Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi
Malawi: Mental health and substance use disorders death rate was 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
In 2021, mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi stood at 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
The figure is up 14.1% on the previous year and up 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi peaked at 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2013.
That places Malawi 88th out of 194 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 22 years of available data.
Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 1.46 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 1.43 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 1.48 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.5% |
| 2003 | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 1.51 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2005 | 1.47 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.6% |
| 2006 | 1.51 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.48 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.0% |
| 2008 | 1.4 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.4% |
| 2009 | 1.39 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 1.36 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 1.35 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 1.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 1.41 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.9% |
| 2017 | 1.47 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.3% |
| 2018 | 1.5 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 1.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.5% |
| 2021 | 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people | +14.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1.47 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.52 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.41 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.67 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.56 deaths per 100,000 people | 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 85 Japan 1.98 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 86 Somalia 1.81 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 87 Burundi 1.79 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 89 Georgia 1.75 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 90 Barbados 1.74 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 91 Tajikistan 1.72 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 91 Zambia 1.72 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for Malawi
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -0.8368 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.9312 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 856.3 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 6,399 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 50-54, male, annual growth rate 7.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 50-54, male, per capita 0.0123 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, annual growth rate 2.37 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 55-59, female, per capita 0.0106 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi?
- Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in Malawi was 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, according to World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest mental health and substance use disorders death rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 1.78 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest mental health and substance use disorders death rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.33 deaths per 100,000 people in 2013.
- How does Malawi rank for mental health and substance use disorders death rate?
- Malawi ranks 88th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is mental health and substance use disorders death rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Mental health and substance use disorders death rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated number of deaths from mental and substance use disorders in both sexes, per 100,000 people.