AIA Health Matters Survey 2021 Reveals 9 in 10 Singaporeans Struggling with Mental Health

AIA Health Matters Survey 2021 has revealed that 9 in 10 Singaporeans are still struggling with their mental health one year since Covid-19 was declared a pandemic. Fears over income loss and job stability caused 91% of respondents to report declines in mental health. Some 60% are also deeply concerned about the added burden of other critical illness diagnosis such as cancer.

AIA Singapore polled ove 300 Singaporeans aged 30 to 55 across a spectrum of working adults that is representative of the resident population.

The stress on mental health is added by the anxiety about their family’s and loved ones overall wellbeing on top of their own health. There has been an increase in diagnosis from critical illness in the past year by 10% compared to 2016. Cancer is the most pressing concern with 73% worried. Stroke is increasingly a concern from 60% in 2016 to 68% in 2021. Anxiety and Major Depressive Disorders were amongst the mental health conditions highlighted to be most prevalent.

Male breadwinners stated that they are more likely to report when they are facing mental health and critical illness conditions compared to women. Millennials (30 to 39 years old) reported higher stress coping with daily stressors at work as compared to pre-retirees (aged 40 and above). 81% of Millennials are especially worried about cancer compared to older adults.

AIA launched AIA Beyond Critical Care (AIA BCC) in 2019. It was the first critical illness plan with mental health coverage in Singapore then. It covers five prominent mental illnesses. They include Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Tourette Syndrome (up to 21 years old). AIA BCC also covers health screening and provides a refund of total annual premiums less claims paid at the end of the policy term.

Medisave’s Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP) also covers mental health conditions like major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, dementia, and schizophrenia. It covers outpatient treatment and there is a limit of S$500 per Medisave account per year subject to a 15% cash co-payment.

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