World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public
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1
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
Global Attitudes Towards
Mental Health
World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public 2
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ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTHIN AUSTRALIA
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AUSTRALIANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO OFTEN THINK ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL WELLBEING THAN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH
Q. How often, if at all, would you say you think about:
Your own mental wellbeing
Your own physical wellbeing
23%
17%
53%
43%
17%
27%
4%
9%
4%
5%
Your own physical wellbeing
Your own mental wellbeing
Very often Fairly often Not very often Never Don't know/Refusal
Base: 1,000 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
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Base: 1,000 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
AUSTRALIANS THINK MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT, BUT JUST OVER HALF THINK THAT THE HEALTH SERVICE PRIORITISES PHYSICAL HEALTH OVER MENTAL HEALTH
Q. Thinking about your own health, do you think that mental health or physical health is more important or are they equally important?
11% 7% 79% 4%
Mental health is more important than physical healthPhysical health is more important than mental healthThey are equally importantDon't know/Refusal
10% 52% 27% 12%
Mental health is treated as more important than physical healthPhysical health is treated as more important than mental healthPhysical and mental health are treated as equally importantDon't know/Refusal
Q. Which of the following best describes how you think the importance of mental & physical health are treated
in Australia’s current health care system?
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Base: 1,000 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF AUSTRALIANS AGREE THAT MENTAL ILLNESS IS AN ILLNESS LIKE ANY OTHER AND THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT A MORE TOLERANT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MENTAL ILLNESS.
Q. To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statements
39%
35%
31%
2%
5%
2%
4%
3%
32%
36%
36%
5%
12%
5%
10%
12%
13%
16%
20%
13%
20%
12%
20%
20%
8%
6%
5%
22%
24%
20%
27%
28%
4%
2%
3%
52%
32%
58%
31%
29%
5%
5%
4%
5%
7%
4%
7%
8%
Mental illness is an illness like any other
We need to adopt a far more tolerant attitude toward people with mental illness in oursociety
Seeing a mental health professional is a sign of strength
Increased spending on mental health services is a waste of money
Anyone with a history of mental illness should be excluded from public office
Seeing a mental health professional is a sign of weakness
Most adults diagnosed as having a mental health condition would get better over timewithout the help of doctors
Most children diagnosed as having a mental health condition would get better overtime without the help of doctors
Strongly agree Tend to agree Neither agree nor disagree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don't know/Refusal
World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public 6
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ATTITUDES TOWARDS MENTAL HEALTHAROUND THE WORLD
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% Very/fairly often % Not very often/NeverCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
Colombia, Mexico , Brazil and South Africa are most likely to think about their mental wellbeing often.
How often, if at all, would you say you think about your own mental wellbeing?
All countries ranking
76%
73%
72%
72%70%
69%
68%67%
62%
60%57%
57%
57%57%
56%
55%53%
53%
52%51%
49%
49%48%
47%
45%
43%42%
37%
25%
21%
25%
22%
27%28%
27%
29%28%
31%
36%40%
38%
38%40%
39%
41%44%
44%
41%42%
42%
47%46%
46%
48%
51%46%
61%
67%
3%
3%
5%
2%3%
5%
4%6%
7%
5%3%
6%
4%3%
5%
4%3%
4%
6%7%
9%
4%5%
7%
7%
5%11%
2%
7%
Colombia
Mexico
Brazil
South Afr ica
Chile
Argentina
Peru
Japan
India
Austral ia
Great Britain
Italy
Spain
US
Poland
Canada
Hungary
Serbia
Malaysia
Belgium
France
Sweden
Netherlands
Turkey
Germany
China
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
Russia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
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THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Very/fairly often % Not very often/NeverCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
Colombia, Mexico , South Africa and Argentina are most likely to think about their physical wellbeing often.
How often, if at all, would you say you think about your own physical wellbeing?
All countries ranking
87%
86%
85%
82%81%
79%
79%76%
76%
75%75%
74%
73%72%
72%
70%69%
68%
68%68%
67%
63%62%
62%
62%
61%54%
54%
52%
12%
12%
14%
17%16%
18%
18%21%
21%
21%20%
24%
21%25%
25%
28%27%
28%
26%29%
32%
31%34%
34%
33%
34%42%
35%
48%
1%
1%
1%
2%3%
1%
4%4%
3%
5%6%
3%
5%3%
3%
2%4%
4%
6%3%
1%
6%4%
3%
5%
4%5%
11%
1%
Colombia
Mexico
South Afr ica
Argentina
Peru
Chile
Italy
Austral ia
US
Brazil
India
Canada
Japan
Great Britain
Spain
Serbia
Malaysia
Poland
Belgium
Sweden
Hungary
France
Germany
Netherlands
Turkey
Russia
China
Saudi Arabia
South Korea
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
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Country
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
Across all countries, the majority of people say mental and physical health are equally important.
