World Mental Health Day 2021 Ipsos

WORLD MENTAL
HEALTH DAY 2021
A Global Advisor survey
October 2021
https://www.ipsos.com/en/world-mental-health-day-2021
AWARENESS OF
MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL
WELLBEING
© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

% ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ often % ‘not very often’ or ‘never’
MENTAL Global Country Average
Brazil
53%
75% 22%
42%
WELLBEING South Africa

Colombia
73%
71%
25%
26%
Peru 68% 29%
Argentina 65% 29%
How often, if at all, would you say Japan 65% 31%
Mexico 65% 31%
you think about your own mental Chile 64% 31%
wellbeing? India 61% 32%
Australia 55% 41%
United States 54% 43%
Great Britain 54% 44%
Over half (53%) on average worldwide
Canada 53% 43%
say that they think about their mental Turkey 53% 39%
wellbeing at least fairly often, while 42% Poland 52% 41%
do not think about it very often or never Malaysia 51% 43%
think about it. Hungary 51% 41%
Spain 51% 40%
There is marked variance across Italy 51% 41%
Belgium 51% 43%
countries, ranging from 75% thinking
Switzerland 49% 44%
about mental wellbeing often in Brazil to Singapore 49% 47%
26% in China. Saudi Arabia 47% 38%
Sweden 46% 51%
In seven countries (China, South Korea France 41% 50%
Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Netherlands 39% 54%
France and Sweden), the public are on Germany 39% 55%
Russia 33% 59%
balance more likely to say that they do
South Korea 31% 65%
not think about their mental wellbeing China 26% 67%
very often.
Base: 21,513 online adults in 30 countries, August 20th – September 3rd 2021.
3 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021 Online samples in Brazil, Chile, mainland China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South
Africa, and Turkey tend to be more urban, educated, and/or affluent than the general population.
The “Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries where the survey was conducted.
% ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ often % ‘not very often’ or ‘never’
PHYSICAL Global Country Average
South Africa
68%
85%
28%
14%
WELLBEING Colombia
Peru
84%
84%
14%
14%
Argentina 82% 16%
Mexico 82% 16%
How often, if at all, would you say United States 77% 20%
Japan 77% 19%
you think about your own physical Chile 75% 23%
wellbeing? Sweden 75% 24%
Brazil 74% 24%
Australia 73% 24%
Italy 72% 24%
Two-thirds (68%) globally think about their India 71% 23%
Great Britain 70% 28%
physical wellbeing at least fairly often – a
Canada 69% 28%
greater proportion than we saw for mental Spain 69% 26%
health. Hungary 67% 29%
Singapore 65% 33%
This is highest in South Africa, Colombia Malaysia 64% 32%
and Peru, and lowest in China, South Poland 64% 32%
Korea and the Netherlands. Belgium 63% 33%
Switzerland 63% 34%
In almost all countries (28 of 30) people France 62% 33%
Turkey 61% 33%
are more likely to say they think about Saudi Arabia 59% 32%
their physical wellbeing often rather than Russia 59% 37%
not very often/never. Germany 55% 41%
Netherlands 52% 44%
South Korea 48% 49%
China 41% 54%
Africa, and Turkey tend to be more urban, educated, and/or affluent than the general population.
COMPARISON: HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT OUR WELLBEING?
Physical wellbeing is more at the forefront of people’s minds.
Global country average
On average across all countries, we

see that people tend to think about
43%
their physical wellbeing more often
than their mental wellbeing.
32% Two-thirds (68%) say they think about

30%
their physical wellbeing ‘fairly’ or ‘very’
26% often. This is higher than the 53%
24%
21%
who think about their mental
wellbeing at least fairly often.
One in nine (11%) say that they never

11%
think about their mental wellbeing,
5% compared to just 5% who say they
never think about their physical
wellbeing.
Mental Wellbeing Physical Wellbeing
There are, however, generational and
Very often Fairly often Not very often Never gender differences between the two.
5 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES: MENTAL WELLBEING
How often do you think about your own mental wellbeing?
Global Country Average 21% 32% 30% 11%
Female 24% 34% 28% 9%
Male 18% 30% 33% 13%
Under 35 28% 33% 24% 8%
35-49 22% 34% 30% 10%
50+ 13% 29% 38% 15%
Very often Fairly often Not very often Never

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES: PHYSICAL WELLBEING
How often do you think about your own physical wellbeing?
Global Country Average 26% 43% 24% 5%
Female 28% 43% 22% 4%
Male 23% 42% 25% 6%
Under 35 29% 38% 22% 6%
35-49 26% 44% 22% 5%
50+ 21% 46% 27% 4%
Very often Fairly often Not very often Never

MENTAL OR
PHYSICAL HEALTH –
WHICH IS MORE
IMPORTANT?

