Mental Disorders Lead Global Disability

A comprehensive study, the Global Burden of Disease 2023, led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation>>>, the Queensland University of Technology, and the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, and published in The Lancet, reveals that mental disorders have become the leading cause of disability worldwide, surpassing cardiovascular disease and cancer. The study found that nearly 1.2 billion people globally were living with a mental health condition in 2023, almost double the number in 1990. Anxiety and major depressive disorders are the primary drivers of this surge, with cases increasing by 47% and 24% respectively since 2019, peaking after the COVID-19 pandemic. The burden disproportionately affects individuals aged 15-19 and women. Damian Santomauro>>>, lead author, emphasized the urgent need for sustained investment in mental health systems and expanded access to care. Ferrari>>>, a co-author, highlighted that the global response to mental disorders is currently insufficient. Factors contributing to this trend include social isolation, economic insecurity, child maltreatment, domestic violence, genetics, rising inequality, climate change, pandemics, and conflict. The Gates Foundation>>> provided funding for this extensive research.