October Health – 2025 Report
16-17 Demographic in South Africa
Academic pressure (school-related stress, exams, grades, and performance expectations) is the leading population-level stressor for 16–17-year-olds in South Africa. Other major contributors include safety concerns related to crime/violence and family financial stress. If you're supporting a school cohort, October offers digital group sessions and assessments that can help address student mental health.
How mental health affects the 16-17 demographic differently
- Academic pressure and matric trajectory (exams, grades, scholarships, university/vocational pathways)
- Safety concerns and exposure to violence (school safety, unsafe commutes, neighborhood crime)
- Peer influence and identity exploration (social media impact, bullying, body image, sexuality/gender identity)
- Family financial stress and housing insecurity (financial hardship, resource limits, responsibilities at home)
- Barriers to mental health support and stigma (help-seeking reluctance, confidentiality concerns, access and affordability)
Data from October Health
What's driving mental health stresses for the 16-17 demographic in South African?
Proactive mental fitness for high performance staff.
Understand the stresses and workplace challenges of your staff and provide them with the tools to protect their productivity and mental health.