Poor mental health can have a significant effect on the economy as shown by this study in Singapore. — AFP
Mental health conditions, from anxiety to depression, can take a heavy toll on a country's economy, if only because they lead to lower productivity and higher absenteeism.
In Singapore, scientists estimate that the economic burden of this major public health issue amounts to some US$11.7 billion (RM51.9 billion) per year, or approximately 2.9% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
One in eight people worldwide, or some 970 million people, were living with a mental disorder in 2019 – primarily anxiety and depressive disorders, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
These figures have increased considerably since the Covid-19 pandemic, reports the WHO, which estimates a 26% and 28% increase respectively for anxiety and major depressive disorders in just one year.
As such, mental health requires particular attention from all nations, whether in terms of prevention, information, treatment, or even access to care.
Beyond the public health issue, countries must also take into account the economic burden that such disorders can represent.
The estimated cost of no less than US$11.7bil (RM51.9bil) a year to Singapore from lost productivity due to anxiety and depression is according to a new study conducted by researchers from the Duke-NUS Medical School and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) in Singapore.
Published in the journal BMC Psychiatry, the research is based on data from a survey of 5,725 Singaporean adults conducted between April and June 2022.
After determining the proportion of anxiety and depressive disorders in the population, the scientists identified the consequences of such problems, particularly in terms of health expenses and work productivity.
The results provide an estimate of the economic burden that anxiety and depression could represent, namely nearly 3% of Singapore's GDP.
It is a significant figure that highlights the importance of setting up programmes, in Singapore and elsewhere in the world, to help tackle mental health disorders.
Lost productivity
The study found that 14% of the adults surveyed had depressive symptoms and 15% had anxiety disorders, with many suffering symptoms of both.
Of these, only about a third (32%) sought help for treatment, and about a quarter (24%) consulted a mental health professional.
The researchers also noted that 13% of those affected by these mental health conditions made at least one trip to the emergency room, and 9% were hospitalised.
They estimate that the annual increase in health care costs for these patients could be SGD1,050 (RM3,518).
At the same time, the study revealed that people affected by these disorders missed 17.7 more days of work per year and were 40% less productive at work.
This data allowed the researchers to estimate the cost of this lost productivity due to anxiety and depression at S$15.7bil or US$11.7bil (RM51.9bil).
In light of these findings, the scientists recommend improving access to support programmes and treatments, increasing knowledge about mental health, and expanding the training of health professionals to treat these types of symptoms.
In 2018, two years before the pandemic, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimated the total cost of mental ill-health in the European Union to be over €600bil (RM2,938bil), or more than 4% of their GDP.
And these figures may have increased since the pandemic, once again underscoring the important need for action to prevent certain disorders and improve care for those concerned. – AFP Relaxnews
