Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in South Africa
South Africa: Mental health and substance use disorders death rate was 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021. ▲ Rising
Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in South Africa, 2000–2021
Source: World Health Organization (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in deaths per 100,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people for mental health and substance use disorders death rate in 2021. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 11.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mental health and substance use disorders death rate in South Africa peaked at 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021 and was at its lowest, 2.15 deaths per 100,000 people, in 2001.
South Africa ranks 54th of 194 countries on this measure, 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 South Africa, year by year
| Year | deaths per 100,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2.18 deaths per 100,000 people | — |
| 2001 | 2.15 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.4% |
| 2002 | 2.43 deaths per 100,000 people | +13.0% |
| 2003 | 2.52 deaths per 100,000 people | +3.7% |
| 2004 | 2.45 deaths per 100,000 people | -2.8% |
| 2005 | 2.32 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2006 | 2.37 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 2.34 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people | +11.1% |
| 2009 | 2.56 deaths per 100,000 people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 3.24 deaths per 100,000 people | +26.6% |
| 2011 | 3.07 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.2% |
| 2012 | 3.13 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 3.11 deaths per 100,000 people | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 3.24 deaths per 100,000 people | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 3.31 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 3.21 deaths per 100,000 people | -3.0% |
| 2017 | 3.04 deaths per 100,000 people | -5.3% |
| 2018 | 3.1 deaths per 100,000 people | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 3.16 deaths per 100,000 people | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people | +7.6% |
| 2021 | 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people | +0.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2.39 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.15 deaths per 100,000 people | 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.16 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.04 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.31 deaths per 100,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.41 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people | 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 51 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3.62 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 52 Honduras 3.59 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 53 Spain 3.44 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 55 Turkmenistan 3.4 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 56 Cyprus 3.29 deaths per 100,000 people compare
- 57 Iran, Islamic Republic of 3.2 deaths per 100,000 people compare
More health data for South Africa
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -2.2 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1386 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,152 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 3,333 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.5504 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.045 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.0003 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mental health and substance use disorders death rate in South Africa?
- Mental health and substance use disorders death rate in South Africa was 3.42 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 3.42 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021.
- What is the lowest mental health and substance use disorders death rate recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.15 deaths per 100,000 people in 2001.
- How does South Africa rank for mental health and substance use disorders death rate?
- South Africa ranks 54th out of 194 countries with data for 2021.
- Is mental health and substance use disorders death rate rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.