France has the highest rates of depression in Europe. How does it compare to other countries?
France may have had the highest rate of depression before the pandemic among European countries, according to a new analysis of a 2019 health survey across the continent. The analysis by the statistical arm of France's health and social ministries (DREES) found that the depression rate in France was around 11 percent before the pandemic, which was higher than any other European country.
The report was based on data from the European Health Interview Survey, which is conducted every six years and includes around 300,000 people across the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Serbia. This was the first time DREES used the 2019 survey to measure depression, and prevalence was estimated based on eight questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire.
The analysis looked at “whether or not a person had suffered from depressive symptoms in the past two weeks based on a set of criteria,” said Lisa Troy, the study’s lead author from the department’s research and international studies department. It comes after multiple studies have pointed to a growing mental health crisis in the years since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among young people in France and other European countries.
The new DREES report also focused on young people aged 15 to 24 and older people aged 70 and over. There is no concrete explanation yet for why France saw a "relatively" higher level of depression compared to other countries, but experts say it could be due to an "accumulation of factors".
"While we are relatively well-served in terms of health and education, significant efforts still need to be made in caring for the elderly," experts say. They also say depression could be improved with better investments in psychiatry and therapeutic innovations.
What factors contribute to depression in European countries?
Overall, the new analysis showed that the highest levels of depression were in northern and western European countries. But while depression is rare among young people in southern and eastern European countries, it is highest among people aged 70 and over in those countries, the report found.
For example, depression rates were above 15% among older individuals in Portugal, Romania and Croatia. Older women were also more depressed than older men, according to survey data, and older Europeans with poor health were more prone to depression.
With more older Europeans reporting poor health in Eastern and Southern European countries, this could explain the higher prevalence of depression there, the report's authors said. "For example, in Croatia or Latvia, where almost 40% of older people report poor health, the prevalence of depression is high: 16% and 9% respectively," the report's authors noted.
Being socially isolated and widowed also appeared to influence depression in older individuals. For young Europeans, the highest rates of depression were in Denmark, Sweden and Finland, followed by Western European countries. Depression among young people was lowest in Eastern and Southern European countries.
“I was struck by the differences between depression rates among young and old in southeastern [European] countries and vice versa, by the idea that young people were very depressed in [Northern European countries] and that it is the only region where among the elderly, depression decreased with age,” Troy said. In countries with higher rates of depression among young people, it was associated with social isolation, lack of professional activity or schooling, and income level.
Caboche added that social media may also play a role "by promoting harmful social comparisons, concerns about body image, especially in girls, reducing sleep duration and increasing the risks of cyberbullying."
Poor health among young people also significantly increased the risk of depression by about 32 percentage points, the report found. It added that the EHIS data may have limitations, including differences in questionnaire methods for mental health issues between countries.
Poll
From 'peace through strength' to cutting off aid: Day one of Trump's foreign policy!
Donald Trump withdrew from a historic climate agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), advanced his vision of "peace through strength" and......
Russian oil exports to fall in 2024 - Drone attacks and Western sanctions among the main factors
Russian exports of oil products by sea fell by almost 10% in 2024 after Ukrainian drone attacks damaged key refineries. Higher financing costs and pressure......
Why do Albanians buy used clothes? - Imports of second-hand clothing increased in 2024
Cheaper prices, quality and original brands, or clothing different from what is sold in markets or stores, are the reasons why girls and women mainly buy......
Can Albanians invest in Trump's crypto? - Expert: It is done through several routes, these are short-term investments
Trump is shaking up the financial world, not just with his economic agenda, but also with a movement. He has introduced a memecoin called STrump, making......
"Boom" of loan requests from businesses - BoA: Even the rejection rate from banks was lower in October-December 2024
Banks have approved more business loans in the last 3 months of 2024, as a result of bank policies regarding collateral, business financial statements, lower......
Project, "National Single Window" is established - Customs, full access to information. Business costs are reduced by 10%
The Albanian government plans to create the National Single Window (NSW) within the next year. But what is it and what will it be used for? The Single......
“Collaboration for the Intelligent Age” - Theme of the World Economic Forum in Davos
Davos is welcoming global leaders for the World Economic Forum 2025 this week, meeting under the slogan “Collaborating for the Intelligent Age.” Discussions......
What were Albania's new markets in 2024? Albanian products "traveled" to Andorra and Cape Verde
In recent years, Albania has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to expanding its trade horizons. With a strong focus on diversifying export markets,......
