Scary figures about mental disorder
JOHANNESBURG – Statistics reveal that mental disorders have increased by 22.7 percent globally.
Mental disorders take an enormous toll on society and specialists say there is a slow shift towards investment in resources for the treatment of disorders.
Sandy Lewis, head of psychological services at Akeso Psychiatric Clinics in Parktown, said statistics reveal just how dire South Africa’s mental health problems are.
Lewis said it is estimated that about one third of South Africans suffer from some form of mental disorder, according to a SA Stress and Health study conducted in 2003/4. These figures exclude disorders such as bipolar, Attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder and Obsessive compulsive disorder.
“Given that these figures exclude other sections of the society such as children and adolescents as well as a number of other key disorders, it is believed that the prevalence of mental disorders is probably higher in South Africa than one third of the population,” Lewis said.
According to Lewis, statistics from a global study presented at a recent mental health summit in Johannesburg revealed that mental disorders have increased by 22.7 percent.
“In South Africa, about 30 per cent of people report life-long psychiatric disorders, while one in three will be affected by a mental illness in their lifetime.”
According to the World Health Organization, 25 per cent of the total world population suffers from mental or neurological disorder at some point in their lives.
Akeso Clinics Group chief executive officer, Allan Sweidan said that the tragic death of more than 100 mentally ill patients last year illustrates the country’s lack of investment in resources for the treatment of mental disorders.
“Many patients have to rely on State facilities and are still subjected to appalling facilities with sub-standard care due to limited resources. This is as a result of increases in both the burden of disease and access to care, with consequent higher levels of utilisation.
“The conundrum is that every healthcare system is looking for the highest quality of care at the lowest cost,” said Sweidan.
Edited by Stacey Woensdregt
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