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Mental health challenges in Chile

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2026-10-08 09:06 UTC → 2026-10-18 16:43 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Data from Chile indicates significant mental health challenges across different age demographics. Statistics from the Department of Health Statistics and Information (DEIS) reveal a crisis among the elderly, particularly men. Between 2016 and 2024, alcohol dependency deaths were 13.5 times higher in males than females, with the highest rates in the 65 to 79 age group. Additionally, between 2024 and the present, people aged 60 or older accounted for 19.21% of all suicides, with men representing 88.1% of those cases. Parallel concerns exist regarding the younger population. According to the Ipsos Education Monitor, Chile ranks lowest among 31 surveyed countries in perceived youth mental health. Approximately 68% of the Chilean population describes the mental health of young people as poor, compared to a global average of 48%. Respondents identified mental health as the primary challenge facing youth, prompting calls for structural changes in educational and professional environments. Recent findings from the twelfth Achs-UC Mental Health Thermometer survey indicate that 18.5% of urban adults in Chile show suspected or present mental health issues, with 16.2% experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms. A significant correlation exists between employment and mental health; the depressive symptom indicator reached 36.7% among unemployed individuals, compared to 14.1% among those with jobs. Furthermore, the Institute of Public Health noted that mental health pathologies accounted for 76% of qualified occupational diseases during 2025.

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