Mental health support still critical, concerns around financial well-being still high

| 22 Jun 2021

According to Cigna International's (Cigna) seventh annual 360 Well-Being Survey, 72% of respondents rank mental health as the most important influence on personal health and well-being, followed by physical health at 70%.

Although stigma around mental health persists, the rise in adoption and availability of virtual health tools offers an opportunity to help people access the care they need, when they need it. Globally, use of virtual consultations to access mental health therapy and counselling services increased 89% since the beginning of the pandemic, echoing data from the United States in Cigna’s One-Year Impact of COVID-19 report which showed nearly two-thirds of behavioural care was performed virtually.

The survey also found that financial well-being concerns are still prevalent. Only 28% of respondents are confident in their ability to maintain their current standard of living, and 19% of respondents say they feel very good or excellent when asked if they have sufficient money for retirement.

The outlook was poorest in women, with significant concerns regarding long-term saving specifically reported in the 18-24 age group and retirement planning among those aged 50 to 64.

The survey gathered data from more than 18,000 adults in 21 markets across five continents.