Youths in Kenya are generally in a better mental state compared to their peers in high-income nations, a new report reveals.

According to the Mental State of the World 2024 Report, young adults in Kenya score between 50 and 60 on a 0-100 mental health quotient (MHQ) scale, in a world where youth mental well-being has been in steep decline since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report by Sapien Labs, a global leader in mental health research, analysed over one million responses from internet-enabled populations across 76 countries on all continents.

It presents a concerning reality, as mental health among 18 to 34-year-olds in Western nations continues to drop sharply since 2019, with no signs of recovery.

Globally, these younger adults report an average score of 38 points on the MHQ, with those in sub-Saharan African countries faring best.

Tanzania ranks first in Africa and highest globally, while younger adults in Nigeria and Kenya reported better mental health outcomes compared to many Western nations in the MHQ.

“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 Tara Thiagarajan, Founder and Chief Scientist at Sapien Labs.

“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, the score for African youth is still far below the average figures for older adults globally, with South Africa being the only surveyed African country aligned more with the West. Young adults in South Africa score between 30-40 on the MHQ, low but above poorly performing countries such as the United Kingdom, Ukraine, and New Zealand.

The report is not based on indicators of happiness, nor does it monitor anxiety and depression.

Instead, the data measures all aspects of mental function, including emotional, social, and cognitive. It shows that while older adults are doing well, a near-majority of younger adults are experiencing functionally debilitating struggles or distress.

The decline in mental well-being among youth has been linked to multiple interconnected factors, including weaker social connections, early exposure to smartphones, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, and greater exposure to environmental toxins.

Younger generations are experiencing fewer close friendships, spending more time online, and consuming diets that contribute to emotional instability and cognitive challenges—pressures fuelling the global mental health crisis.

“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,” said Thiagarajan.