Mental health, risks and challenges in the new Eurofound report
The research report Mental health: Risk groups, trends, services and policies, published by Eurofound, is now available online. Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini contributed to the report in its role as Eurofound national correspondent for Italy.
Published as part of the research project Addressing challenges to mental health in Europe: Trends and services, the report seeks to better understand the prevalence of poor mental health across different population groups, identify long-term trends, and map barriers to accessing services in the EU. It also examines policy measures aimed at strengthening mental health services, as well as actions taken in schools, workplaces, and other environments to prevent or address poor mental health.
The report considers mental health in general, but pays particular attention to the two most common conditions: anxiety and depressive disorders. It brings together evidence from the literature, EU-level surveys, expert reviews and national administrative and survey data collected by the Network of Eurofound Correspondents and through desk research. Barbara De Micheli and Roberta Cupertino, Coordinator and Senior Officer, respectively, of FGB's Social Justice Area, contributed to the report acting as experts and national correspondents for Italy.
The publication shows that anxiety and depression are the most common mental health conditions, but risks are higher among certain population groups – such as people on lower incomes, those who are separated or widowed, refugees, and people experiencing homelessness. Gender differences are also evident: women are more likely to report poor mental health, while men face higher suicide rates.
Work-related stress is another concern. One in four workers in health and social care report feeling emotionally exhausted, the highest rate across all sectors. High levels of exhaustion are also reported in education and hospitality.
While several Member States have expanded entitlements to mental healthcare, stigma and limited capacity continue to restrict timely access – especially for non-urgent needs. The report calls for stronger early intervention in schools, workplaces, and communities, as well as long-term policies to prevent poor mental health by tackling inequality, discrimination, loneliness, and work-life balance issues.
