74% of young UAE workers say mental health affects work, Cigna study finds

Seventy-four percent of UAE workers aged 18 to 24 say their mental health has affected how they work, according to the latest Cigna Healthcare International Health Study reported by Fast Company Middle East on 30 September 2026.

The highest-stakes readers are HR directors, clinic operators and insurers. The signal for HR is workforce risk. The signal for clinics in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates is demand that is present but poorly converted into care. The signal for insurers is benefit design: only 6% of respondents aged 18 to 24 said they had received counselling or therapy in the past year, while 40% named mental well-being as the health area they most wanted to improve.

What the Cigna numbers show

The study surveyed more than 12,000 people across 13 markets, according to Cigna Healthcare and YouGov data cited in the report. The UAE’s overall vitality score rose to 73.8 from 73.3 last year, while overall well-being held at 70%. The youth cohort moved in the other direction. Its vitality score fell 4.6 points to 66.6, and mental well-being fell 11 percentage points to 46%.

The workplace data is sharper than the national average. Across all UAE respondents, 60% said mental health had affected how they work. Among younger adults, the figure was 74%. Workplace well-being fell 3 percentage points to 52%. Fewer than half, 49%, said they felt understood by their immediate manager, down 5 percentage points from last year.

"Sustainable well-being depends on people being able to understand and access the support available to them." Leah Cotterill, CEO of Cigna Healthcare Middle East and Africa outside Saudi Arabia.

The gap between stated need and treatment use is the operational issue. A young employee who is willing to work harder may still be underperforming, absent, or delaying treatment until symptoms become harder to manage. Cigna’s UAE data said 76% of employees remain willing to work harder to help their organisation succeed, and 72% remain enthusiastic about their jobs.

Why clinics and insurers should care

For Dubai clinics, the relevant regulator is the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). DHA’s Sheryan system and Dubai Medical Registry allow patients and employers to verify licensed professionals and facilities. Dubai.ae says DHA mental health service standards took effect in February 2025, and the UAE’s Federal Law No. 10 of 2023 governs mental health care across the country, including free zone facilities.

In Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, operators should check licensing and facility status through the Department of Health Abu Dhabi (DOH). In Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain, the relevant federal regulator is the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP). MOHAP’s public professional directory can be used to verify licensed healthcare workers.

The payer implication is practical. Mental health cover is still plan-dependent. Abu Dhabi nationals and eligible residents under Thiqa have a government-backed programme administered by Daman. For expatriate employees and dependants, employers should ask insurers for written confirmation of annual mental health limits, co-payments, referral rules, telehealth eligibility and provider network status before promoting an employee assistance programme.

• Clinics: publish clear psychiatry and psychology pathways, including first visit, follow-up, emergency escalation and insurer pre-approval steps.
• Insurers: show mental health limits in plain AED terms, not only as a sub-benefit in policy schedules.
• Employers: audit whether employees can book care within seven days after disclosure to HR or a line manager.
• Patients: verify the professional licence and insurer network before paying for a consultation.

What operators should do next

Price remains one reason demand does not become treatment. Private psychiatry and psychology fees in the UAE vary by emirate, provider and insurance network. Operators should avoid quoting a single market price. A more useful internal benchmark is the cash-pay first consultation, follow-up price, co-pay amount, annual policy limit and waiting time for the first available appointment.

Employers buying cover in 2027 should ask Daman, Thiqa administrators where eligible, Sukoon and other UAE insurers the same five questions: how many outpatient therapy sessions are covered, whether psychiatry is separate from counselling, whether medication is included, whether teleconsultations count against the same cap, and which DHA, DOH or MOHAP-licensed providers are in network.

For healthcare providers, the white space is navigation. The Cigna data suggests young workers know mental health affects their work, but many have not entered care. Clinics that make licensing, pricing, insurance acceptance and appointment availability visible will have an advantage over providers that require a phone call for each answer.

Patients and employers can start with the UAE Open Healthcare Directory, which lists more than 12,390 licensed healthcare providers across all seven emirates, including mental health providers with contact details, operating hours, ratings, directions and accepted insurance information where available.