The Oxford Dictionary (n.d.) defines life expectancy as the average period that a person is expected to live. It varies from country to country, depending on many factors like healthcare, sanitation, food, genetics, and environment. As of 2014, the country with the highest life expectancy is Monaco at 89.57 years; the country with the lowest life expectancy is Chad at just 49.44 years and in the United Kingdom it is 80.42 years (Life Expectancy for Countries, 2014). Life expectancy in developing countries is significantly lower than that of developed countries, for example, in the United States of America it is 79.56 years where as in Lesotho it is 52.65 (ibid). Physical causes are not the only reasons for low life expectancy; there are psychological causes as well. Both are dangerous in different ways. The two main causes are: Bad Mental Health and Smoking. This essay will discuss how these affect the population and suggest solutions to help bring about a change.
One of the growing causes of low life expectancy is Mental Health, as it has never been given the same health priority as smoking and is not considered to be as important. A study published in the World Psychiatry Journal (2014), investigates previous research on chances of death due to a wide range of …show more content…
This leads to few people coming up and expressing their need for help. One of the most important reasons for higher morbidity and mortality rates among people with mental disorders is the inequitable care and treatment that these individuals receive for mental illnesses (Demyttenaere, 2004). Between 75%-85% of people with severe mental disorders are unable to access the treatment they need in developing countries, compared with 35%- 50% of people in high-income countries (ibid). Therefore, mental health affects life
One of the growing causes of low life expectancy is Mental Health, as it has never been given the same health priority as smoking and is not considered to be as important. A study published in the World Psychiatry Journal (2014), investigates previous research on chances of death due to a wide range of …show more content…
This leads to few people coming up and expressing their need for help. One of the most important reasons for higher morbidity and mortality rates among people with mental disorders is the inequitable care and treatment that these individuals receive for mental illnesses (Demyttenaere, 2004). Between 75%-85% of people with severe mental disorders are unable to access the treatment they need in developing countries, compared with 35%- 50% of people in high-income countries (ibid). Therefore, mental health affects life