Equally important Mental health more important Physical health more important
RELATIVE Global Country Average
Hungary
79% 12% 6%
90% 4%3%
IMPORTANCE OF Mexico
Colombia
88%
86%
8% 3%
12% 2%
OWN MENTAL AND Peru
Chile
86%
86%
11% 2%
11% 2%
PHYSICAL HEALTH Argentina
Russia
85% 11% 2%
85% 4% 8%
Germany 84% 7% 5%
Belgium 83% 11% 4%
United States 82% 9% 6%
Thinking about your own health, do Italy 81% 9% 6%
you think that mental health or Netherlands 81% 9% 7%
physical health is more important, Canada 81% 10% 5%
Poland 81% 13% 4%
or are they equally important? South Africa 80% 14% 6%
Malaysia 79% 12% 6%
Great Britain 79% 10% 8%
A large majority worldwide (and over Singapore 79% 16% 4%
China 78% 10% 10%
50% in each country surveyed) say Spain 78% 15% 6%
that mental and physical health are Brazil 78% 16% 4%
equally important to them. Australia 76% 12% 10%
France 76% 11% 6%
Switzerland 75% 14% 6%
South Korea 75% 14% 9%
Sweden 74% 20% 4%
Turkey 74% 18% 5%
Japan 74% 11% 10%
India 59% 24% 13%
Saudi Arabia 58% 26% 14%
Base: 21,513 online adults in 30 countries, August 20th – September 3rd 2021
9 ‒ © Ipsos | World
What Worries
Mental Health
the World
Day 2021 Online samples in Brazil, Chile, mainland China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South
Africa, and Turkey tend to be more urban, educated, and/or affluent than the general population
The “Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries where the survey was conducted
Global Country Average 79%
Hungary 90%
OWN MENTAL Mexico 88%
Colombia 86%
AND PHYSICAL Peru 86%
Chile 86%
HEALTH Argentina 85%
“EQUALLY
Russia 85%
Germany 84%
IMPORTANT”
Belgium 83%
United States 82%
Italy 81%
Netherlands 81%
Canada 81%
Thinking about your own health, Poland 81%
South Africa 80%
do you think that mental health or Malaysia 79%
physical health is more Great Britain 79%
important, or are they equally Singapore 79%
important? China 78%
Spain 78%
Brazil 78%
Australia 76%
France 76%
Switzerland 75%
South Korea 75%
Sweden 74%
Turkey 74%
Japan 74%
India 59%
Saudi Arabia 58%
MENTAL HEALTH PHYSICAL HEALTH
OWN “MENTAL” Global Country Average 12% Global Country Average 6%
VS. “PHYSICAL” Saudi Arabia
India
26%
24%
Saudi Arabia
India
14%
13%
HEALTH MORE Sweden

Turkey
20%
18%
Japan
China
10%
10%
Australia
IMPORTANT Brazil
Singapore
16%
16% South Korea
10%
9%
Spain 15% Great Britain 8%
South Korea 14% Russia 8%
South Africa 14% Netherlands 7%
Thinking about your own health, Switzerland 14% Italy 6%
Poland 13% Malaysia 6%
do you think that mental health or Malaysia 12% South Africa 6%
physical health is more important, Colombia 12% Switzerland 6%
Australia 12% France 6%
or are they equally important? Argentina 11% United States 6%
Belgium 11% Spain 6%
Peru 11% Germany 5%
Chile 11% Canada 5%
Although both views are held by Japan 11% Turkey 5%
France 11% Singapore 4%
relatively small proportions, twice as Poland
China 10% 4%
many say their mental health is more Great Britain 10% Belgium 4%
important than their physical health. Canada 10% Brazil 4%
Italy 9% Sweden 4%
Netherlands 9% Hungary 3%
Saudi Arabia and India are among the United States Mexico 3%
9%
more polarised nations on this Mexico 8% Chile 2%
question. Germany 7% Colombia 2%
Hungary 4% Argentina 2%
Russia 4% Peru 2%
DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES
Do you think that mental health or physical health is more important, or are they equally important?
Equally important Mental health more important Physical health more important
Global Country Average 79% 12% 6%
Female 82% 11% 5%
Male 76% 13% 8%
Under 35 71% 18% 7%
35-49 80% 12% 6%
50+ 87% 7% 5%

ARE MENTAL AND
PHYSICAL HEALTH
TREATED EQUALLY?

