Most vulnerable groups? Younger, lower-income workers: Survey
Nearly one in two (48 per cent) Canadians are “very concerned” about their mental health as a result of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey.
Those living in Ontario (52 per cent) and Alberta (51 per cent) express the greatest concern, followed by those in Atlantic Canada (49 per cent) and British Columbia (48 per cent). More than four in 10 (41 per cent) also expressed the same concern in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec, found substance addiction treatment and concurrent mental health disorders provider Renascent.
Canadians aged 18 to 34 (60 per cent) are most concerned about their mental health compared with those aged 35 to 54 (52 per cent) and those who 55 and older (35 per cent), found the survey of 3,045 adults between June 6 and 9, 2020.
Residents with household incomes of less than $25,000 (60 per cent) are also more concerned compared with those earning $50,000 to $100,000 (46 per cent), $25,000 to $50,000 (45 per cent) and those earning more than $100,000 (41 per cent).
"The nature of the pandemic is creating enormous waves of anxiety and depression. We know this type of crisis event has a lagging effect, so the full societal mental health impact is a few months off,” says Laura Bhoi, Renascent CEO. “Make no mistake: There is a tidal wave of affected people and families forming offshore right now and when it arrives, seeking help and treatment, it will exacerbate an already existing crisis in the sector."
Women (53 per cent) are more likely to be very concerned about their mental health than men (42 per cent), and people who are single or never married (58 per cent) are more concerned than those who are married or living with a significant other and those who are separated, divorced or widowed (all 43 per cent).
More than eight in 10 (84 per cent) Canadians say their mental health concerns have worsened across 15 factors since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a separate report from the Conference Board of Canada and the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC).
Pharmacogenetics can make a difference when it comes to treating people with mental health issues, according to another study.
