50% adults to have mental health disorder by 75 —Study

A global study co-led by researchers from The University of Queensland and Harvard Medical School has found that one in two people will develop a mental health disorder in their lifetime.

The scientists had analysed data from more than 150,000 adults across 29 countries between 2001 and 2022, with results demonstrating the high prevalence of mental health disorders, with 50 percent of the population developing at least one disorder by the age of 75.

The study, the World Health Organisation’s World Mental Health Survey Initiative, found that the three most common mental health disorders among women were depression, specific phobia (a disabling anxiety that interferes with daily life) and post-traumatic stress (PTSD), while the three most common mental health disorders among men were alcohol abuse, depression and specific phobia.

The study’s lead author, Professor John McGrath from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute, said the results demonstrate the high prevalence of mental health disorders, with 50 percent of the population developing at least one disorder by the age of 75.

According to him, “The most common were mood disorders such as major depression or anxiety. We also found the risk of certain mental disorders differed by sex.”

The research also found mental health disorders typically first emerge in childhood, adolescence or young adulthood.

“The peak age of first onset was at 15 years, with a median age of onset of 19 for men and 20 for women. This lends weight to the need to invest in basic neuroscience to understand why these disorders develop,” Professor McGrath said.

The study’s co-investigator, Professor Ronald Kessler from Harvard Medical School, said investment is also needed in mental health services with a particular focus on young people.

According to him, “Services need to be able to detect and treat common mental disorders promptly and be optimised to suit patients in these critical parts of their lives. By understanding the age at which these disorders commonly arise, we can tailor public health interventions and allocate resources to ensure that appropriate and timely support is available to individuals at risk.”

The researchers said the outcomes provide valuable insights into the frequency and timing of mental disorder onset based on many different populations.

The study is published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

 

READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• We borrow guns for operation from woman selling paraga —Highway robbery suspects

• Experts warn petrol price could hit N1000 per litre

• #BBNaijaAllStars: Mercy Eke wins immunity as Adekunle emerges first HOH

• Gory details of Ore petrol tanker explosion: How pregnant woman, three children were caught in inferno

• FLATOUT: Mass burial and the king who wants to live forever

• EDITORIAL: The debt servicing conundrum