BRUSSELS: A recent survey report by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, released on World Mental Health Day, reveals that adolescent girls face more significant challenges in mental health and overall well-being compared to boys.
The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, coordinated by Dr. Jo Inchley from the University of Glasgow, monitors the health behaviors and social environments of approximately 280,000 boys and girls aged 11, 13, and 15 years from 44 countries in Europe and Central Asia.
Titled ‘Focus on adolescent mental health and well-being in Europe and Central Asia,’ the report is based on data from the 2021/2022 HBSC survey. It consistently found that girls scored lower in life satisfaction, mental well-being, and self-rated health, while experiencing higher levels of loneliness compared to boys. Notably, about one in four 15-year-old girls reported feeling lonely most of the time or always in the past year, compared to one in seven boys.
While the COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures are believed to have contributed to these challenges, they are not the sole explanation. In fact, the decline in life satisfaction and self-rated health among adolescents, especially girls, began before the pandemic in 2018. Moreover, there has been an increase in multiple health complaints, including sleep difficulties, backaches, headaches, or feeling low, since 2014.
The report underlines the role of self-esteem issues among girls, as one student from Scotland expressed, “I think there’s a lot of girls who put themselves down because they’re like ‘Am I good enough? Am I strong enough? Am I capable of doing things?’ They put themselves down and beat themselves up for nothing. They don’t appreciate themselves for who they are.”
The survey also revealed that one-third of adolescents experienced nervousness or irritability more than once a week in the last six months. Additionally, one in four reported sleep difficulties (29%), and one in four felt low (25%), while one in five (20%) experienced frequent headaches more than once a week.
The report reaffirms the longstanding finding that socioeconomic status is a significant indicator of mental health, with adolescents from less affluent families reporting overall poorer health.
The ability to monitor child and adolescent mental health, such as through the HBSC surveys, plays a crucial role in assessing the impact of national or regional initiatives aimed at improving mental health and well-being.
Dr. Jo Inchley emphasized, “With its long-term trends, HBSC enables us to monitor the impact of wider societal change and individual lifestyles on health outcomes for adolescents. Importantly, it lets us hear from young people themselves about the issues that matter to them and the factors that affect their health and well-being. While there are many challenges to address, the data also highlight the importance of providing caring and supportive environments in which adolescents can thrive.”
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, highlighted the diverse challenges faced by young people today and stressed the collective responsibility to support them in navigating these challenges successfully. He mentioned the recent launch of the Youth4Health Network by WHO/Europe, which empowers young people to participate in decisions related to their health and well-being. On World Mental Health Day, the focus remains on the crucial importance of youth mental health.
