From the Mental Health Specialist Library:This report from the King's Fund, the results of a year-long study into the costs of meeting the mental health needs of the nation over the next two decades, reveals that mental illness in England cost £50 billion [$CDN 100 billion, $CDN 20 per capita] in 2007. Almost half, £22.5 billion [$CDN 45 billion] represents money spent on direct NHS and social care services to support people with mental disorders. The rest, £26.1 billion [$CDN 52.2 billion], represents the estimated cost to the economy of earnings lost because of the thousands of people unable to work due to their mental illness.For more information, including access to the report, click here.
Although it finds that the prevalence of most mental disorders, including schizophrenia, is likely to remain stable over the next 20 years, it predicts a huge increase in dementia - up by almost two-thirds (61 per cent) from 582,827 to 937,636 due to an ageing population. As a result of this, and above inflation rises in health care costs, the bill for mental health services is expected to grow from £22.5 billion to £47 billion.
The report contains chapters on eight different specific disorders: depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenic disorders, bipolar and related conditions, eating disorders, personality disorder, disorders affecting children and adolescents, and dementia.
Also see:
Mental Disorders Cost Society Billions in Unearned Income (United States)
