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According to a new study, mental health has overtaken cancer as the top concern for Spain’s health..
Ipsos’ 2025 Healthcare Service Report, a survey conducted annually in more than 30 countries has revealed that 62% place mental well-being at the top of healthcare priorities. Cancer is more than 10 points further behind.
The trend has been steadily rising since the pandemic, but this year’s results mark an all-time high – with eight out of ten Spaniards calling for mental and physical health to be treated equally.
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The report warns that “nearly half of the Spanish population feel that the system ignores mental wellbeing, treating it as a second issue.”
The report revealed a sharp divide in Spanish society regarding mental health.
67% of women surveyed said that their mental health was the number one concern, compared to 56% of men.
While Millennials, Gen Z and baby boomers ranked mental health as the top priority, cancer remained at the top of their list.
Silvia Bravo is the Director of Public Opinion Research and Social Studies for Ipsos Spain. La SextaThis new reality is creating a growing demand in the social sphere.
“For this reason, it is crucial to address this divide – especially among women and young people, who not only show greater concern for mental health than the rest of the population, but also experience its negative consequences more directly.”
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According to a 2024 Unicef report, nearly 41 % of Spanish adolescents said they had struggled with their mental health over the previous year – and more than half of those did not seek help.
In the past 20 years, the number adolescents in Spain hospitalised for depression increased by 1,200 percent, according to a study from La Rioja International University.
The use of antidepressants among women aged 15-24 years has increased by two-thirds in the past three year, according to an article. Cadena Ser Report published in February.
In spite of mounting concern, few Ipsos participants sought professional treatment. 33% said they addressed mental health concerns by speaking to family and friends.
Only 18% of respondents said that they were on medication and only 17% had visited a psychiatrist or psychologist.
According to the Ipsos survey, Spain was ranked second in Europe, behind only Sweden (63%), and ahead of Ireland (58%) France (48%), Poland (42%), and Italy (41%).
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