World Mental Health Day 2023: 73% telehealth consultations are sought by young people, shows survey

Awareness for mental health has been on a rise. At least, this is what one of the recent surveys has indicated. There is a significant increase in mental health tele-consultations among individuals aged 21-30, in comparison to those aged 31-40, shows Plum, an insurtech platform.

This surge, amounting to fourfold growth, is evident in the fact that approximately 73 percent of telehealth consultations bookings are made by the younger age group. This trend suggests a notable rise in awareness and acceptance surrounding discussions about mental health and self care, the company said in a statement. Also they have observed a significant increase in mental health teleconsultations this year, with approximately 5500 bookings.

As we approach World Mental Health Day on October 10, Plum has identified some noteworthy trends from analysing the data.

Notably, females have been more proactive in seeking consultations, accounting for around 55 percent of all bookings, while males make up the remaining 45 percent. This indicates that women are more willing to seek help for mental health issues compared to men.

The survey also found that employees extended the benefit of mental health teleconsultations to their family members, with 10 percent of bookings coming from siblings, 6 percent from spouses, and 4 percent from parents and in-laws. The reasons for these increased consultations range from anxiety, stress and coping, relationship issues, self-growth, grief, loss, and clinical diagnoses.

Plum mentioned in the report that the cost of mental health consultations can often be expensive, especially in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore. The base price for a consultation typically ranges from Rs 1200 to Rs 2400. The cost of these services can further vary based on the level of experience of the Psychologist or Psychiatrist offering them, all within a 50-minute session.

Saurabh Arora, Co-founder & CTO, Plum, said, “While mental health awareness has been growing, it's crucial that we now focus on closing the gender and age gaps in accessing these services.”