Background
Burden-of-illness data, which are often used in setting healthcare
policy-spending priorities, are unavailable for mental disorders in most
countries.
Aims
To examine one central aspect of illness burden, the association of serious
mental illness with earnings, in the World Health Organization (WHO) World
Mental Health (WMH) Surveys.
Method
The WMH Surveys were carried out in 10 high-income and 9 low- and
middle-income countries. The associations of personal earnings with serious
mental illness were estimated.
Results
Respondents with serious mental illness earned on average a third less than
median earnings, with no significant between-country differences
(2(9) = 5.5–8.1, P = 0.52–0.79). These
losses are equivalent to 0.3–0.8% of total national earnings. Reduced
earnings among those with earnings and the increased probability of not
earning are both important components of these associations.
Conclusions
These results add to a growing body of evidence that mental disorders have
high societal costs. Decisions about healthcare resource allocation should
take these costs into consideration. |