A first-of-its-kind study co-authored by staff from the NUS Centre for Research in Health Systems Performance (CRiHSP) that analysed the burden of disease associated with mental disorders within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) found 80.4 million cases of mental disorders, with anxiety disorders being the most common. Mental disorders were also most prevalent among people aged 15-19 years, seeing the largest increase from 12.2% in 1990 to 13.6% in 2021.

This increase in cases of mental disorders is primarily driven by social, environmental, and structural factors – as evidenced by the variations across countries within the ASEAN region. This study not only highlights the need for interventions to curb the increase in mental health disorders within the region, but also calls for better mental health screening and surveillance to better inform health policy reforms to improve mental health.

The full article can be read here.

This study is also featured in The Straits Times, which can be found here.