Mental health conditions higher in young women than in young men, research finds.

Mental health conditions higher in young women than in young men, research finds: New data has revealed that more than a third (36.1%) of females aged 16 to 24 were reported to have a common mental health condition in 2024 - more than double the volume reported amongst men of the same age (16.3%). In general, common mental health conditions are now found in one in four young people in England, having increased more than a third in the last decade (from 18.9% in 2014 to 25.8% in 2024).

 

These new findings are highlighted in The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS), commissioned by NHS England. The research was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research, University of Leicester and City St George's, University of London. Over 7,500 interviews were carried out over a 17-month period, from March 2023 to July 2024, aiming to estimate the prevalence of a range of mental health conditions according to diagnostic category including common mental health conditions, eating disorders, autism and psychosis. 

 

As well as investigating the extensiveness of common mental health conditions, the survey also looked at incidence of suicidal thoughts and self-harm among all age groups. Almost a third (31.5%) of 16 to 24 year olds reported having had suicidal thoughts during their lifetime, with nearly a quarter (24.6%) of the age group also admitting to self-harm in the past. There is an upward trend evident across the board, however the highest rates tend to be found in younger women. Just under a third (31.7%) of young women reported having self-harmed which is much larger than the proportion of men of similar age (15.4%). There is little evidence to suggest any case of over reporting, but it is observed that under reporting may have been a problem in the past.

 

The number of people, aged between 16 to 74, with mental ill health receiving treatment for conditions like anxiety, depression and panic disorders has risen to nearly half (47.7%), up from 39.4% in 2014. However, even with this increase, more than half (53%) of those suffering from common mental health conditions are still going without the necessary treatment such as therapy and medication. The reasons for this were not investigated in the report, but a comment on the state of the country’s mental health support system from Dr Sarah Hughes, the chief executive of Mind, may provide an insight as to why: “Our current system is overwhelmed, underfunded and unequal to the scale of the challenge”.

 

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