Physical health more important Equally important Mental health more important
TREATMENT OF Global Country Average
Great Britain
42%
60%
35%
21%
9%
6%
MENTAL AND United States
Brazil
55%
55% 23%
28%
9%
6%
PHYSICAL HEALTH South Africa

Sweden
54%
54%
26%
24% 5%
8%
Canada 53% 25% 6%

Netherlands 52% 26% 4%
Australia 51% 27% 10%
Which of the following best Chile 51% 25% 9%
describes how you think the Belgium 48% 30% 7%
Colombia 42% 33% 8%
importance of mental health and Poland 42% 26% 7%
physical health is treated in your Argentina 42% 34% 7%
country’s current healthcare Germany 42% 38% 6%
Turkey 41% 41% 9%
system? Singapore 40% 43% 10%
Spain 40% 40% 12%
Switzerland 39% 36% 13%
In contrast with the large majority Italy 39% 43% 9%
Peru 39% 36% 10%
who think that mental and physical South Korea 38% 44% 11%
health are equally important, on India 37% 37% 18%
balance people worldwide think that Hungary 37% 29% 3%
China 35% 54% 8%
physical health is treated with Japan 35% 47% 5%
greater importance in their country’s France 35% 35% 6%
Mexico 33% 45% 7%
healthcare system.
Russia 31% 36% 7%
Saudi Arabia 26% 42% 18%
Malaysia 18% 60% 13%
Great Britain 60%
TREATMENT OF United States 55%
Brazil 55%
PHYSICAL HEALTH South Africa 54%
Sweden 54%
MORE IMPORTANT Canada 53%
Netherlands 52%
Australia 51%
Chile 51%
Which of the following best Belgium 48%
Colombia 42%
describes how you think the
Poland 42%
importance of mental health and Argentina 42%
physical health are treated in your Germany 42%
country’s current healthcare Turkey 41%
Singapore 40%
system? Spain 40%
Switzerland 39%
Italy 39%
Peru 39%
South Korea 38%
India 37%
Hungary 37%
China 35%
Japan 35%
France 35%
Mexico 33%
Russia 31%
Saudi Arabia 26%
Malaysia 18%
Malaysia 60%
TREATMENT OF China 54%
Japan 47%
MENTAL AND Mexico 45%
South Korea 44%
PHYSICAL Singapore 43%
HEALTH “EQUALLY
Italy 43%
Saudi Arabia 42%
IMPORTANT”
Turkey 41%
Spain 40%
Germany 38%
India 37%
Switzerland 36%
Which of the following best Peru 36%
describes how you think the Russia 36%
France 35%
importance of mental health and
Argentina 34%
physical health are treated in your Colombia 33%
country’s current healthcare Belgium 30%
system? Hungary 29%
United States 28%
Australia 27%
Netherlands 26%
Poland 26%
South Africa 26%
Chile 25%
Canada 25%
Sweden 24%
Brazil 23%
Great Britain 21%
India 18%
TREATMENT OF Saudi Arabia 18%
Malaysia 13%
MENTAL HEALTH Switzerland 13%
Spain 12%
MORE IMPORTANT South Korea 11%
Australia 10%
Peru 10%
Singapore 10%
Which of the following best Brazil 9%
Chile 9%
describes how you think the Turkey 9%
importance of mental health and Italy 9%
physical health are treated in your Colombia 8%
country’s current healthcare South Africa 8%
China 8%
system? Poland 7%
Russia 7%
Belgium 7%
Mexico 7%
Argentina 7%
France 6%
Canada 6%
Great Britain 6%
Germany 6%
United States 6%
Japan 5%
Sweden 5%
Netherlands 4%
Hungary 3%
PERCEIVED VS. EXPERIENCED IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH
A majority think mental and physical health are equally important, but healthcare services place greater
importance on physical health.
Global country average
Thinking of your own

health, do you think
mental or physical 79% 12% 6%
health is more
important?
How are mental health

and physical health
treated in your country’s 35% 9% 42%
healthcare system?
Equally important Mental health more important Physical health more important Don't know/did not answer

EQUAL IMPORTANCE VS. EQUAL TREATMENT Across all countries (A-J)
100% I believe mental and physical health are equally important My country's healthare system treats them as equally important
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
GCA
Chile
Colombia
India
Australia
Hungary
Canada
France
Italy
China
Brazil
Belgium
Germany
Japan
Great Britain
Argentina
19 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021 Online samples in Brazil, Chile, mainland China, Colombia and India tend to be more urban, educated, and/or affluent than the general population.
EQUAL IMPORTANCE VS. EQUAL TREATMENT Across all countries (M-U)
100% I believe mental and physical health are equally important My country's healthare system treats them as equally important
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Peru
Spain
Malaysia
Saudi Arabia
Sweden
Turkey
Netherlands
Poland
South Africa
Russia
Singapore
United States
Switzerland
South Korea
Mexico
20 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021 Online samples in Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, and Turkey tend to be
more urban, educated, and/or affluent than the general population
WHERE DOES
MENTAL HEALTH
RANK AS A HEALTH
CONCERN?

