Is Europe’s mental health still in crisis?
Mental health in Europe is at a critical crossroads. While some indicators have improved since the pandemic, a new Eurofound report reveals concerning trends, including an alarming halt to the decades-long decline in suicide rates. Mary McCaughey speaks with Hans Dubois, a senior research manager in Eurofound's Social Policies unit, to explore this complex issue, highlighting that poor mental health is disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups. The conversation also tackles the double-edged sword of digitalisation and the significant barriers to mental healthcare, such as stigma and long waiting lists, that leave many without the support they desperately need.
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Episode speakers
Mary McCaughey
Head of UnitMary McCaughey is Head of Information and Communication in Eurofound. A graduate of Trinity College, Dublin and the College of Europe, Bruges, she started work in Brussels with Europolitics and the Wall Street Journal Europe. She worked with the Association of European Parliamentarians with Africa (AWEPA) in South Africa during the country’s transition to democracy, and in 1998 she took up the post of spokesperson with the Delegation of the European Union in Pretoria, heading up its press and information department during the negotiation of the EU–South Africa free trade agreement. Following the end of the Kosovo War, she worked as a communications consultant for the European Agency for Reconstruction in Serbia. She took up the post of Editor-in-Chief in Eurofound in 2003.
Hans Dubois
Senior research managerHans Dubois is a senior research manager in the Social Policies unit at Eurofound. His research topics include housing, over-indebtedness, healthcare, long-term care, social benefits, retirement, and quality of life in the local area. Prior to joining Eurofound, he was Assistant Professor at Kozminski University (Warsaw). He completed a PhD in Business Administration and Management at Bocconi University (Milan), after working as a research officer at the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (Madrid).
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2 September 2025