Cited by 347Mental Health Treatment and AccessSuicide and Self-Harm StudiesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

The burden of mental disorders, substance use disorders and self-harm among young people in Europe, 1990–2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Open access
Castelpietra, Giulio, Knudsen, Ann Kristin Skrindo, Agardh, Emilie E., Armocida, Benedetta, Beghi, Massimiliano, Iburg, Kim Moesgaard, Logroscino, Giancarlo, Ma, Rui +106 more·2022·The Lancet Regional Health - Europe

Abstract

Background: Mental health is a public health issue for European young people, with great heterogeneity in resource allocation. Representative population-based studies are needed. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019 provides internationally comparable information on trends in the health status of populations and changes in the leading causes of disease burden over time. Methods: Prevalence, incidence, Years Lived with Disability (YLDs) and Years of Life Lost (YLLs) from mental disorders (MDs), substance use disorders (SUDs) and self-harm were estimated for young people aged 10-24 years in 31 European countries. Rates per 100,000 population, percentage changes in 1990-2019, 95% Uncertainty Intervals (UIs), and correlations with Sociodemographic Index (SDI), were estimated. Findings: In 2019, rates per 100,000 population were 16,983 (95% UI 12,823 - 21,630) for MDs, 3,891 (3,020 - 4,905) for SUDs, and 89·1 (63·8 - 123·1) for self-harm. In terms of disability, anxiety contributed to 647·3 (432-912·3) YLDs, while in terms of premature death, self-harm contributed to 319·6 (248·9-412·8) YLLs, per 100,000 population. Over the 30 years studied, YLDs increased in eating disorders (14·9%;9·4-20·1) and drug use disorders (16·9%;8·9-26·3), and decreased in idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (-29·1%;23·8-38·5). YLLs decreased in self-harm (-27·9%;38·3-18·7). Variations were found by sex, age-group and country. The burden of SUDs and self-harm was higher in countries with lower SDI, MDs were associated with SUDs. Interpretation: Mental health conditions represent an important burden among young people living in Europe. National policies should strengthen mental health, with a specific focus on young people. Funding: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.lanepe.2022.100341

Cites

13 of 13 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Globally, mental disorders are among the leading causes of disability among people aged 10-24 years.

    “Globally, mental disorders are among the leading causes of disability among this age group.”

    From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [30]

    The Discussion (Mental disorders; page not available) says previous global findings indicate a heavy burden of mental disorders and disability among young people. The Results (YLDs of MDs, SUDs and self-harm; page not available) calls mental disorders the leading cause of years lived with disability among 10–24-year-olds, but only in the 31 European countries studied. The paper does not establish a global ranking. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Monitoring trends in mental ill health requires robust epidemiological strategies and evidence, which to date have mainly been available in HICs.

    “Monitoring trends in mental ill health requires robust epidemiological strategies and evidence, which to date have mainly been available in HICs.”

    From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [30]

    The Introduction (page unavailable) calls for representative, standardized epidemiological studies, and the Discussion’s Strengths and limitations section says the 31 European countries studied have more data than many other parts of the world. The paper classifies those countries as high-income, but it does not establish the broader claim that robust evidence has mainly been available in high-income countries globally. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 26

