OECD report underscores scale of unmet mental health needs and economic impact

The OECD has published a new report, The Economic Case for Preventing Mental Ill Health, highlighting the scale and impact of mental health conditions across Europe and other OECD countries.

According to the report, more than one in five people are affected by mental health conditions, making this one of the most significant public health and economic challenges today. This figure is likely to underestimate the true scale of the problem, as many milder conditions remain undiagnosed or unreported due to stigma and limitations in health systems. The burden is also unevenly distributed, with individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds disproportionately affected.

Access to care remains a key issue. The report estimates that nearly two-thirds of people across EU countries who require mental health services face inadequate access, compared to a much lower share reporting unmet needs for general medical care.

Mental ill health also has a substantial economic impact, reducing workforce participation and productivity and contributing to long-term economic losses. The OECD modelling focuses on selected conditions and provides updated estimates of healthcare costs and GDP impacts. At the same time, previous OECD work and other studies have suggested that the overall economic burden of mental ill health in Europe may be significantly higher when wider social and labour market effects are taken into account.

The report reinforces the need for stronger investment in prevention, access to care, and evidence-based innovation in mental health systems.