Considerable Health Burden Imposed by Mental Health Disorders in 2023

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By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

THURSDAY, May 28, 2026 -- In 2023, there was a significant health burden imposed by mental disorders, and this burden has increased over time, according to a study published in the May 23 issue of The Lancet.

Damian F. Santomauro, Ph.D., from Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research in Wacol, Australia, and colleagues examined past, current, and emerging trends in the prevalence and burden of mental disorders across sexes and age groups for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023.

In 2023, the researchers estimated 1.17 billion prevalent cases of mental disorders globally, which was equivalent to an age-standardized prevalence rate of 14,210.7 cases per 100,000 population. Between 1990 and 2023, these estimates represented an increase of 95.5 percent in prevalent cases and a 24.2 percent increase in the age-standardized prevalence rate. Increases in prevalent cases were seen for all mental disorders between 1990 and 2023, with notable increases in age-standardized prevalence rates for anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, dysthymia, anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, schizophrenia, and conduct disorder. Globally, across age and sex in 2023, there were an estimated 171 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) due to mental disorders, equivalent to an age-standardized DALY rate of 2,070.5 DALYs per 100,000. In 2023, mental disorders contributed to 6.1 percent of all-cause DALYs, making them the fifth leading cause of global DALYs. In 2023, mental disorders were the leading cause of years lived with disability.

"Addressing this growing challenge will require sustained investment in mental health systems, expanded access to care, and coordinated global action to better support populations most at risk," Santomauro said in a statement.

Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-05-29 09:48

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