Almudena Trucharte Martínez

A team of researchers analyzed data on mental health consultations among people aged 10 to 46 in Norway’s primary care system from 2010 to 2024. They observed significant increases in consultations for symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly among young people and especially among women. However, the proportion of consultations coded as disorders increased only slightly or remained stable. The authors suggest that this discrepancy may be due to changes in help-seeking behavior when experiencing psychological distress and in diagnostic practices, rather than an increase in mental health problems. Furthermore, they note that the growing volume of consultations for symptoms poses a challenge for primary care physicians, one that could be addressed through psychoeducation or digital interventions. The article is published in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, part of the BMJ Group.

From 2014 to 2023, one in six people in the world suffered from loneliness, according to a World Health Organisation report, which outlines the causes of this phenomenon and its multiple impacts: on physical and mental health and mortality, as well as on work and the economy. The report estimates that loneliness is linked to more than 871,000 deaths per year and highlights a higher incidence among young people and in low- and middle-income countries.