Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Mental health in Colombia - Statistics & Facts
From the use of marimbas to its portrayal of arepas and toucans, the 2021 Disney animated film Encanto has been acknowledged for its detailed depiction of Colombia’s rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. Simultaneously, based on the country’s history of forced displacement, the film has been praised for engaging with a more universal topic: mental health. While not always linked to armed conflict, mental health struggles are not foreign to the Colombian population. In fact, feelings of worry or nervousness, the most prevalent possible symptoms of a mental health condition among Colombians, are present in four out of ten people. In the city of Santa Marta this is true for eight in every ten individuals, affecting a higher proportion of women than that of men.