  1. [1]Reiner RC Jr. Olsen HE Ikeda CT Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors in Child and Adolescent Health, 1990 to 2017: findings From the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2017 Study JAMA pediatrics 173 6 2019 e190337 PMC6547084 31034019
  2. [5]Erskine HE Moffitt TE Copeland WE A heavy burden on young minds: the global burden of mental and substance use disorders in children and youth Psychological medicine 45 7 2015 1551 1563 25534496 PMC5922255
  3. [6]Signorini G Singh SP Boricevic-Marsanic V Architecture and functioning of child and adolescent mental health services: a 28-country survey in Europe Lancet Psychiatry 4 9 2017 715 724 28596067
  4. [8]Castelpietra G Nicotra A Pischiutta L Gutierrez-Colosía MR Haro JM Salvador-Carulla L. The new Horizon Europe programme 2021–2028: should the gap between the burden of mental disorders and the funding of mental health research be filled? The European Journal of Psychiatry 34 1 2020 44 46
  5. [14]Stevens GA Alkema L Black RE Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting: the GATHER statement Lancet (London, England) 388 10062 2016 e19 e23 27371184
  6. [16]Sawyer SM Afifi RA Bearinger LH Adolescence: a foundation for future health Lancet (London, England) 379 9826 2012 1630 1640 22538178
  7. [17]Whiteford HA Ferrari AJ Degenhardt L Feigin V Vos T. The global burden of mental, neurological and substance use disorders: an analysis from the global burden of disease study 2010 PLoS One 10 2 2015 14 PMC4320057 25658103
  8. [19]The burden of mental disorders across the states of India: the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2017 Lancet Psychiatry 7 2 2020 148 161 31879245 PMC7029418
  9. [20]Baxter AJ Scott KM Ferrari AJ Norman RE Vos T Whiteford HA. Challenging the myth of an "epidemic" of common mental disorders: trends in the global prevalence of anxiety and depression between 1990 and 2010 Depress Anxiety 31 6 2014 506 516 24448889
  10. [21]Vigo D Jones L Thornicroft G Atun R. Burden of Mental, Neurological, Substance Use Disorders and Self-Harm in North America: a Comparative Epidemiology of Canada, Mexico, and the United States Can J Psychiatry 65 2 2020 87 98 31747307 PMC6997975
  11. [23]Keski-Rahkonen A Mustelin L. Epidemiology of eating disorders in Europe: prevalence, incidence, comorbidity, course, consequences, and risk factors Current Opinion in Psychiatry 29 6 2016 340 345 27662598
  12. [25]Olusanya BO Davis AC Wertlieb D Developmental disabilities among children younger than 5 years in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 The Lancet Global Health 6 10 2018 e1100 e1e21 30172774 PMC6139259
  13. [26]Lee SC DelPozo-Banos M Lloyd K Area deprivation, urbanicity, severe mental illness and social drift — A population-based linkage study using routinely collected primary and secondary care data Schizophrenia Research 220 2020 130 140 32249120
  14. [28]The burden of mental disorders in the Eastern Mediterranean region, 1990-2015: findings from the global burden of disease 2015 study Int J Public Health 63 Suppl 1 2018 25 37 28776247 PMC5973970
  15. [29]Whiteford HA Ferrari AJ Degenhardt L Feigin V Vos T. The global burden of mental, neurological and substance use disorders: an analysis from the global burden of disease study 2010 PLoS One 10 2 2015 e0116820 PMC4320057 25658103
  16. [30]Degenhardt L Charlson F Ferrari A The global burden of disease attributable to alcohol and drug use in 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 The Lancet Psychiatry 5 12 2018 987 1012 30392731 PMC6251968
  17. [32]Signorini G, Davidovic N, Dieleman G, et al. Transitioning from child to adult mental health services: what role for social services? Insights from a European survey. Journal of Childrens Services.
  18. [34]Kaess M, Schnyder N, Michel C, et al. Twelve-month service use, suicidality and mental health problems of European adolescents after a school-based screening for current suicidality. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. PMC8837507 33320300
  19. [35]Essau CA de la Torre-Luque A. Comorbidity profile of mental disorders among adolescents: a latent class analysis Psychiatry research 278 2019 228 234 31226549
  20. [36]Vigo D Thornicroft G Atun R. Estimating the true global burden of mental illness Lancet Psychiatry 3 2 2016 171 178 26851330
  21. [37]Signorini G Singh SP Marsanic VB The interface between child/adolescent and adult mental health services: results from a European 28-country survey European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 27 4 2018 501 511 29368253
  22. [38]Erskine HE Baxter AJ Patton G The global coverage of prevalence data for mental disorders in children and adolescents Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci 26 4 2017 395 402 26786507 PMC6998634
  23. [39]Moitra M Santomauro D Degenhardt L Estimating the risk of suicide associated with mental disorders: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis J Psychiatr Res 137 2021 242 249 33714076 PMC8095367
  24. [40]Uh S Dalmaijer ES Siugzdaite R Ford TJ Astle DE. Two Pathways to Self-Harm in Adolescence Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 60 12 2021 1491 1500 34130904 PMC8661039
  25. [41]Steel N Ford JA Newton JN Changes in health in the countries of the UK and 150 English Local Authority areas 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 The Lancet 392 10158 2018 1647 1661 PMC6215773 30497795
  26. [42]James SL Castle CD Dingels ZV Global injury morbidity and mortality from 1990 to 2017: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017 Inj Prev 2020 PMC7571366 32332142

