One in five people live with a mental health condition at any given time, and recent crises have had a significant impact on population mental health. The share of the population reporting symptoms of anxiety and depression as much as doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. A confluence of emerging and enduring crises – such as the cost- of -living and climate crises – continue to heighten the risk factors for poor mental health, and in 2022 reported prevalence was at least 20% higher than in 2019.
Mental health
Good mental health is essential for people to live healthy and productive lives. Yet, one in two people experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, and the social and economic costs of mental ill-health are high: mental ill-health can have devastating effects on individuals, families and communities, and drive economic costs of up to 4% of GDP.
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