Academic pressure, social media among key factors affecting youth mental health

KUALA LUMPUR: Pressure to achieve academic and career success, relationship problems, social media influence and financial difficulties are among the main factors affecting young people's mental health.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad said the 2023 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) found that 4.6 per cent of Malaysians aged 16 and above, or about one million people, suffered from depression.

He said young people recorded the highest prevalence of depression, at 7.9 per cent among those aged 16 to 19 and 7.6 per cent among those aged 20 to 29.

"The 2022 NHMS, which assessed postpartum depression, found that 11.2 per cent of mothers experienced depression.

"Nine out of 10 of these mothers were unaware that they were suffering from depression.

"Postpartum depression was more prevalent among younger mothers and those living in urban areas," he said in a written parliamentary reply.

Dzulkefly was responding to Datuk Mumtaz Md Nawi (Pas-Tumpat), who asked about the mental well-being of young people and young women in Malaysia.

She also asked whether the government planned to establish a special interministerial task force bringing together expertise in health, education, employment, family and community affairs to implement early interventions before mental health problems became more serious.

Dzulkefly said the Health Ministry had established the National Centre of Excellence for Mental Health to lead and coordinate national mental health policies across ministries and government agencies.

He said the centre was responsible for addressing mental health crises, developing policies, implementing interventions and providing training.

"The Health Ministry remains attentive to and continues to monitor the mental health of Malaysians from all backgrounds, including young people and young women.

"Family members, friends and the wider community also have a role in identifying signs of mental health problems among young people so that appropriate intervention and treatment can be provided earlier.

"The ministry also welcomes the proposal to establish a special interministerial task force that combines expertise from various ministries to support early intervention in education, employment, family and community settings," he said.

Dzulkefly said several interministerial initiatives were already being implemented, including the School Healthy Mind Programme in collaboration with the Education Ministry and the Healthy Student Programme with the Higher Education Ministry.

Other initiatives include training under the Kem Belia @ Rakan Prihatin programme and the National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0).

He said the Health Ministry also served as a referral centre for cases requiring further assessment and intervention through services provided by KafeTeen under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.