New Research from Modern Health Reveals Stark Regional Differences in Mental Health Support Needs & Preferences

Globally, women are more at risk for mental health issues than men. Rates of burnout are highest in the U.S. and Japan, but preference for support varies by region.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Modern Health, a leading workplace mental health platform supporting enterprises globally, announced findings today from its Global Insights Playbook analyzing the care preferences and utilization rates of over 100,000+ global members, a cross-section of its member base, to determine how employee mental health needs vary across the globe.

According to the World Health Organization, one in every eight people has a mental health condition, but 85% go untreated. And it’s not just a personal problem – these issues are bad for business. Anxiety and depression contribute to a loss of productivity that costs the global economy an estimated $1 trillion yearly and by 2030, this will exceed $6 trillion.

“One-size-fits-all simply doesn’t work when it comes to mental health support,” said Dr. Myra Altman, VP of Clinical Strategy & Research at Modern Health. “These findings reinforce the need for a deeper commitment to equitable mental health support for all populations regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, or geographical location. It has never been clearer that cultural differences can affect an individual’s mental health needs and care preferences. This research empowers leaders with a better understanding of how these nuances present themselves in the workplace and the critical need for culturally centered support.”

Using clinically-validated WHO-5 member assessments obtained during member onboarding, Modern Health analyzed anonymous utilization from over 100,000 members across the US & Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America, to reveal how employee needs and care preferences vary by country and region.

“From our research we can see that members in the U.S. and Canada have the highest preference for one-on-one services like therapy and coaching compared to regions such as APAC which shows a stronger preference for self-guided care than other regions. Out of all the regions, Japan and the U.S. are reporting the highest levels of employee burnout with females in the U.S. more at risk for mental health challenges than men,” adds Altman.

According to the data, employees across the globe are struggling with burnout, resulting in losses in productivity, engagement and retention across organizations, to the tune of $322 billion in lost revenue.

• The countries with the most employees citing burnout (every day or a few times per week) were Japan (32%) and the U.S. (32%), followed by Pakistan (30%) and Mexico (30%).
• Burnout was less common in the Netherlands (22%) and Germany (22%) which demonstrated the lowest levels of burnout among members.
• During member onboarding, Pakistan had the highest risk for mental health issues, (37%) followed by India (33%), the UK (27%), Canada (26%), then the U.S. (25%).

• Overall, men reported feeling higher levels of well-being. Globally, on average more men (22%) than women (17%) appear to be in the low risk category. Amongst men, the UK and Pakistan report lower levels of well-being, thus making men in these countries most likely to be at risk.
• In the U.S., more than a quarter of women members (26%) are at risk for mental health challenges compared to 21% of men members.
• This could be attributed to the fact that women may be more likely to self-report their emotional distress than men. Women’s increased rate of mental health concerns is likely also related to a variety of disparities like gender-based violence or socioeconomic disadvantage.
• The biggest difference between men and women’s well-being are in India and Pakistan:
• More than a third (39%) of women members in India are at risk for mental health challenges compared to only a quarter (25%) of men.
• More than half of women members in Pakistan (52%) are at risk for mental health challenges compared to only 31% of men.

• Members were asked to rank areas they’d like the most support and the highest-ranked focus areas globally were anxiety, depression, burnout, and relationships/communication.
• Out of all the regions, Canada, the UK and the US report the highest desire to focus on burnout and anxiety to improve their mental health, while India, Ireland and Pakistan are showing the least.
• In the U.S., anxiety was the top concern (20%), followed by relationships/communication (18%).
• In the U.K., anxiety dominates (22%) followed by depression (15%).
• In Pakistan, depression is the top concern (21%) followed by anxiety (10%).

EMEA shows the highest levels of engagement. Engagement is defined by the number of individuals who have either performed a clinical assessment, used digital meditations and programs, attended group sessions, or participated in 1:1 coaching or therapy.

• EMEA shows the highest levels of engagement with a 35% engagement rate, followed by the U.S. & Canada (28%), LATAM (23%) and APAC (21%).
• As a benchmark, most Employee Assistance Programs have less than 5% engagement.

• Members in APAC utilize digital tools or small group circles for mental health support with 83% using these care modalities and only 9% using therapy.
• In the U.S. & Canada, 35% of members use coaching and 19% use therapy, the highest member utilization across regions.
• Members in Germany, Ireland, U.K., Netherlands and U.S. have the highest utilization rates of therapy, while India and Pakistan have the lowest utilization of coaching and therapy.
• Members in Canada, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, and U.K. have the highest engagement with coaching.
• EMEA members are most likely to be utilizing 2+ modalities of care (61%) compared to other regions.

To recognize the hard work of HR professionals and mental health providers, Modern Health recently launched its inaugural industry awards program Modern Health Heroes. This award honors individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the mental health and general well-being of the communities they serve, including employees and patients. The deadline to submit is July 27, 2022 at 5pm EDT.

Using clinically-validated WHO-5 member assessments obtained during member onboarding, Modern Health’s clinical experts with 130+ years of collective psychology experience analyzed utilization from a cross-section of its members base, over 100,000 members, to reveal how employee needs and care preferences vary by country and region. The data examines regions including US & Canada, Asia and the Pacific Ocean region (APAC), Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), and Latin America (LATAM). The assessments were readministered throughout the member care journey to incorporate final clinical outcomes into the final results.

Modern Health is the comprehensive mental health and wellness platform that combines the WHO well-being assessment, self-service wellness kits, a global network of certified coaches, and licensed therapists, all available in a single app. Modern Health empowers employers to lead the charge in acknowledging that mental health is just as important as physical health, destigmatizing the conversation, and increasing accessibility of mental health services for all.

Founded in 2017, Modern Health incorporates evidence-based psychology principles and seamless technology to serve the needs of companies globally. Headquartered in San Francisco, Modern Health has raised more than $172 million from Founders Fund, Battery Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Afore Capital, MGV, Frederic Kerrest (co-founder of Okta), and 01 Advisors.

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SOURCE Modern Health