ADVERTORIAL DISCOVERY HEALTH
DISCOVERY HEALTH:
Tackling SA’ s mental health crisis with AI
Introducing Discovery Health’ s data-first model for targeted solutions to the surge in mental health issues in South Africa.
By Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health( Administrator and Managed Care provider of DHMS)
New research reveals a sharp rise in mental health condition prevalence among Discovery Health Medical Scheme’ s( DHMS) members over the past 13 years. In 2024, one in seven members( 15 % of the Scheme) registered or claimed for a mental health condition – up from one in 10( 10 %) in 2012, and equivalent to a 46 % increase in prevalence over time.
Encouragingly, outcomes from Discovery Health’ s targeted mental health care programmes and digital interventions show significant improvements in symptom severity. In addition, new data from a recent white paper highlights sleep as a powerful predictor of mental wellbeing – insights that will now be integrated into member support.
• Depression and bipolar mood disorder are the fastestgrowing mental health condition registrations among members( increasing by 13 % and 8 % per year respectively since 2012 – a growth rate faster than that for any other chronic condition).
• Depression accounts for nearly two-thirds( 62 %) of all cases, rocketing to a whopping 88 % in prevalence from 2012 to 2024.
To put this into perspective, the number of Scheme members living with a mental health condition – around 450 000 people – would fill seven Ellis Park Stadiums! The graph below illustrates the surge per mental health disorder.
The message from the DHMS data is one of both realism and hope. Yes, mental health needs are rising, but so, too, is our ability to respond effectively.
A surge in mental health conditions across the DHMS population
Over the past 13 years( 2012-2024), mental health conditions have become one of the fastest-rising chronic disease burdens across the DHMS population.
• The number of members seeking mental health treatment for the first time has tripled from 2012 to 2024. There was a sharp acceleration in this incidence rate during and after the Covid-19 pandemic( a 70 % increase from 2019 to 2023, compared to a 48 % increase pre-pandemic, in the period 2015 to 2019).
Growth in proportion of DHMS members with mental health conditions( top five) relative to 2012
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