Depression could cost Morocco an estimated $21.2 billion between 2025 and 2050, according to a new international study published in Nature Medicine, highlighting the growing economic impact of mental health disorders beyond their effects on individuals.
The study, “Global economic burden of depression in 154 countries from 2025 to 2050,” was published on July 28, 2026, by researchers from institutions including Heidelberg University, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, and the University of California, San Francisco.
Using a macroeconomic model that combines data from the World Bank, the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, the International Labour Organization, the United Nations Population Division, and international education datasets, the researchers estimated how depression affects economies through lower labor-force participation, reduced educational attainment, diminished work experience, and healthcare-related spending.
For Morocco, the study estimates that depression will result in cumulative economic losses of $21.232 billion over the 25-year period, measured in 2024 US dollars. According to the researchers, that amount is equivalent to around 0.5% of the country’s projected cumulative gross domestic product (GDP) during the period studied.
The researchers also estimate an average economic loss of $493 per person in Morocco between 2025 and 2050. The estimates are part of a broader analysis covering 154 countries, representing about 96% of the world’s population.
Globally, the study projects that depression will generate an economic burden of approximately $12 trillion over the same period, equivalent to an average annual loss of about 0.46% of global GDP. The researchers found that the impact varies widely from one country to another, reflecting differences in demographics, labor markets and access to healthcare.
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According to the study, the largest share of the economic burden stems from lower labor force participation, as depression can reduce people’s ability to remain in or return to work. The researchers found that reduced workforce participation has a greater effect on economic output than lower physical capital investment.
The authors also note that the economic burden is not evenly distributed across the world. While some regions account for a larger share of depression-related disability, wealthier economies often experience higher monetary losses because of differences in wages, productivity and economic output.
The findings are consistent with previous assessments by the World Health Organization (WHO), which says depression affects performance at work, education and daily life. The WHO estimates that depression and anxiety together lead to the loss of around 12 billion working days every year, costing the global economy nearly $1 trillion annually in lost productivity.
Published by Nature Medicine, one of the world’s leading peer-reviewed medical journals and part of the Nature Portfolio, the study contributes to a growing body of research examining the broader economic consequences of mental health disorders. The journal publishes research spanning clinical medicine, public health and global health policy.
