NEW DELHI: Nearly 1.2 billion people in 2023 were affected with mental disorders, which has now emerged as the leading cause of disability globally, overtaking cardiovascular diseases, cancer and musculoskeletal conditions, a new study in The Lancet said.
The study found that the global burden of mental disorders has more than doubled since 1990, driven largely by rising cases of anxiety and depression.
Researchers from The University of Queensland, Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research and University of Washington found that women and adolescents aged 15-19 years were disproportionately affected.
In 2023, around 620 million women globally were living with a mental disorder, compared to 552 million men.
Mental disorders accounted for more than 17 per cent of all years lived with disability worldwide.
In India, the age-standardised prevalence of anxiety disorders across both sexes rose by 123.5 per cent, from nearly 2,592 per one lakh population in 1990 to 5,793 per one lakh population in 2023.
Among women, prevalence increased by 136.7 per cent during the period, compared to 102 per cent among men.
“These rising trends may reflect both the lingering effects of pandemic-related stress and longer-term structural drivers such as poverty, insecurity, abuse, violence, and declining social connectedness,” said Damian Santomauro, first author and associate professor at the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research in partnership with the University of Queensland.
