A recent report from the 2022 Census reveals a significant increase in the number of people in Scotland reporting mental health conditions. Over the past decade, this figure has doubled, with young people being the most affected demographic.
According to the census data, 11.3% of the Scottish population, approximately one in nine individuals, reported experiencing a condition impacting their mental wellbeing. This marks a dramatic rise from 232,900 individuals a decade ago to 617,100 in the latest survey. This increase represents the largest growth among various health conditions recorded in the census.
The data indicates a notable shift in reporting trends. Younger individuals are now more likely to report mental health issues compared to older age groups, contrasting with the findings from the 2011 Census. For those aged 16 to 24, the reporting rate stands at 15.4%. Among this group, females are particularly impacted, with 20.4% indicating mental health concerns—twice the rate of their male counterparts.
The situation is even more pronounced in the 25 to 34 age group, where 17.5% report a mental health condition. The figure for women in this category rises to 21.2%. These statistics come in the wake of two years marked by the disruptions and lockdowns of the Covid pandemic, which has had a documented impact on mental health.
The census report suggests that the increased reporting of mental health conditions may reflect both a greater willingness to disclose such issues and a genuine rise in their prevalence. There have been notable increases in the reporting of specific conditions, including depression, anxiety, and self-harm over the last decade.
The report also highlights that rising demand for mental health services may be attributed, in part, to reduced stigma and increased awareness surrounding mental health issues.
Beyond mental health, the census found that 6.8% of the population reported being in bad or very bad health in 2022, an increase from 5.9% in 2011. Among local areas, Glasgow City council reported the highest percentage of individuals in bad or very bad health at 10.8%, while Aberdeenshire had the lowest at 4.2%.
In comparison, the 2021 census figures for England and Wales showed that 5.4% of the population reported bad or very bad health. In Northern Ireland, this figure was slightly higher at 8.2%.
The census also indicated that 627,700 individuals in Scotland are providing unpaid care, reflecting a 27.5% increase from the previous census in 2011. The majority of these unpaid carers are aged 50 or older, and 58.8% of them are female.
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