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Castelpietra, G., Knudsen, A. K. S., Agardh, E. E., Armocida, B., Beghi, M., Iburg, K. M., Logroscino, G., Ma, R., Starace, F., Steel, N., Addolorato, G., Andrei, C. L., Andrei, T., Ayuso-Mateos, J. L., Banach, M., Bärnighausen, T. W., Barone-Adesi, F., Bhagavathula, A. S., Carvalho, F., Carvalho, M., Chandan, J. S., Chattu, V. K., Couto, R. A. S., Cruz-Martins, N., Dargan, P. I., Deuba, K., da Silva, D. D., Fagbamigbe, A. F., Fernandes, E., Ferrara, P., Fischer, F., Gaal, P. A., Gialluisi, A., Haagsma, J. A., Haro, J. M., Hasan, M. T., Hasan, S. S., Hostiuc, S., Iacoviello, L., Iavicoli, I., Jamshidi, E., Jonas, J. B., Joo, T., Jozwiak, J. J., Katikireddi, S. V., Kauppila, J. H., Khan, M. A. B., Kisa, A., Kisa, S., Kivimäki, M., Koly, K. N., Koyanagi, A., Kumar, M., Lallukka, T., Langguth, B., Ledda, C., Lee, P. H., Lega, I., Linehan, C., Loureiro, J. A., Madureira-Carvalho, Á. M., Martinez-Raga, J., Mathur, M. R., McGrath, J. J., Mechili, E. A., Mentis, A.-F. A., Mestrovic, T., Miazgowski, B., Mirica, A., Mirijello, A., Moazen, B., Mohammed, S., Mulita, F., Nagel, G., Negoi, I., Negoi, R. I., Nwatah, V. E., Padron-Monedero, A., Panda-Jonas, S., Pardhan, S., Pasovic, M., Patel, J., Petcu, I.-R., Pinheiro, M., Pollok, R. C. G., Postma, M. J., Rawaf, D. L., Rawaf, S., Romero-Rodríguez, E., Ronfani, L., Sagoe, D., Sanmarchi, F., Schaub, M. P., Sharew, N. T., Shiri, R., Shokraneh, F., Sigfusdottir, I. D., Silva, J. P., Silva, R., Socea, B., Szócska, M., Tabarés-Seisdedos, R., Torrado, M., Tovani-Palone, M. R., Vasankari, T. J., Veroux, M., Viner, R. M., Werdecker, A., Winkler, A. S., Hay, S. I., Ferrari, A. J., Naghavi, M., Allebeck, P., & Monasta, L.
Affiliations
  • Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia (IT)
  • Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NO)
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • Istituto Superiore di Sanità (IT)
  • Azienda Unità Sanitaria Locale Della Romagna (IT)
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Pia Fondazione di Culto e Religione Azienda Ospedaliera "Card. G. Panico" (IT)
  • University of Washington (US)
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • Medical University of Lodz (PL)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • United Arab Emirates University (AE)
  • Fernando Pessoa University (PT)
  • University of Birmingham (GB)
  • University of the West Indies (TT)
  • Universidade do Porto (PT)
  • King's College London (GB)
  • University of St Andrews (GB)
  • University of Milano-Bicocca (IT)
  • Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
  • Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo (IT)
  • Erasmus MC (NL)
  • Universitat de Barcelona (ES)
  • University of Huddersfield (GB)
  • University of Liverpool (GB)
  • Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO)
  • University of Insubria (IT)
  • University of Naples Federico II (IT)
  • Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IR)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • University of Opole (PL)
  • MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit (GB)
  • National Health Service (GB)
  • International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research (BD)
  • Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
  • University of Nairobi (KE)
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • University of Regensburg (DE)
  • University of Catania (IT)
  • University of Leicester (GB)
  • University College Dublin (IE)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
  • University of Crete (GR)
  • National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
  • Pomeranian Medical University (PL)
  • Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza (IT)
  • Ahmadu Bello University (NG)
  • University of Thessaly (GR)
  • Universität Ulm (DE)
  • St George's, University of London (GB)
  • University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
  • Public Health England (GB)
  • University College Hospital (GB)
  • IRCCS Materno Infantile Burlo Garofolo (IT)
  • Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro” (IT)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
  • Debre Berhan University (ET)
  • Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FI)
