Women’s Health Statistics: Mental Health (UK)

According to the National Centre for Social Science Research (NatCent) cooperating University of Leicester psychiatric women’s health (the female mental state) is worsening. More and more women are combating suicidal thoughts as of 2007.

The statistics you see here are taken from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey:

  • A total of 21.5% of women ages 16 to 64 suffered a common mental illness such as depression or anxiety. This is an increase from 19.1% in 1993.
  • The highest increase of mental illness rates from 1993 to 2007 was in women ages 45 to 64 (From 4.2 % to 5.5% by 2007).
  • One in five women between 16 and 24 years old in England screened positive for an eating disorder. (It was only 1 in 100 for women 75 and over, just to note the contrast.)

Additional UK psychiatric women’s health statistics (date collected before and up to 2009):

  • Women are more likely to “wish they could be less fearful or anxious” in the UK than men. The numbers are 20% of all women versus 14% of men.
  • Some good news: UK women are 7 times less likely to have suicidal thoughts than men.
  • Women were more likely to see a counselor than men as of 2009 (Only 4% of men versus 13% of women).
  • About 50% of women would talk to their family when feeling low (or depressed). Only 31% of men would.
  • Women are not as likely as men to think of sex as a way to relax. (About 10% of men think so but only 4% of women.)
  • Women are not as likely to drink alcohol to relieve low feelings. (Men are twice as likely.)
  • Women are five times to become fearful than men. However, they are more likely to also talk about their problems than men.
  • Only 36% of women think they can fight feeling down versus 45% of women.
  • Women are more likely to be treated for mental health problems than men.

General Statistics

Overall it was reported that men are more likely to be suicidal than women. Furthermore, unemployment was a major cause of suicidal thoughts and financial problems during this current recession (still going on as of 2009 and 2010) make it worse.

Additional strong links between women’s health and men’s health-including the mental state correlate to poor housing. Homeless people in general are likely to experience higher rates of mental illness.