DREAM / The Prime Minister resigns and wakes up under the Parisian bridge!

 Kliko këtu për të tjera
Voxpress:

A global pandemic! Mental disorders affect 1.2 billion people, women most affected

2026-05-27 17:21:33Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
A global pandemic! Mental disorders affect 1.2 billion people, women most
Photo illustration

Mental disorders in the world have almost doubled since 1990 and today affect an estimated 1.2 billion people, becoming the leading global cause of years lived with disability.

This comes from a study published in The Lancet and coordinated by the "Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation" together with the University of Queensland, which analyzes the prevalence and impact of mental disorders in 204 countries between 1990 and 2023.

A pandemic of anxiety and depression

The research describes the largest study conducted to date on the global burden of mental disorders and shows that anxiety and depression represent one of the greatest global health emergencies today.

According to the authors, mental disorders have become the leading cause of disability globally, surpassing cardiovascular diseases, tumors and musculoskeletal pathologies.

In 2023, these conditions caused a total of 171 million DALYs, i.e. years of life lost due to premature death or lived with disability, accounting for more than 17 percent of all years lived with disability in the world.

The role of Covid and social inequalities

Anxiety and major depression rank eleventh and fifteenth, respectively, among the 304 leading global causes of disease and injury considered by the study.

Researchers also signal a strong increase observed after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Since 2019, the standardized prevalence of major depression has increased by about 24 percent, while anxiety disorders have increased by more than 47 percent.

According to the authors, the psychological consequences of the pandemic are added to long-term structural factors such as poverty, social insecurity, violence, abuse, and reduced social relationships.

The crisis of adolescents and young people

The study highlights that the greatest burden is concentrated among adolescents and young people, especially in the 15-19 age group.

According to the authors, this stage of life represents a crucial period for academic, professional and social development, making the consequences of mental disorders particularly important in the long term.

"During adolescence, anxiety and depression become the main components of the burden of mental illness," explains Alize Ferrari.

"This is a critical phase that can profoundly affect future education, employment, and social relations," she adds.

The most affected women

The results also show a greater vulnerability in women. In 2023, an estimated 620 million women were living with at least one mental disorder, compared to 552 million men.

Women also recorded a higher burden of disability, with 92.6 million DALYs versus 78.6 million in men.

According to the authors, this gap may be related to greater exposure to domestic violence, sexual abuse, the burden of family care, and structural gender discrimination.

World map

From a geographical point of view, the burden of mental disorders has increased in all regions of the planet, but with strong differences between countries.

Some of the highest levels are observed in high-income regions such as Australasia and Western Europe, with particularly high levels in the Netherlands, Portugal and Australia.

Significant increases have also been recorded in Western Sub-Saharan Africa and in some areas of South Asia.

According to researchers, the problem is further exacerbated by the global lack of adequate mental health care and treatment.


Në përputhje me standarded JTI

Video

SHIKO KANALIN NE YOUTUBE
×