Rapid urbanisation a risk factor for poor youth mental health: WEF panel

Building ties with communities and climate action can improve well-being, experts say

- Elisha Tushara

By the year 2050, 70 per cent of the world’s adolescents will live in cities. But urban living has been shown to be a risk factor for poor mental health among youth, as heightened inequalities expose them to adversities such as poverty and violence that impact their well-being.

Currently, one in seven adolescents around the world lives with a mental health condition.

The panacea to this, said Dr Pamela Collins, professor and chair of the department of mental health at Johns Hopkins University, lies in young people having quality relationships with their communities.

“Rapid urbanisation is a cause of disparities. And these kinds of deep disparities expose people to adversities – everything from poverty and violence. And these of course are damaging to people’s mental health and well-being,” she said.

How accelerated urbanisation and climate change contribute to the rise in emotional disorders among young people was discussed at a panel session at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China, on June 26.