Thinking about your own health, do you think that mental health or physical health is more important, or are they equally important?
All countries ranking
25%
23%
19%
19%18%
16%
15%14%
13%
13%13%
12%
12%12%
11%
11%10%
10%
10%10%
10%
9%8%
7%
7%
7%6%
6%
4%
61.%
64.%
69.%
75.%72.%
75.%
76.%78.%
85.%
79.%83.%
77.%
77.%74.%
79.%
78.%88.%
82.%
81.%87.%
81.%
85.%84.%
92.%
90.%
92.%84.%
87.%
87.%
12%
11%
7%
3%7%
8%
6%7%
2%
4%4%
6%
10%9%
7%
6%2%
5%
4%2%
7%
4%4%
1%
3%
5%
6%
7%
3%2%
5%3%3%2%3%1%
4%
5%1%
6%4%
6%
2%4%
1%2%3%
1%
5%2%3%
Saudi Arabia
India
Brazil
Spain
Sweden
South Korea
Italy
Turkey
Argentina
Poland
South Afr ica
Belgium
China
Japan
Austral ia
France
Chile
Great Britain
Netherlands
Peru
US
Malaysia
Canada
Colombia
Mexico
Serbia
Germany
Russia
Hungary
% Mental health more important % Equally important % DK/Refusal% Physical health more important
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% Mental health more important % Equally importantCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
In many countries, people think physical health is treated with more importance than mental health – this is particularly true in the Great Britain, the US and Sweden.
Which of the following best describes how you think the importance of mental health and physical health are treated in [COUNTRY’s] current health care system?
All countries ranking
23%17%
13%11%11%
10%10%10%10%10%10%9%
8%8%8%8%8%8%7%7%7%7%6%6%5%5%4%4%3%
36%45%
34%36%
44%27%
62%43%
29%26%
23%65%
38%28%
26%22%
38%23%
41%20%
52%42%
36%42%
35%39%
31%37%
30%
29%30%
36%36%
35%52%
24%35%
41%47%
58%19%
38%51%
52%33%
47%61%
32%64%
30%35%
39%38%
40%39%
53%31%
44%
12%8%
17%17%
9%12%
3%12%
21%16%
9%6%
17%13%14%
38%7%8%
20%9%
12%16%
19%14%
20%17%
12%28%
22%
Saudi Arabia
India
Brazil
Peru
Spain
Austral ia
China
Italy
Poland
South Afr ica
Sweden
Malaysia
Belgium
Canada
Chile
Hungary
South Korea
US
France
Great Britain
Japan
Mexico
Argentina
Turkey
Colombia
Germany
Netherlands
Russia
Serbia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Physical health more important
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% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
In most countries, the majority of people agree that mental illness is an illness like any other –particularly in Great Britain, Sweden and Russia.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Mental illness is an illness like any other
All countries ranking
75%74%
73%72%72%71%
69%67%
66%65%64%63%
59%58%
57%56%56%
55%54%54%53%
50%50%49%49%
45%45%
43%41%
9%10%
7%16%
7%13%
11%7%
14%16%
14%10%
11%21%
18%8%
16%16%
14%21%
19%12%
17%12%
15%8%10%14%
24%
12%13%
18%11%
20%12%
17%23%
17%16%
18%25%
26%18%
20%34%
24%24%
26%18%24%
37%27%
35%32%
44%44%
37%29%
3%3%3%1%2%
5%3%2%3%3%4%2%3%2%
6%2%3%
6%6%7%
3%2%
6%4%4%4%2%
6%6%
Great Britain
Sweden
Russia
South Korea
Turkey
Austral ia
US
Poland
Canada
India
Spain
South Afr ica
Serbia
China
Germany
Colombia
Hungary
Belgium
Netherlands
Saudi Arabia
Italy
Chile
France
Argentina
Malaysia
Mexico
Peru
Brazil
Japan
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
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% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
The majority of people in all countries agree that we need to adopt a more tolerant attitude towards mental illness – except for Japan and South Korea.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
We need to adopt a far more tolerant attitude toward people with mental illness in our society
All countries ranking
85%85%85%85%84%84%
80%79%
77%76%
74%73%73%
71%71%71%71%
69%65%65%
63%62%61%61%
61%60%60%
47%31%
9%8%
8%7%8%7%
10%12%
14%15%
15%17%
15%16%
14%15%
9%17%
17%17%24%
24%18%
19%25%
23%21%
30%33%
7%7%
7%7%6%8%
7%8%7%7%
8%7%
9%8%
9%11%
16%10%
16%12%
9%13%
18%13%
10%11%
13%18%
34%
1%1%2%
3%2%3%3%3%3%3%
5%6%4%4%4%3%
5%4%
1%3%
6%5%6%6%5%
2%
South Afr ica
Chile
Colombia
Mexico
Argentina
Peru
Serbia
Saudi Arabia
Great Britain
Malaysia
India