  • University of Nottingham (GB)
  • Semmelweis University (HU)
  • University of Lisbon (PT)
  • Federal Institute for Population Research (DE)
  • University of Oslo (NO)
  • Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ES)
Corresponding author
Castelpietra, Giulio
ORCID
Venue
The Lancet Regional Health - Europe
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-05
Volume
16
Pages
100341
ISSN
2666-7762 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3200600985
Cited by
347
References
13
Citations by year
2026: 70 · 2025: 101 · 2024: 106 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 1
FWCI
64.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Lancet Regional Health - Europe (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (acceptedVersion, public-domain)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • St George's Online Research Archive (St George's University of London) (acceptedVersion)
  • RISalud Institutional Health Repository of Andalucía (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Anglia Ruskin Research Online (Anglia Ruskin University) (submittedVersion)
  • ArTS Archivio della ricerca di Trieste (University of Trieste https://www.units.it/) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Biblos-e Archivo (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
  • EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • BOA (University of Milano-Bicocca) (submittedVersion)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • ePrints Soton (University of Southampton) (submittedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja (submittedVersion)
  • Hispana (submittedVersion)
  • University of Thessaly Institutional Repository (University of Thessaly) (submittedVersion)
  • IrInSubria (University of Insubria) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion)
  • mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubliCatt (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Huddersfield Research Portal (University of Huddersfield) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Queen Mary Research Online (Queen Mary University of London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • St Andrews Research Repository (St Andrews Research Repository) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Spiral (Imperial College London) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Tampere University Institutional Repository (Tampere University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Funders
  • U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
  • Queensland Health
  • Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (MIMS-860)
  • World Health Organization
  • Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit
  • European Commission
  • Haridus- ja Teadusministeerium
  • Wellcome Trust (K43 TW010716-04)
  • Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior (UIDB/50006/2020)
  • EIT Health
  • Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/2, MR/R024227/1, MR/S011676/1)
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (221854/Z/20/Z)
  • Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö
  • Syöpäjärjestöt
  • Horizon 2020
  • European Regional Development Fund
  • Public Health England
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1121516)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
  • Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
  • Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (LA/P/0140/2020, UIDB/04378/2020, UIDP/04378/2020)
  • Kela (29/26/2020)
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
  • Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
  • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
  • National Rosacea Society (SCAF/15/02)
  • Fogarty International Center
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
mental illness, substance use disorders, self-harm, youth, disease burden, years lived with disability, years of life lost, anxiety, eating disorders, drug use disorders, intellectual disability, socio-demographic index, sex differences, temporal trends, Europe, Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, premature mortality, mental health disparities, mental health policy, mental health services

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review