New research has found that mental disorders have become the leading cause of disability worldwide, surpassing both cancer and cardiovascular disease.
According to a study by the University of Queensland, the University of Washington, and the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research (QCMHR), nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide were living with a mental disorder in 2023, almost double the number recorded in 1990.
Researchers examined the health burden of 12 mental disorders, including anxiety disorders, major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and eating disorders, analysing global trends from 1990 to 2023.
The Disability-Adjusted Life Year (DALY) metric was used to assess the burden of mental disorders, with one DALY representing one healthy year of life lost due to illness or disability.
“Mental disorders have been a leading cause of DALYs globally for decades, but these findings show we are entering an even more concerning phase of worsening mental disorder burden,” Associate Professor Damian Santomauro, from UQ’s School of Public Health and QCMHR, said.
“When compared with other disease groups, mental disorders were the fifth leading cause of DALYs in 2023, up from 12th in 1990, led mostly by increases in anxiety disorders and major depression.”
Increases in DALY rates were recorded across all world regions, with the sharpest rises seen in Australasia and Western sub-Saharan Africa.
The burden of mental disorders was highest among young people aged 15–19, while women were found to have higher rates than men.
Honorary Associate Professor Alize Ferrari from the University of Queensland’s School of Public Health said the findings indicate that the global response to mental disorders remains insufficient.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re from a resource-poor country or a country with more health resources available; the burden is high,” Ferrari explained.
“We need more research, but there are many factors likely contributing to the global trends observed, including data quality and availability.
Ferrari also pointed to a range of likely risk factors contributing to mental disorders, including child maltreatment, domestic violence, genetic influences, rising inequality, declining social cohesion, and broader pressures such as climate change, pandemics, war, and natural disasters.
“We need a significant shift in how we respond to mental disorders globally, with better surveillance and more coordinated policy action to reduce the burden through early treatment and prevention.”