WORLD MENTAL
HEALTH DAY 2023
A Global Advisor Survey
October 2023
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Healthcare systems seen as not doing
enough on mental health
While 78% think mental health is as
important as physical health, only 34%
globally say their country’s healthcare
system treats them equally.
A greater proportion (39%) say physical
health is prioritised by their healthcare
system over mental health.
The only countries in the survey with
majorities saying mental health is
treated the same as physical health are
in Asia, alongside Switzerland. At the
other end of the scale, Mexico records
just 22% saying the country’s healthcare
looks after mental and physical health
equally.
People think more about their physical
wellbeing than their mental health
Fifty-eight per cent across 31 countries
say they think about their mental
wellbeing often, while 71% say the same
about their physical wellbeing.
When we look at the countries where
people think about their mental health
most, five of the top six countries come
from the LATAM region: Brazil (75%),
Colombia (72%), Argentina (71%), Peru
(69%), and Chile (68%). They are joined
by South Africa (75%).
A third say stress has impacted their
life multiple times in the last year
Thirty-four per cent say stress
impacted their life several times in the
past 12 months and 31% say they had
several occasions where they couldn’t
cope because of stress.
Women are more likely to say stress
has affected them than men. 38% say
it has affected their daily life several
times, 36% say there have been
multiple instances where they couldn’t
cope, and 20% say they have had to
take time off due to stress.
2 ‒
Mental health care lacking Physical over mental Impact of stress
THE HEADLINES
This document is interactive,
please click the links to jump
to the findings
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
3 ‒
AT A GLANCE:
KEY STATS
59%
say they have felt stressed to the
point where they could not
cope/deal with things.
58%
say they think
about their mental
wellbeing often.
71%
say they think
about their physical
wellbeing often.
78%
think their mental and physical
health are equally as important,
but only 34% think their
healthcare system treats them
that way.
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
4 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
4 ‒
Almost four in five across 31
countries say mental health
is equally as important as
physical health. This
sentiment is highest in some
LATAM countries, with
Argentina, Colombia and
Peru the three most likely to
say this is the case.
Country data
Q: Thinking about your own
health, do you think that mental
health or physical health is
more important, or are they
equally important?
Mental health is
more important
Physical health is
more important
They are equally
important
Equally
2021
Equally
2022
79% 76%
85% 82%
86% 85%
86% 87%
90% 87%
N/A 83%
88% 84%
84% 74%
86% 86%
76% 73%
83% 80%
81% 80%
81% 78%
79% 76%
81% 81%
75% 75%
79% N/A
82% 80%
80% 81%
78% 72%
N/A N/A
79% 76%
74% 77%
81% 80%
76% 73%
74% 76%
78% 73%
N/A 72%
75% 74%
74% 74%
N/A 66%
59% 49%
78%
88%
87%
87%
86%
84%
84%
84%
81%
81%
80%
79%
79%
79%
79%
78%
78%
77%
77%
77%
77%
76%
76%
76%
76%
75%
73%
72%
72%
69%
67%
66%
13%
10%
9%
9%
8%
12%
9%
8%
14%
10%
10%
11%
13%
13%
11%
12%
12%
11%
17%
16%
12%
11%
15%
14%
11%
9%
19%
16%
14%
22%
18%
15%
7%
2%
3%
4%
5%
3%
5%
6%
5%
7%
7%
5%
5%
5%
7%
9%
8%
8%
5%
5%
9%
10%
7%
8%
10%
9%
6%
9%
10%
7%
13%
11%
Global Country Average
Argentina
Colombia
Peru
Hungary
Indonesia
Mexico
Germany
Chile
France
Belgium
Canada
Poland
Malaysia
Netherlands
South Korea
Singapore
United States
South Africa
Spain
New Zealand
Great Britain
Sweden
Italy
Australia
Japan
Brazil
Ireland
Switzerland
Turkey
Thailand
India
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
5 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
While a majority say mental
health is equally as
important as physical, many
countries think this is not
reflected in their country’s
healthcare. LATAM
countries tend to display
the lowest proportions who
think they are treated
equally.
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
5 ‒
Equally
2021
Equally
2022
35% 33%
60% 60%
N/A 53%
N/A 53%
37% 35%
43% N/A
47% 46%
44% 43%
36% 38%
43% 40%
27% 31%
35% 33%
41% 37%
38% 37%
N/A N/A
26% 34%
23% 29%
29% 27%
28% 27%
21% 28%
26% 27%
25% 26%
26% 27%
36% 26%
N/A 21%
24% 18%
40% 23%
25% 27%
30% 20%
33% 22%
34% 20%
45% 24%
Mental health is treated
as more important
Physical health is treated
as more important
They are treated as
equally important
Country data
Q: Which of the following best
describes how you think the
importance of mental health
and physical health are treated
in ... current healthcare system?
