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Anxiety and depression

  1. Key messages
  2. The prevalence of anxiety and depression from 2020 onwards
  3. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in 2018
  4. Read more

1. Key messages

  • In March 2022, around one in four people presented an anxiety disorder and/or a depressive disorder, while in 2018, around one in ten people presented an anxiety disorder and/or a depressive disorder.
  • The proportion of people that present an anxiety and/or a depressive disorder has increased.
  • Anxiety and depressive disorders follow the contaminations and the strictness of the measures during the COVID-19 crisis.
  • Women are more likely to present anxiety disorders than men at all ages.

2. The prevalence of anxiety and depression from 2020 onwards

On the dashboard of Sciensano, you can find dynamic data visualizations about mental health during the COVID-19 crisis.

The prevalence of anxiety disorders and depressive disorders in the population seems to follow the contaminations and the strictness of the measures put in place during the COVID-19 crisis. More people presented anxiety problems (between 15% and 24%) during the pandemic compared to 2018 (11%). More people also presented depressive disorders (between 13% and 22%) compared to 2018 (9.5%). In 2022, the proportion of people with anxiety disorders (15 to 19%) or depressive disorders (13 to 16%) decreased compared to December 2021 when the highest levels ever were recorded, but the proportion never decreased to its level in 2018.

In March 2022, 11% of respondents suffered from both anxiety and depressive disorders, 8% from an anxiety disorder (without depression) and 5% from a depressive disorder (without anxiety). In total, 24% of the Belgian population presented anxiety or a depressive disorder.

Percentage of the population aged 18 and over presenting anxiety or depressive disorders in the COVID-19 health surveys 2020-2022 compared to the health interview survey 2018, Belgium, 2021
Source: COVID-19 health surveys and HIS 2018, Sciensano [1,3-11]

Women are more likely to present anxiety disorders than men at all ages. In June 2022, young women aged 18 to 29 were twice more likely to present signs of anxiety disorders (30%) or depressive disorders (26%) than young men (15% and 12% respectively).

The prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders is higher in young people (18-29) than in people aged 65 years or more. Signs of anxiety are exhibited in 24% of young people (18-29) and 7% of people aged 65 years and older, and signs of depression are observed in 20% of young people (18-29) and 6% of people aged 65 years and older.

  • Men
  • Women

Percentage of men aged 18 and over presenting anxiety disorders, by age, Belgium, 2022
Source: COVID-19 health surveys, Sciensano [1,3-10]

Percentage of women aged 18 and over presenting anxiety disorders, by age, Belgium, 2022
Source: COVID-19 health surveys, Sciensano [1,3-10]

  • Men
  • Women

Percentage of men aged 18 and over presenting depressive disorders, by age, Belgium, 2022
Source: COVID-19 health surveys, Sciensano [1,3-10]

Percentage of women aged 18 and over presenting depressive disorders, by age, Belgium, 2022
Source: COVID-19 health surveys, Sciensano [1,3-10]

3. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in 2018

Women present more often an anxiety and depressive disorder compared to men

Based on a psychometric questionnaire, in 2018, 11.2% of the entire Belgian population presented an anxiety disorder and 9.4% presented a depressive disorder. For both disorders, women had a higher prevalence (14.2% for anxiety and 10.7% for depression) than men (7.9% for anxiety and 8% for depression).

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depressive disorders

Prevalence of anxiety disorders by age and sex, Belgium, 2018
Source: Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2018 [11]

Prevalence of depressive disorders by age and sex, Belgium, 2018
Source: Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2018 [11]

Trends in anxiety show an increase over time, while the trend in depression is less clear

Between 2008 and 2013, the prevalence of anxiety disorders increased in Belgium in both genders and has stayed more or less stable since then.

Between 2008 and 2013, the prevalence of depressive disorders increased in both genders. Afterwards, there was a decrease, which was more clear in women compared to men. Of important note is that the questionnaires used to assess the presence of anxiety and depression were changed between the 2013 and 2018 surveys. Therefore, trends should be interpreted with caution.

The Walloon Region and the Brussels-Capital Region have a higher prevalence compared to the Flemish Region

The Walloon Region had a higher prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders compared to the Brussels Capital Region and the Flemish Region and the Brussels Capital Region had a higher prevalence compared to the Flemish Region.

Between 2008 and 2013, the prevalence of anxiety disorders increased in all regions. Between 2013 and 2018, it continued to sharply increase in the Walloon Region in both genders, but not in the other regions.

The prevalence of depressive disorders was lower in the Flemish Region compared to the Brussels Capital Region and the Walloon Region in all years in women and since 2004 in men.