Canada
Spain
Austral ia
Brazil
Sweden
Turkey
US
Hungary
Russia
Italy
China
Poland
Belgium
Germany
France
Netherlands
Japan
South Korea
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
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% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
In many countries people agree that seeing a mental health professional is a sign of strength. Although only a quarter of people in South Korea and Japan agree with this statement.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Seeing a mental health professional is a sign of strength
All countries ranking
80%78%78%
77%74%73%
71%71%71%71%71%70%69%69%68%67%
66%66%65%63%
63%61%
58%55%
51%51%
49%28%
24%
13%11%13%
15%15%16%
13%21%
15%18%19%19%
18%20%21%20%
18%17%20%23%
23%19%
28%23%
32%22%
30%37%
38%
5%9%7%
5%9%9%
11%5%
9%9%8%
7%9%8%8%8%
10%12%
11%8%
11%14%
9%15%
11%21%
14%32%
29%
2%2%2%
4%2%2%
5%3%
5%2%3%4%4%4%4%4%
6%5%4%4%4%
6%5%
7%5%6%7%
3%9%
Mexico
Peru
South Afr ica
Serbia
Colombia
Chile
Brazil
Canada
Sweden
Turkey
US
Saudi Arabia
Argentina
Italy
Great Britain
Austral ia
Netherlands
Malaysia
Poland
India
Spain
Belgium
Germany
Russia
China
Hungary
France
South Korea
Japan
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
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THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
People in India, Saudi Arabia and China are most likely to agree that increased spending on mental health services is a waste of money.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Increased spending on mental health services is a waste of money
All countries ranking
26%26%
21%13%13%12%12%11%11%9%9%9%
8%8%8%8%8%8%8%8%8%7%7%7%7%7%7%
6%6%
17%19%
17%11%
17%18%
14%14%
9%17%
14%12%
12%11%
16%12%12%14%13%
9%15%
13%8%9%
15%20%
13%11%
16%
52%50%
59%70%
67%64%
66%70%
79%67%75%
76%78%78%70%
77%74%
76%74%
77%74%
74%84%
80%73%
67%78%
81%73%
4%6%
3%5%4%
6%8%
4%1%
6%2%3%3%3%
6%4%
5%1%
4%5%3%
5%1%
4%6%5%
1%2%
5%
India
Saudi Arabia
China
Brazil
Malaysia
Germany
Russia
Belgium
Peru
Hungary
Poland
US
Canada
Colombia
France
Mexico
Netherlands
South Afr ica
Spain
Sweden
Turkey
Austral ia
Chile
Great Britain
Italy
Japan
South Korea
Argentina
Serbia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
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THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
Western European countries are least likely to agree that anyone with a history of mental illness should be excluded from public office. While three quarters of people in Russia agree with the statement.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Anyone with a history of mental illness should be excluded from public office
All countries ranking
76%47%
44%42%42%
41%40%40%
38%37%
33%32%32%32%32%
29%27%
25%25%
20%19%19%
17%17%16%
15%14%
12%10%
10%18%
17%20%
23%19%21%
23%19%
24%19%
25%30%
26%21%
24%18%
16%21%
33%21%
23%25%
20%20%22%
21%20%
13%
11%32%
35%30%
33%37%37%33%
39%31%
40%39%30%
34%39%41%
52%50%
50%38%
51%50%51%
56%57%
55%53%62%
70%
3%2%
4%8%
2%4%3%4%4%
8%6%
4%8%8%8%6%4%
9%5%
9%10%
7%7%7%6%
8%11%
6%7%
Russia
Peru
Mexico
Argentina
South Korea
Colombia
Malaysia
China
Chile
Spain
US
India
Italy
Poland
Serbia
Saudi Arabia
South Afr ica
Brazil
Turkey
Japan
France
Hungary
Germany
Austral ia
Canada
Belgium
Netherlands
Great Britain
Sweden
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
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THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
India, China and Saudi Arabia are most likely to agree that seeing a mental health professional is a sign of weakness.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Seeing a mental health professional is a sign of weakness
All countries ranking
32%21%
19%13%12%
11%10%9%9%9%9%
8%8%8%7%7%7%7%7%6%6%6%6%6%6%5%5%4%
2%
22%20%
20%12%
10%6%
14%10%9%
14%12%
8%10%10%12%
10%13%
7%8%
19%15%
9%10%
14%12%
8%7%
14%7%
41%56%
56%71%
72%80%
73%75%79%72%76%
