The uneven distribution of mental health professionals across Ibero-American countries constitutes a significant barrier to equitable access to care. Despite the documented relevance of workforce density as a determinant of mental health system capacity, structured and comparable data for the region remain scarce. This study presents an open, standardized dataset compiling indicators of mental health specialist density—including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and allied mental health workers—across 22 Ibero-American countries. Data were sourced from the World Health Organization (WHO) Mental Health Atlas (2020), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and national health statistics databases. Variables were normalized per 100,000 inhabitants and harmonized to allow cross-national comparison. Exploratory analysis reveals substantial disparities: the number of psychiatrists ranges from approximately 0.2 to 12.5 per 100,000 inhabitants across the region, with a median of 2.8, compared to an OECD average of approximately 18 per 100,000. Southern Cone countries consistently report higher workforce densities, whereas Central American and some Caribbean nations show critical shortfalls. The dataset is freely available through an open interactive platform and is designed to support research in public health, health policy, mental health workforce planning, and comparative health systems analysis. This resource aims to facilitate evidence-based decision-making and help close the persistent treatment gap in mental health services across Ibero-America.
Juan Moisés de la Serna (Tue,) studied this question.