Mental illness and substance abuse between them are the biggest cause of chronic illness worldwide, researchers reveal today.
A combination of widespread depression and spreading drug use mean that the problem is responsible for more death and illness than HIV, TB, diabetes or transport accidents, according to a study reported in The Lancet.
Researchers say that the problems are responsible for some 22% of all non-fatal illnesses – with depression accounting for 40% of this.
They also rank as the fifth leading cause of death and disease.
The findings come from a fresh analysis of death and illness figures worldwide.
The researchers say that deaths from mental illness are under-recorded as often the physical causes are recorded – with suicide being reported as death from injury.
A separate study of drug use, also conducted in Australia, finds that opioids – such as heroin – cause the greatest burden of death and illness amongst users.
Researcher Professor Harvey Whiteford, of the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, said today: "Mental and substance use disorders are major contributors to the global burden of disease and their contribution is rising, especially in developing countries.
"Cost-effective interventions are available for most disorders but adequate financial and human resources are needed to deliver these interventions."
Writing in the journal, Professors Michael Lynskey and John Strang, of the National Addiction Centre, King’s College London, UK, say that more work needs to be done to gather evidence on the problem.
They write: "The relative lack of information about the prevalence of mental and drug use disorders, and the harms associated with these disorders, emphasises the need not only for continued and ongoing efforts to refine the methods used in the current project but also for increased efforts to quantify both the prevalence of mental and drug use disorders and the risks posed by these conditions."
Lancet 29 August 2013 [abstract]
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