34%
61%
59%
55%
55%
54%
49%
45%
39%
39%
38%
37%
35%
33%
32%
32%
31%
30%
29%
28%
28%
26%
25%
25%
25%
24%
23%
23%
23%
23%
22%
22%
12%
14%
16%
10%
16%
9%
6%
10%
15%
10%
12%
8%
13%
9%
10%
14%
14%
5%
9%
10%
6%
10%
6%
23%
10%
7%
19%
18%
8%
21%
16%
20%
39%
19%
19%
30%
16%
32%
31%
39%
34%
43%
38%
42%
43%
41%
43%
43%
43%
40%
48%
51%
50%
47%
50%
29%
54%
56%
44%
43%
33%
35%
37%
38%
Global Country Average
Malaysia
Thailand
Indonesia
India
Singapore
Japan
South Korea
Switzerland
Italy
Australia
France
Turkey
Germany
New Zealand
South Africa
Brazil
Hungary
United States
Great Britain
Netherlands
Canada
Poland
Peru
Ireland
Sweden
Spain
Chile
Belgium
Colombia
Argentina
Mexico
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
6 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Fifty-eight per cent say they
think about their mental
wellbeing often. South
Africans and Brazilians are
the most likely to report this.
Meanwhile, South Korea is
the only place where people
are more likely to say they
don’t think about their mental
wellbeing much.
58%
75%
75%
72%
71%
69%
68%
65%
65%
63%
62%
60%
60%
59%
58%
58%
57%
57%
56%
56%
55%
55%
54%
52%
51%
51%
49%
49%
46%
46%
46%
36%
4%
1%
3%
4%
4%
5%
3%
2%
5%
8%
7%
2%
4%
3%
4%
5%
3%
5%
3%
5%
5%
2%
4%
5%
7%
4%
7%
9%
6%
5%
3%
38%
24%
22%
24%
25%
26%
29%
33%
30%
29%
31%
38%
38%
37%
39%
38%
38%
40%
39%
41%
40%
40%
44%
44%
44%
42%
47%
44%
45%
48%
49%
61%
Global Country Average
South Africa
Brazil
Colombia
Argentina
Peru
Chile
Indonesia
Mexico
India
Japan
Ireland
New Zealand
Thailand
Great Britain
United States
Hungary
Spain
Canada
Australia
Poland
France
Sweden
Singapore
Italy
Turkey
Netherlands
Switzerland
Malaysia
Belgium
Germany
South Korea
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
Country data
Q: How often, if at all, would
you say you think about the
following things.
Your own mental wellbeing?
Often
2021
Often
2022
53% 58%
73% 75%
75% 76%
71% 74%
65% 70%
68% 70%
64% 65%
N/A 64%
65% 66%
61% 70%
65% 66%
N/A 62%
N/A N/A
N/A 55%
54% 59%
54% 58%
51% 53%
51% 56%
53% 50%
55% 54%
52% 53%
41% 49%
46% 54%
49% N/A
51% 55%
53% 54%
39% 44%
49% 49%
51% 49%
51% 50%
39% 44%
31% 35%
Often
Not very much/Never
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
7 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
People in LATAM appear to
think more about their mental
and physical wellbeing more
than those in other regions.
Seventy per cent in LATAM
say they think about their
mental wellbeing often
compared to 58% across 31
countries.
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
Regional data
Q: How often, if at all, would
you say you think about the
following things.
% Often
Mental Wellbeing
Physical Wellbeing
58% 57% 54% 57% 70%71% 67% 70% 74% 81%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
Global Country
Average
APAC Europe North America LATAM
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
8 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
Younger people appear to
think more about their
mental health than do older
people.
While all age groups have
been thinking more about
their mental wellbeing than
they did in 2021, the picture
over the last 12 months is
quite stable.
Age group data
Q: How often, if at all, would
you say you think about the
following things.
Your own mental wellbeing?
% Often
61%
65% 65%
55%
59%
61%
42%
48% 48%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
2021 2022 2023
8 ‒
Under 35
35-49
50-74
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
9 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
9 ‒
71%
86%
85%
83%
83%
81%
78%
78%
78%
76%
76%
76%
74%
74%
72%
72%
72%
71%
71%
70%
68%
68%
67%
66%
64%
64%
64%
63%
60%
59%
58%
53%
26%
13%
14%
16%
15%
18%
20%
20%
21%
23%
21%
22%
24%
18%
25%
24%
26%
27%
27%
27%
27%
30%
31%
30%
31%
32%
32%
34%
35%
37%
33%
45%
Global Country Average
Colombia
South Africa
Argentina
Mexico
Indonesia
Peru
Brazil
Ireland
Chile
United States
New Zealand
Spain
Japan
Italy
Canada
Sweden
Australia
France
Great Britain
Poland
Hungary
Switzerland
Singapore
Belgium
Germany
Turkey
Netherlands
Malaysia
Thailand
India
South Korea
Often
2021
Often
2022
68% 70%
84% 85%
85% 87%
82% 80%
82% 83%
N/A 82%
84% 83%
74% 77%
N/A 75%
75% 73%
77% 78%
N/A N/A
69% 70%
77% 79%
72% 77%
69% 68%
75% 73%
73% 72%
62% 67%
70% 71%
64% 65%
67% 66%
63% 65%
65% N/A
63% 62%
55% 56%
61% 63%
52% 56%
64% 60%
N/A 56%
71% 75%
48% 55%
People across 31 countries
are more likely to think about
their physical health, than
their mental health. Seventy-
one per cent say they think
about their physical
wellbeing often (compared to
58% who do the same for
their mental wellbeing).
