized by profound disruption in cognition and emotion. They affect fundamental human attributes such as language, thoughts, perceptions, affect and sense of self. Schizophrenia can be treated and managed but cannot be cured. It affects more than 20 million people worldwide.
Dementias – Disturbances of consciousness and changes in cognition. Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. Currently available drug therapies can temporarily improve symptoms of the disease but cannot cure it. According to WHO, the number of people living with dementia is estimated to increase to about 75 million by 2030.
Eating disorders – Illness characterized by irregular eating habits and severe distress about body’s structure. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders affect up to 70 million individuals worldwide. China, India and the USA are the countries with the highest rates of eating disorders in the world.
Regional Market Shares
Major regions for mental health treatment include North America, Europe and Asia.
In North America more than 10 million adults suffer from a weakening mental illness. Mental health disorders are one of the leading causes of disability in the USA and Canada, accounting for 25% of all years of life lost to disability and premature mortality. Mental disorders are among the region’s most expensive medical conditions. For instance, national expenditure for mental health care in the USA is more than $150 billion.
In Europe, mental health illnesses account for nearly 20% of diseases. More than 20% of the adult population in Norway, Switzerland and Finland experience a mental health illness which includes anxiety, depression and eating disorders. Mental health problems are a growing source of productivity loss in many EU countries. Organizations in health and non-health sectors in this region are now taking measures to make significant economic gains from investing in interventions to promote mental health and prevent mental disorders.
