New research conducted among Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) members has revealed a sharp rise in mental-health condition prevalence over the past 13 years.
In 2024, one in seven DHMS members (15% of the overall Scheme population) registered or claimed for a mental health condition – up from one in 10 (10%) in 2012 – and equivalent to a 46% increase in prevalence over time.
The sharpest rise in mental health conditions has been observed among young adults aged 18 to 24, where prevalence has more than doubled from 2012 to 2024 (128% increase).
Encouragingly, outcomes from Discovery Health’s targeted mental health care programmes and digital interventions show significant improvements in symptom severity. Additionally, new data from a recent white paper, “The Sleep Factor”, highlights that sleep quality and regularity are powerful predictors of mental wellbeing – insights that will be integrated into members’ support from 2026.
“Every October, as we recognise International Mental Health Awareness Month, we are reminded that mental health is integral to every dimension of wellbeing,” says Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, chief clinical officer at Discovery Health (Administrator of DHMS). “Over the past 13 years (2012 to 2024) mental health conditions have become one of the fastest-rising disease burdens across the Scheme population.
“To put this into perspective, the number of Scheme members living with a mental health condition – around 450 000 people – would fill seven Ellis Park Stadiums,” Dr Nematswerani adds. “This is a powerful visual reminder of the scale of mental health conditions across the Scheme’s population.”
The research reveals:
- The number of members seeking mental health treatment for the first time has tripled from 2012 to 2024. There was a sharp acceleration in this incidence rate during and after the Covid-19 pandemic (70% increase from 2019 to 2023, compared to only a 48% increase pre-Covid-19 pandemic from 2015 to 2019).
- Depression and bipolar mood disorder are the fastest-growing mental-health conditions among members (increasing by 13% and 8% per year respectively since 2012 – growth faster than for any other chronic condition – including those unrelated to mental health).
- Depression accounts for nearly two-thirds (62%) of all cases, growing 88% in prevalence from 2012 to 2024.
- Members affected by depression average 45.6 years of age.
In 2024, only 14% of members with a mental health condition were newly diagnosed or claiming for the first time, where 86% had been living with the condition for a year or longer, highlighting its long-term impact on members’ lives.
“The overlap between mental health conditions and other chronic conditions is significant: 17% of the population with chronic conditions claimed or registered for a mental health condition in 2024 compared to only 11% of members without a chronic condition,” says Dr Nematswerani. “Also, those with three or more chronic conditions were 72% more likely to register or claim for a mental health condition.”
There has been significant mental health impact on female and young adult members.
“Sixty two percent of DHMS members living with mental health conditions in 2024 are female – a pattern consistent across the 13 years reviewed and aligned with global trends,” says Dr Nematswerani. “Our analysis shows that female members are more likely than male members both to seek professional help and claim for psychiatric medicine – but this does not necessarily mean that males experience these conditions or their associated symptoms to a lesser extent than females.”
The sharpest rise in mental health conditions has been observed among young adults aged 18 to 24, where prevalence has more than doubled from 2012 to 2024 (128% increase). The 2024 data shows that, compared to older members (aged 30 years and over), younger members (aged 20 to 29) claimed relatively more for psychotherapy and the use of digital mental-health tools (71%) than for prescribed medicine for mental healthcare (26%).
“There has been a notable increase in claims linked to self-harm diagnoses, particularly among females and younger members,” Dr Nematswerani notes:
- In 2024, claims related to suicide or self-harm were 66% higher among females than males (140.6 vs 84.7 per 100 000 members). This pattern has remained consistent over time and mirrors international trends showing higher rates of suicidal and self-harm behaviour among females.
- Also, between 2020 and 2024, members under the age of 24 showed the largest increase in self-harm-related claims – up 32% (from 85.6 to 112.6 per 100 000 lives) compared to an 18% increase among members over 24.
She adds, “These findings highlight the growing mental health pressures faced by young people and the importance of early, proactive, and targeted support,” Dr Nematswerani says.
The research also indicates that social connection and family wellbeing can shape mental health outcomes:
- In 2024, children in families where an adult was diagnosed with depression were five times more likely to experience depression themselves, with prevalence rates of 15% compared to 3% in families without an adult diagnosis.
- Also, DHMS members on single-person policies show higher rates of mental health conditions than those in larger family units -1.38 times higher prevalence for single life policies compared to policies of four or more people, possibly reflecting the influence of social support and isolation.
“These patterns reflect the familial and shared emotional and environmental factors that influence mental wellbeing,” says Dr Nematswerani. “Notably, the intergenerational trend has strengthened since the Covid-19 pandemic, underscoring the importance of early family-based support and intervention.”