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We have seen it with the health crisis: mental health deserves our full attention. Which countries have taken action to take care of their inhabitants? According to a ranking carried out within the OECD, Sweden comes first, followed by Germany and Finland. France, meanwhile, is placed at the foot of the podium.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which a person is able to recognize their own strengths, cope with the normal pressures of health, work hard, and contribute to society”.
But which countries take better care of the mental health of their citizens? William Russel, international health insurance specialist, ranked the 26 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) by taking into account several factors related to the promotion of psychological well-being. Among these criteria: the balance between private and professional life, the environment, the place of green spaces or public spending on mental health care.
“Each country was given a score out of ten for each factor, before averaging all the factors for a final score out of ten”explains William Russell.
With a score of 7.13, Sweden tops the ranking, ahead of Germany with 6.60 and Finland with 6.47. France obtains a score of 6.40. With 3.30, 2.07 and 1.60, Poland, Chile and Iceland come last.
Sweden ranks first thanks in particular to its green spaces. The country “is home to lush coniferous forests that occupy the majority of its land, providing the perfect environment for relaxation and mental well-being”, say the specialists. In addition, Swedes enjoy a good work-life balance.
A criterion which also allows Germany to come second. The country also devotes more than 11% of its health budget to the psychological well-being of its citizens.
Finland, known to be the happiest country in the world, stands out for its environmental factors, in particular its high percentage of green spaces (73% of its territory).
For its part, France is the leader in public spending on mental health, which represents a total of 15% of its health budget. France ranks second in the number of hours allocated to leisure and well-being, in total 16.4 per day. It owes this place to the 35-hour week, as well as the right to disconnect, “a law requiring large companies not to send or receive emails outside working hours”explains the study.