Study says Chinese mental health holding up well during pandemic

HelloRF

China leads the way in a decline in stigma around mental health conditions during the pandemic, with the majority of people "getting by" and the lowest percentage of people who are said to be " struggling," a new survey shows.

Conducted across 11 European and Asian countries and territories and involving a total of 11,000 respondents, insurance giant AXA's study of Mind Health and Wellbeing 2022 indicates that while the pandemic has had a profound impact on all of us in some way or another, there is a silver lining for mental health in the form of greater awareness and increased resilience.

Respondents to the survey were classified into four mental-health states based on their responses, from "flourishing" at the top to "getting by," "languishing" and "struggling."

Flourishing refers to the pinnacle of mental health; getting by describes those who may have some areas of good wellbeing but not enough to reach the state of flourishing; languishing represents the absence of positive wellbeing; and struggling is associated with emotional stress and psychosocial impairment.

The findings reveal that globally about one-quarter of people are flourishing and one-third are getting by.

For the Chinese mainland, the majority of people said they are getting by, the highest percentage in that category globally, while one in three are flourishing – on par with France in second place.

China also has the lowest percentage of people who are said to be struggling – only 8 percent. Japan has the largest proportion of people languishing – 35 percent – followed by Hong Kong at 33 percent.

After the economy, mental health is the second most common thing people around the globe think will have a lasting impact due to the pandemic, the study noted.

Specifically, people in most Asian countries were more likely to say the pandemic improved their ability to meet big challenges than in European countries, with China first in the world.