Designing a Place-Based AI Companion for Culturally Sensitive Mental Health Support in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Mental health has become one of the priority issues on the global public health agenda. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one billion people, including 14% of adolescents, were living with mental disorders in 2019. Mental illnesses are among the leading causes of disability, and suicide accounts for more than 1% of all deaths worldwide, with 58% occurring among individuals under the age of 50. On average, people with severe mental disorders live 10-20 years less than the general population, primarily due to preventable physical illnesses [1].

The significance of the problem is emphasized in the classic study by Prince et al., which argues that mental health is an integral component of overall well-being and that neglecting it leads to serious social and economic consequences [2]. Nevertheless, mental disorders have long remained a marginalized topic in both policy and society.