LIFETIME PREVALENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS IN
SOUTH AFRICA
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Anxiety Disorders 16%
Mood Disorders 10%
Substance Abuse 15%
Alcohol Abuse 11%
Drug Abuse 4%
ANY DISORDER 30%
Prevalence overlaps and is not neatly summed to arrive at the any-disorder
prevalence
Challenges
Mental wellbeing is a complex consideration. Cultural norms, social stigma, a fragmented and
difficult national history, high levels of crime and violent crime, and a very fluid and diverse society,
create complexity. The reality that access to quality healthcare is only available to those with the
means to purchase it (mainly through medical scheme membership) creates yet more difficulty
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.
Impact (work, personal, family, crime)
Mental health is linked to productivity. Using the two most important measures of productivity, a
clear link is seen between impaired mental health and reduced productivity
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MENTAL HEALTH & PRODUCTIVITY
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Factor Good mental health Poor mental health
Presenteeism probability 10% 50%
Absenteeism (days PA) 7.8 10.9
These findings support the intuitive sense that those who are unhappy, stressed, distracted etc. are
less productive at work.