Kenyan youth are in a better mental state than their counterparts in high-income nations, according to a new report.
The Mental State of the World 2024 Report reveals that young adults in Kenya score between 50 and 60 on a 0-100 mental health quotient (MHQ) scale, at a time when global youth mental well-being has been in steady decline since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report, published by Sapien Labs—a leading global mental health research organisation—analysed over one million responses from internet-enabled populations in 76 countries across all continents.
Findings indicate that mental health among individuals aged 18 to 34 in Western nations has been deteriorating significantly since 2019, with no indications of improvement.
On a global scale, young adults report an average MHQ score of 38, while those in sub-Saharan Africa appear to have the highest scores.
Tanzania ranks first both in Africa and worldwide, with young adults in Nigeria and Kenya also reporting better mental health outcomes compared to many Western countries.
Sapien Labs Founder and Chief Scientist Tara Thiagarajan highlighted Africa’s mental health advantage, urging governments to take steps to protect it as the continent undergoes rapid transformation.
“Africa holds a unique advantage in youth mental health, an asset that must be actively protected as the continent undergoes rapid technological and economic shifts,” said Thiagarajan.
“With Africa’s youthful population set to play a key role in the global economy in the coming decades, governments must take proactive steps to ensure that urbanisation, digital adoption, and evolving lifestyles do not erode the mental resilience that is now setting African youth apart from the rest of the world.”
However, despite African youth scoring relatively higher, their MHQ scores remain below the global average for older adults. South Africa is the only surveyed African country where young adults report mental health levels more aligned with the West, scoring between 30 and 40—higher than some of the lowest-ranked countries, including the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and New Zealand.
Unlike reports focused on happiness or specific mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, the Sapien Labs study measures emotional, social, and cognitive function.
While older adults are generally faring well, a significant portion of younger adults globally are struggling with distress or functional difficulties.
The decline in youth mental well-being has been linked to a combination of factors, including weaker social bonds, early exposure to smartphones, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, and greater exposure to environmental toxins.
Younger generations are forming fewer close friendships, spending more time online, and consuming diets that may negatively impact emotional stability and cognitive function—contributing to the ongoing mental health crisis.
Thiagarajan warned that as older generations exit the workforce, the emerging workforce may struggle to handle daily pressures, which could lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, reduced cooperation, and heightened levels of anxiety and violence.
“While older adults continue to thrive, younger adults are facing unique levels of distress. As the older generation moves out of the workforce, we will be faced with a new workforce that may not be able to cope with the pressures of daily life, leading to less productivity, more days off, less cooperation, and possibly more anxiety and violence in daily life, with a generation that lacks the emotional and cognitive ability to cope,” she said.
