Shafaqna English- A study published in Psychological Medicine found that common mental health conditions in the Netherlands have become more persistent over the past decade, according to PsyPost.
Researchers compared Dutch adults surveyed in 2007–2009 with a similar group studied in 2019–2022. Among people with a mental disorder, 42.7% in the earlier group had a disorder during the following three years, compared with 57.9% in the more recent group.
Persistence also increased for anxiety disorders, from 24.4% to 40.1%; mood disorders, from 33.5% to 48.8%; and substance use disorders, from 33.7% to 45.5%.
Younger age, living in urban areas, childhood trauma and near-daily drug use were associated with greater persistence. However, researchers said these factors did not explain the increase over time.
The study was based on structured diagnostic interviews and cannot establish why mental health conditions are lasting longer. Researchers called for further investigation into broader societal, environmental and healthcare factors.
Source: PsyPost