% change
HEALTH PROBLEMS: Coronavirus/ Covid-

vs. 2020
-2
70%
GLOBAL OVERVIEW 19
Cancer 34% -3
Mental health 31% +5

Thinking generally, which of the
following, if any, do you see as the Stress 22% +1
biggest health problems facing
people in your country today? Obesity 19% +1
Diabetes 13% =
Drug abuse 13% +1
Mental health is an increasingly

Alcohol abuse 11% -1
important health issue, according to
the global public. Heart disease 11% +3
Smoking 11% +3
Today 31% say this is one of the top
health problems in their country, up Dementia 4% =
from 26% in 2020 (when Coronavirus
took precedence) and 27% in 2018 Hospital superbugs 2% -1
(when the survey was first run). Sexually transmitted -1

2%
diseases (STD)
Other 1% =
22 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021 Base: 21,513 online adults in 30 countries, August 20th – September 3rd 2021
% selecting mental health as a top health problem in their country
MENTAL HEALTH Global Country Average

Sweden
31%
63%
Chile 59%
Australia 47%
Thinking generally, which of the Canada 43%
Colombia 42%
following, if any, do you see as the Singapore 41%
biggest health problems facing Brazil 40%
people in your country today? Great Britain 40%
Peru 37%
Spain 35%
Belgium 35%
Three in 10 (31%) across 30 countries United States 35%
Malaysia 33%
say mental health is one of the three top Netherlands 33%
health problems facing people their Germany 32%
country today. Poland 30%
Switzerland 28%
Argentina 28%
It is considered the number one health South Korea 27%
problem in Sweden and Chile. Concern South Africa 27%
China 25%
has increased most since last year in India 25%
Spain (+19), Belgium (+13), and Brazil Russia 23%
(also +13). Italy 19%
Turkey 19%
Hungary 18%
Globally, women are also more likely to Saudi Arabia 14%
select mental health as a top health France 12%
Mexico 11%
concern (36% vs. 26% of men). Japan 9%
Online samples in Brazil, Chile, mainland China, Colombia, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South
METHODOLOGY
These are the results of a 30-market survey conducted by Ipsos on its The samples in Brazil, mainland China, Chile, Colombia, India, Israel,
Global Advisor online platform. Ipsos interviewed a total of 21,513 adults Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa,
aged 18-74 in the United States, Canada, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa, and Turkey are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than
and Turkey, aged 21-74 in Singapore, and 16-74 in 24 other markets the general population. The survey results for these countries should be
between Friday, August 20 and Friday, September 3, 2021. viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of their
population.
The sample consists of approximately 1,000 individuals in each of The data is weighted so that each country’s sample composition best
Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, mainland China, France, Germany, reflects the demographic profile of the adult population according to the
Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the U.S., and 500 individuals in most recent census data.
each of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, India, Israel, Malaysia, The ‘Global Country Average’ reflects the average result for all the
Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, countries and markets where the survey was conducted. It has not been
South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. adjusted to the population size of each country or market and is not
intended to suggest a total result.
The samples in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1
Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, South more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple
Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.S. can be taken as responses, or the exclusion of “don't know” or not stated responses.
representative of their general adult population under the age of 75. The precision of Ipsos online polls is calculated using a credibility interval
with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500
accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on Ipsos' use
of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
For more information, please contact:
Simon.Atkinson@Ipsos.com or Nicolas.Boyon@Ipsos.com. The publication of these findings abides by local rules and regulations.

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WORLD MENTAL

HEALTH DAY 2021

A Global Advisor survey

© Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

WELLBEING South Africa

On average across all countries, we

32% Two-thirds (68%) say they think about

One in nine (11%) say that they never

5 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

Global Country Average 21% 32% 30% 11%

Female 24% 34% 28% 9%

Male 18% 30% 33% 13%

Under 35 28% 33% 24% 8%

35-49 22% 34% 30% 10%

50+ 13% 29% 38% 15%

Very often Fairly often Not very often Never

6 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

Global Country Average 26% 43% 24% 5%

Female 28% 43% 22% 4%

Male 23% 42% 25% 6%

Under 35 29% 38% 22% 6%

35-49 26% 44% 22% 5%

50+ 21% 46% 27% 4%

Very often Fairly often Not very often Never

7 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

8 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

HEALTH MORE Sweden

Global Country Average 79% 12% 6%

Female 82% 11% 5%

Male 76% 13% 8%

Under 35 71% 18% 7%

35-49 80% 12% 6%

12 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

13 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

PHYSICAL HEALTH South Africa

Canada 53% 25% 6%

Thinking of your own

How are mental health

18 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

21 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

HEALTH PROBLEMS: Coronavirus/ Covid-

Mental health 31% +5

Drug abuse 13% +1

Mental health is an increasingly

(when the survey was first run). Sexually transmitted -1

MENTAL HEALTH Global Country Average

24 ‒ © Ipsos | World Mental Health Day 2021

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