  • Men
  • Women

Prevalence of anxiety disorders in men in Belgium and its regions, 2001-2018b
b break in series, change of instrument
Source: Own calculations based on Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2001-2018 [11]

Prevalence of anxiety disorders in women in Belgium and its regions, 2001-2018b
b break in series, change of instrument
Source: Own calculations based on Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2001-2018 [11]

  • Men
  • Women

Prevalence of depressive disorders in men in Belgium and its regions, 2001-2018b
b break in series, change of instrument
Source: Own calculations based on Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2001-2018 [11]

Prevalence of depressive disorders in women in Belgium and its regions, 2001-2018b
b break in series, change of instrument
Source: Own calculations based on Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2001-2018 [11]

People in the lowest educational group were more likely to present an anxiety or depressive disorder

There is a strong socio-economic gradient in the prevalence of mental health disorders. After age-adjustment, anxiety disorders were 2.3 times more frequent in people from the lowest educational group compared to the highest educational group. Depressive disorders were 3 times more frequent in people from the lowest educational group compared to the highest educational group.

Prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders by educational level, Belgium, 2018
Source: Own calculations based on Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 2018 [11]

4. Read more

View the metadata for this indicator

HISIA: Interactive Analysis of the Belgian Health Interview Survey

If you are in distress or in need of emotional/psychological support, do not hesitate to call 02 648 40 14 for the community help service helpline, or visit the Community Help Service online.

Background

Mental health is the capacity of each of us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections, and personal dignity [12]. Due to the high frequency of mental problems in western societies and the significance of their costs in human, social, and economic terms, mental health is now regarded as a public health priority. Mental health particularly deteriorated during the COVID-19 crisis.

In Belgium, the Health Interview Survey is one of the main sources of systematic data on mental health parameters in the general population. During the COVID-19 crisis, regular online health surveys were organized at regular time intervals to follow the evolution of the mental health of the population.

Among the various dimensions of mental health that are monitored in this survey, we focus on the following two disorders:

However, it should be noted that the evaluation of mental health problems in the population through a health survey has a number of limitations. These are mainly related to the fact that the estimates are based on screening instruments for psychological problems and thus are not obtained by clinical diagnostic tools, which may be more nuanced. Nevertheless, the results of general population health surveys are generally in line with the findings of specific mental health surveys.

More serious mental health disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorders are not presented here. Indeed, health interview surveys are not a valid instrument to capture such complex conditions. Moreover, information about suicidal behaviours can be found on a specific page.

Definitions

GAD-7: General Anxiety Disorder 7-item
The GAD-7 is a screening tool for general anxiety disorder. Participants are asked to evaluate the frequency, if ever, of experiencing 7 core symptoms in the last 2 weeks. The scores obtained allow to evaluate the symptom severity.
Anxiety disorders
Participants with a score of 10 or over out of 21 in the GAD-7 tool were considered to have an anxiety disorder.
PHQ-9: Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item depression scale
The PHQ-9 is a screening tool for major depressive disorder and other depressive disorders. Participants are asked to evaluate the frequency in which they have been bothered by 9 problems in the last 2 weeks.
Depressive disorders
Participants with a combination of answers meeting the criteria specific for major depressive disorder and other depressive disorders for the PHQ-9 were considered to have a depressive disorder.

References

  1. Première enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2020/14.440/50. Brussels: Sciensano; 2020. doi: 10.25608/ydnc-dk63
  2. Deuxième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2020/14.440/52. Brussels: Sciensano; 2020. doi: 10.25608/rkna-ee65
  3. Troisième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2020/14.440/54. Brussels: Sciensano; 2020. doi: 10.25608/xkg3-xz50
  4. Quatrième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2020/14.440/80. Brussels: Sciensano; 2020. doi: 10.25608/jmgf-2028
  5. Cinquième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2020/14.440/96. Brussels: Sciensano; 2020. doi: 10.25608/xcxd-7784
  6. Sixième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2021/14.440/30. Brussels: Sciensano; 2021. doi: 10.25608/j877-kf56
  7. Septième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2021/14.440/50. Brussels: Sciensano; 2021. doi: 10.25608/ht7a-8923
  8. Huitième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2021/14.440/82. Brussels: Sciensano; 2021. doi: 10.25608/hqy9-m065
  9. Neuvième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2022/14.440/3. Brussels: Sciensano; 2022. doi: 10.25608/evrs-je22
  10. Dixième enquête de santé COVID-19 : résultats préliminaires. Deposit number D/2022/14.440/18. Brussels: Sciensano; 2022. doi: 10.25608/mve9-bk51
  11. Health Interview Survey, Sciensano, 1997-2018. https://www.sciensano.be/en/projects/health-interview-survey
  12. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/mental-health/mental-health-promotion.html