83%78%80%78%81%
76%84%84%
70%78%
82%81%74%
75%85%
83%77%
89%
5%3%
5%4%5%4%4%
5%2%
5%3%2%3%3%4%3%3%1%2%
5%1%2%2%
6%7%
1%4%5%
1%
India
China
Saudi Arabia
Malaysia
Brazil
Turkey
Belgium
Sweden
Argentina
Germany
Spain
Peru
Poland
US
Austral ia
Great Britain
Italy
Mexico
South Afr ica
Japan
South Korea
Canada
Colombia
France
Hungary
Chile
Netherlands
Russia
Serbia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
17World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Most adults diagnosed as having a mental health condition would get better over time without the help of doctors
All countries ranking
44%34%
24%21%
17%16%16%16%
14%13%13%13%
12%12%12%12%12%12%
11%11%10%10%9%9%9%9%8%
6%5%
21%26%
22%12%19%22%
15%15%20%
8%17%
8%19%
17%10%
7%13%
9%19%
10%18%
21%21%
18%22%
18%14%
16%8%
30%35%
51%62%
57%55%
68%64%58%
75%63%
74%60%
66%75%78%
69%74%58%76%
65%66%
61%63%57%66%
72%74%
81%
6%5%3%
6%7%6%
2%5%
7%4%
7%5%
10%4%4%2%
5%5%
13%4%
7%3%
8%9%
12%7%6%4%5%
India
Saudi Arabia
China
Brazil
Spain
Malaysia
South Afr ica
US
Austral ia
Argentina
Great Britain
Mexico
Hungary
Canada
Colombia
Peru
Sweden
Turkey
Belgium
Chile
Italy
South Korea
Germany
Netherlands
France
Poland
Russia
Japan
Serbia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
The majority of countries disagree that most adults diagnosed with a mental health condition would get better over time without the help of doctors – except for people in India and Saudi Arabia, who are most likely to agree with the statement.
18World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Agree % Neither agree nor disagreeCountry
Base: 20,030 online adults aged 16+ across 29 countries
The majority of countries disagree that most children diagnosed with a mental health condition would get better over time without the help of doctors – except for people in India, Saudi Arabia and China, who are most likely to agree with the statement.
To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statement:
Most children diagnosed as having a mental health condition would get better over time without the help of doctors
All countries ranking
42%35%
26%21%20%
18%17%17%
16%15%15%14%
13%13%12%12%12%12%12%11%11%11%11%11%11%
10%8%
4%4%
23%19%
21%20%
11%19%
14%19%
9%15%
20%8%
20%11%
20%17%18%
13%19%
9%9%
19%21%21%
19%15%17%
18%8%
31%42%
48%53%
62%57%
64%58%
71%62%
57%73%
60%73%
54%62%
68%69%
65%76%76%
65%56%58%
59%69%67%
74%83%
4%3%
5%7%6%7%
4%5%4%
8%8%
4%8%
3%14%
10%3%
4%5%4%4%5%
12%10%11%
8%7%
5%6%
India
Saudi Arabia
China
Malaysia
Brazil
Spain
South Afr ica
US
Chile
Sweden
Austral ia
Mexico
Great Britain
Peru
Belgium
Hungary
South Korea
Colombia
Italy
Argentina
Turkey
Canada
France
Germany
Netherlands
Russia
Poland
Japan
Serbia
% DK/Refusal
THE POLICY INSTITUTE
% Disagree
www.ipsos.com
World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public 19
• In total, 20,003 interviews were conducted between 23 August – 6 September 2019. The survey was conducted in 30 countries around the world, via the Ipsos Online Panel system in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Great Britain, USA, Malaysia, Colombia, Chile, Israel, Peru and Serbia.
• Approximately 1000 individuals aged 16+ were surveyed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Italy, Spain and the USA. Approximately 500 individuals aged 16+ were surveyed in the remaining countries.
• Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’appears to be+-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don't knows or not stated responses.
• Data are weighted to match the profile of the population.
• The precision of Ipsos’ online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.1 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 4.5 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website.
www.ipsos.com
World Mental Health Day 2019 | Version 1 | Public 20
David Elliott
Director
Julia Knapp
Director
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