AXA releases annual mind health and wellbeing study

The insurance firm is set to release a mind health index tailored by country. 

AXA will release a mind health index tailored by country to help monitor mental health in response to its latest mind health and wellbeing survey.

As the pandemic continues, only 44% of people in the world experience happiness or joy in the past year, the survey revealed.

The study identifies gaps, prioritisation of one's own mental health, and the urgency to raise awareness for preventative solutions. It looks at the current state of mind health, examining how we react to stress, how we choose to diagnose mental illness, how mind health differs by age and gender and what individuals can do to improve their wellbeing. More than 11,000 participants were surveyed by IPSOS research institute, in eleven markets across Europe and Asia.

According to AXA, the largest proportion of people, around one-third of the respondents, are just “getting by” These were people who had some sense of wellbeing, but not enough to say they were flourishing. Less than a quarter hit that flourishing pinnacle. This is true across most individual countries apart from Switzerland where an impressive 36% of people were classed as flourishing.

When facing these mental challenges, only 37% of participants think the public health system in their country provides adequate support—this is particularly notable in Italy (24%) and the UK (23%) whilst respondents seem to have greater trust in China (65%) and Switzerland (58%). Also, 37% of people feel their employer provides good support when it comes to mental health, with the lowest level in Japan (20%) and Hong Kong (32%). This shows a major role for companies and health care systems in improving prevention, support, and care around mind health and wellbeing.

With these results, AXA said they would be taking action as they announced the launch of AXA Mind Health Index aiming to monitor progress made in mind health over time. The Index, tailored by country, will support individuals, businesses, healthcare professionals, and policymakers in their approach to mind health, to help them prevent illness, and promote wellbeing.

AXA will also continue to create and develop innovative solutions for the clients and employees through existing services such as as Angel.fr deployed by AXA France, the Emma app by AXA Hong Kong, Be Supported helpline for employees and managers and Mental Health awareness training by AXA UK Health, a central Mental Health platform by AXA Germany, as well as other services in Spain and Italy, or AXA’s global health and wellness program for employees.

“The cost of undiagnosed and poorly managed mental illnesses is colossal. The OECD puts the economic impact at up to 4.2% of GDP. As an international leader in health insurance, AXA wants to have a positive impact on mind health and wellbeing at scale to better prevent health issues,” Antimo Perretta, CEO Europe & LATAM of AXA said.