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The Association of Mental Health Providers’ evidence observatory
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35,847 claims
More people are being assessed and diagnosed with autism than before.
More people are getting assessed and diagnosed with autism than before.
Service · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 14
Many individuals have to wait a long time for an assessment for ADHD, and services cannot support everyone who needs help.
Many people have to wait a long time to get assessed for ADHD. Right now, ADHD services are not able to support everyone who needs help.
Service · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 13
More people are being assessed and diagnosed with ADHD than before.
More people are getting assessed and diagnosed with ADHD than before.
Service · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 12
The number of adults and young people with common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety has increased.
More adults and young people are living with common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety than before.
Service · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 11
The number of people asking for support for ADHD and autism has increased.
The number of people asking for support for ADHD and autism has gone up.
Service · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 9
The number of individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions has significantly increased.
We found that: • The number of people with mental health conditions has gone up a lot.
Research · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 8
The review aims to understand the prevalence and support needs for mental health conditions, ADHD, and autism.
We asked: • Are more people living with mental health conditions, ADHD and autism?
Research · Observational claim · From Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report (easy read) — Looking into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: what we have learned and what should happen next (easy read), page 6
The estimated prevalence of conduct disorder among those aged 2-24 is projected to be 3.6% under a stalled scenario.
For the covered population aged 2–24, the stalled scenario produces an estimated prevalence of 3.6%, equivalent to approximately 559,900 people
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 230
The most common reasons for mental healthcare contact were feeling low, depressed, or sad, followed by anxiety-related issues.
Feeling low, depressed, or sad was the most stated reason for mental healthcare contact, followed by reasons related to anxiety and other reasons.
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 218
Mean scores among those who reported healthcare contacts for mental health were significantly higher than the overall cohort mean, particularly for those with recent contacts.
Mean Malaise scores were significantly higher among those with self-reported healthcare contacts for mental health, particularly among those with contacts in the last 12 months.
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 220
The proportion of individuals who reported having healthcare contacts increased linearly with higher Malaise Inventory scores.
The proportion of cohort members who had been in contact with the healthcare system for mental health since the last sweep (within last 8 years for reports at ages 33, 43, and 62-65, and the last 4 years at age 50) increased linearly with Malaise score.
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 216
Depression is the primary reason for seeking mental health support, followed by anxiety.
At each age, feeling low, depressed, or sad was the most commonly cited reason for mental healthcare contact, with anxiety -related reasons second.
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 213
Distress levels are higher in non-student populations compared to students.
Increases in distress have occurred in both higher education students and non-students, and on average distress is higher in non- students.
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 212
The proportion of prisoners reporting poor mental health upon arrival has more than doubled over the last decade.
The proportion of adults in prison reporting poor mental health at the time they were admitted to prison has more than doubled over the last decade (Bunce et al. forthcoming).
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 210
Low sexual wellbeing is associated with screening positive for depression and anxiety, particularly among men.
Low sexual wellbeing was associated with screening positive for depression and anxiety and low mental wellbeing, particularly for men.
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 207
Young people not in steady relationships are more likely to screen positive for depression and anxiety, and report often/always feeling lonely.
Those not in a steady relationship in Natsal-4 were more likely to screen positive for depression and generalised anxiety disorder, and to report often/always feeling lonely.
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 206
The proportion of young people who have never had sex has increased, while the proportion in steady relationships has decreased.
There have been increases in the proportion of young people (age 16- 24 years) who have never had sex, and decreases in the proportions reporting one or more new partners in the past year (even among those who have had sex). These changes are new, with the proportions reporting sexual activity (across various measures) having been relatively stable over the first three Natsal surveys (1990, 2000, 2010).
Context · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 206
Self-reported autism has risen more steeply than mental health conditions and learning disabilities across all ethnic groups.
The steepest rises are in women, in the non-binary/prefer-to-self-describe categories, and in the Mixed and Other ethnic groups.
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 185
Self-reported mental health conditions have increased from 9.06% in 2018 to 13.82% in 2025.
Mental health condition rose from 9.06% in 2018 to 13.82% in 2025.
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 185
The proportion of adults self-reporting autism has increased significantly from 0.90% in 2018 to 2.59% in 2025.
Self-reported autism rose from 0.90% in 2018 to 2.59% in 2025, most of the rise has happened from 2022 onwards (1.43% in 2022, 1.73% in 2023, 2.34% in 2024, 2.59% in 2025).
Metric · Observational claim · From Independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism: final report — Technical annex for the independent review into mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, page 185