Leading health problems worldwide 2021

Perhaps unsurprisingly, around 70 percent of survey respondents from 30 different countries around the world stated that COVID-19 was the biggest health problem facing their country in 2021. Other health problems reported by respondents included cancer, mental health, and stress.

The COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every country in the world and has been the biggest global health crisis in recent history. It has resulted in hundreds of millions of cases and millions of deaths, causing unprecedented disruption in health care systems. Lockdowns imposed in many countries to halt the spread of the virus also resulted in a rise of mental health issues as feelings of stress, isolation, and hopelessness arose. However, vaccines to combat the virus were developed at record speed and many countries have now vaccinated large shares of their population.

Mental health issues

One side effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a focus on mental health around the world. The two most common mental health issues worldwide are anxiety disorders and depression. In 2019, it was estimated that around four percent of the global population had an anxiety disorder, while 3.59 percent suffered from depression. Rates of depression are higher among females than males, with some 4.3 percent of females suffering from depression, compared to 2.9 percent of men. However, rates of suicide in most countries are higher among men than women. One positive outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic and the spotlight it shined on mental health may be a decrease in stigma surrounding mental health issues and seeking help for such issues. This would be a positive development as many people around the world do not or cannot receive the necessary treatment they need for their mental health.