Country data
Q: How often, if at all, would
you say you think about the
following things.
Your own physical wellbeing?
Often
Not very much/Never
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
10 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Global Country Average
Q: During the past year have
you ever...?
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
A third of people (34%)
across 31 countries say
they have faced several
instances when stress has
affected their daily life.
Thirty-one per cent have
had multiple occasions
where they have felt like
they couldn’t cope due to
stress.
10 ‒
Yes, several times Yes, once
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
11 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
Women are more likely
than men to say stress has
been impacting their lives.
Over a third of women
across 31 countries say in
the past year there have
been several times when
stress has impacted their
daily life or they have felt
they couldn’t cope.
11 ‒
Men Women
Men and Women (Global)
Q: During the past year have
you ever...?
% Yes, several times
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
12 ‒
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Base: 23,274 adults in 31 countries, July 21 – August 4, 2023.
Younger people struggle
with stress than those
older. Over a third of Gen Z
(36%) say they have felt
depressed for weeks and
over 42% say they have
had several periods of
feeling overwhelmed due to
stress.
12 ‒
Gen Z Millennial
Generations (Global)
Q: During the past year have
you ever...?
% Yes, several times
Gen X
Baby Boomer
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
Global Country
Average
Argentina
Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
France
Germany
Great Britain
Hungary
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Peru
Poland
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
Turkey
United States
Felt stressed to
the point where it
had an impact on
how you live your
daily life
62%
68%
62%
60%
76%
63%
76%
69%
65%
62%
56%
50%
52%
60%
66%
53%
53%
52%
64%
53%
64%
70%
65%
55%
69%
57%
60%
65%
62%
64%
78%
58%
Felt stressed to
the point where
you felt like you
could not
cope/deal with
things
59%
72%
59%
55%
74%
57%
72%
72%
59%
53%
52%
53%
50%
56%
59%
57%
49%
54%
67%
47%
57%
74%
63%
55%
71%
53%
52%
56%
56%
57%
73%
53%
Felt depressed to
the point that you
felt sad or
hopeless almost
every day for a
couple of weeks
or more
52%
59%
51%
48%
65%
52%
68%
62%
52%
47%
47%
55%
51%
49%
55%
44%
38%
54%
59%
32%
51%
64%
55%
49%
67%
45%
40%
51%
45%
50%
64%
49%
Felt stressed to
the point you
could not go to
work for
a period
of time
39%
44%
41%
32%
50%
37%
53%
42%
31%
36%
35%
25%
50%
44%
41%
31%
20%
40%
42%
24%
43%
58%
31%
39%
50%
33%
31%
31%
36%
50%
55%
34%
13 ‒
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Q. During the past year have you ever...? % yes, several times/yes, once
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
14 ‒
These are the results of a 31-country survey conducted by Ipsos on its Global
Advisor online platform and, in India, on its IndiaBus platform, between Friday,
July 21 and Friday, August 4, 2023. For this survey, Ipsos interviewed a total of
23,274 adults aged 18 years and older in India, 18-74 in Canada, Republic of
Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States, 20-
74 in Thailand, 21-74 in Indonesia and Singapore, and 16-74 in all other
countries.
The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals each in Australia, Brazil,
Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore,
Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals each in Argentina, Belgium, Chile,
Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru,
Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and Turkey.
The sample in India consists of approximately 2,200 individuals, of whom
approximately 1,800 were interviewed face-to-face and 400 were interviewed
online.
Samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Great
Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, South
Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S. can be considered
representative of their general adult populations under the age of 75.
Samples in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Indonesia, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru,
Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, and Turkey are more urban, more educated,
and/or more affluent than the general population. The survey results for these
countries should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected”
segment of their population.
Methodology
India’s sample represents a large subset of its urban population — social economic
classes A, B and C in metros and tier 1-3 town classes across all four zones.
The data is weighted so that the composition of each country’s sample best reflects
the demographic profile of the adult population according to the most recent
census data.
“The Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries and
markets in which the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the
population size of each country or market and is not intended to suggest a total
result.
When percentages do not sum up to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1
percentage point more/less than the actual result, this may be due to rounding,
multiple responses, or the exclusion of “don't know” or not stated responses.
The precision of Ipsos online polls is calculated using a credibility interval with a
poll where N=1,000 being accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of where
N=500 being accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on Ipsos'
use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
The publication of these findings abides by local rules and regulations.
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day
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15 ‒